Re: Fwd: Wal-Mart and the Strip-Mining of America, Corporate Watch

[Briana LeClaire <mmsmom1@yahoo.com>]

> Kunstler calls Wal-Mart "the exemplar of a form of corporate
> colonialism, which is to say, organizations from one place going into
> distant places and strip-mining them culturally and economically." 

Come ON! (Hey Moscow Sam, I think his mixed metaphor breaks several of
your Rules.)  Boy, it is really a shame we have somewhere to shop in
Moscow where one can find gardening gloves, diapers, a plain-white
t-shirt and apple juice all under the same roof -- not!

> 	
> In Oklahoma, the owner of a television and record store adversely
> affected and eventually closed down after a Wal-Mart moved into the 
> area, told reporters, "Wal-Mart really craters a little town's
downtown." 

How many small retailers have been driven out of business by Wal-Mart
since its arrival in, whenever it was, 1992 or 1993?  My guess is
none, starting with the store that feeds my family, Deranleau's.  The
ones who have gone under have been the other chain stores:  Ernst
(where the service was even worse than at this Wal-Mart) and K-Mart. 
This community has proven how important friendly service is.  People
will pay the higher opportunity cost of inconvenience (not price; 
Deranleau's has to and does meet or beat Wal-Mart on all identical
merchandise) to be helped by someone friendly who knows what he's
selling.

Having one of these chain stores also helps ensure shoppers stay in
Moscow.  Otherwise, people would certainly go to larger towns to shop.
 They do anyway, but they don't HAVE to.

>" . . .and visually, they're atrocious." 

In the eye of the beholder, I guess.  I look at Wal-Mart, and I see
lower property taxes for me.

> "The very idea of coveting goods ran counter to a broad
> Puritanical streak in American society, and to its proclaimed values 
> of living simply, working hard (the famous 'work ethic'), being
thrifty, 
> and seeking salvation through faith," Ortega writes. 
> 	

"Coveting" doesn't mean what I think this writer thinks it means.  You
can only covet something that belongs to someone else.  "Thou shalt
not covet thy neighbor's ass or ox or manservant or maidservant" (I'm
going from memory here so forgive me if it's slightly wrong) means if
you want those things, GO GET THEM YOURSELF.  Sounds to me like some
of the small retailers in this article could learn a thing or two
about that.

NOTE TO READER: I am not excusing any alleged or actual sharp or
illegal business practices by Wal-Mart!

Briana



==
:-) Briana



_________________________________________________________
DO YOU YAHOO!?
Get your free @yahoo.com address at http://mail.yahoo.com