There is a certain satisfaction to be derived from the public meltdown of your ideological enemies, whether they’re John McCain’s slew of quasi-racial and cultural epithets hurled in the general direction of Barack Obama, thus confirming the degeneracy of the Republican nominee, or the fact that Wal-Mart, a corporation deserving of confinement in the Hague and subsequent trial for crimes against human dignity, is regularly exposed as flouting the democratic principles that so many of its customers presume to espouse.McCain will be gone soon, and over the years, we’ve enjoyed exposing Wal-Mart and the cluelessness of its shoppers, as when Bluegill trenchantly noted the presence of labor union stickers on cars in the company’s humongous parking lots.
Read. Print. Distribute. Live. Repeat.
It’s especially relevant now that the union-fearing Bentonville management is openly preaching anti-Obama politics to its employees.
Wal-Mart warning managers of labor bill
We’ve never ceased reminding readers that there is a high cost to low price, as when NAC joined Destinations Booksellers way back in 2005 in screening Robert Greenwald’s movie of the same name.
Speaking of Wal-Mart, as the movie release date draws nearer, Bentonville begins circling the wagons.
Americans being, well, Americans, suggests that huge retail chains and big boxes won’t be going away any time soon. The important thing to remember is that they be kept in their place, and that as we contemplate the ongoing renewal of downtown New Albany, we bear in mind that when in doubt, pursuing development strategies that are the polar opposite of Wal-Mart’s preferences generally will yield the best results.
Contrarianism and individuality are to Bentonville what daylight and the crucifix were to the Transylvanian count. We must remake downtown into something very, very weird.
"McCain will be gone soon, and over the years, we’ve enjoyed exposing Wal-Mart and the cluelessness of its shoppers.."
ReplyDeletei know the negatives that walmart has too, however, to call the people the shop their clueless is kind of arrogant, especially if you're shooting those barbs from a higher SES.
true, many folks probably don't have any idea as to the bad stuff walmart brings and does to a community, at the same time, they're probably more concerned with putting food on the table and inthere lies the rub.
are you suggesting that people make a political statement, sacrificing putting food on the table for their family?
asking people to shop rainbow or wholefood and paying $5 + for a gal. of milk versus a cheaper price at walmart is a no brainer if i'm making minimum wage.
how about the "organic" stores lower their prices? this post kind of borders the "let them eat cake" attitude.
I appreciate the criticism, but at the same time, seeing cars parked at Wal-Mart with various union stickers affixed to them while people inside shop ... well, clueless might be too harsh, but how would you describe it?
ReplyDeleteI saw a billboard somewhere that stated that Wal-Mart saves American families $2,500 per year. Compared to what? Is that for essentials, or for things that families don't really need in the first place?
Not to beat the dead horse, but I just got back.
i wish i had an answer to the box store issue. i can't stand them and try to do my best to buy local and educate all my friends about box store issues.
ReplyDeletewe're a nation of slobs, give me now, super size me, more for less, etc.
people with our views on this box store issue, usually don't have a large budget to educate our community, so i just have to resort to telling friends, who tell friends and so on.
trust me, had it not been for my experience over at the louisville metro health department's health equity department, i'd have the same notion to say, "why can't they just go to the local farmers market?" "why can't they just make healthy choices?" it's hard to make choices on food stamps and no other alternatives. yes, we could go to harvest, whole foods, rainbow blossom, but those "organic" stores are just a big of a gimmic as walmarts low prices.
anything with carbon in it can be called organic. don't fool yourself for a minute that these "organic" stores are here to save america and help them make healthy choices, they're in it to make that big dollar too...
again, not disputing the message, just how it was being laid out...you're still a master of the literary word and i love reading your stuff!