Why the Campaign to change Walmart is so Importantby Caroline Vernon
The last time I shopped at Walmart was about a year ago. I remember thinking how wonderfully convenient it was that I could purchase my groceries, my household items and get my film developed in one full swoop, and get a bargain to boot! But then something happened that really burst my bubble... I got a crash course in Walmart Economics. The more I learned about Walmart’s philosophy and business practices, the more concerned I became, and ultimately, the more committed I chose to be toward sharing all that I’ve learned with as many people as possible.
As a person of conscience, there came a time when I was forced to reconcile all that I had learned and accept responsibility for it. That meant taking a stand... and that meant standing on the principal, “do unto others as you would have them do unto you”. It’s really as simple as that.
As a single mom on a fixed income, with three children at home, I full well know the importance of being as frugal as possible but I do not what to be responsible for the grief that someone else has to endure as a way of life in order to make ends meet in my own life. How anyone can justify this is beyond my understanding.
The truth is, Walmart can afford to offer some of the low prices that they do because they are paying sweat shop wages, sometimes as low as 3 cents an hour, to manufacture the same goods that were once manufactured here at home. The effect of this has resulted in the loss of good paying jobs at home as well as a lowering of a work standard and ethic that had once made America great. Rather than raising standards throughout the rest of the world, Walmart is systematically lowering standards at home - all this in the name of the almighty dollar, with no regard to the impact that such detrimental practices have on individuals, families, and communities throughout, not only this country, but the world.
Walmart currently has 3700 stores throughout the country and has ambitious plans to raise that number to 6,000 within the next 5 to 6 years. Is this in line with your vision of America? Where Walmart is the only place to shop... where the nostalgia of our historic downtown communities no longer exist because Walmart intentionally sets out to annihilate all competition? Where Walmart is one of the few places left in our communities to work? Where our brothers and sisters are denied good benefits, a decent living wage, respect and dignity on the job, and the right to organize and form a union?
How can we forget the sacrifices of our forefathers who gave their lifeblood to ensure our way of life? Yes, we live in a capitalist society but does that mean that everything we are, everything we believe, must be reduced down to the “bottom dollar?” Is this not the same as worshiping mammon? Does the bible not warn us against the “love of money?” At what point do people matter more than profit? What happened to “we are our brother’s keeper?” These are the many questions that continue to make my head spin and my heart ache and I for one, cannot ignore them.
This philosophy of profit at any cost, is undoing America, and every one of us who chooses to turn a blind eye to what is happening right under our noses, is partly responsible for the harm that is being done. As the largest corporation in the world, Walmart has the power to do right, and to do good, and sometimes they do, but all things considered, when you step back and look at the big picture, Walmart is responsible for doing far more harm than good. It seems strikingly apparent to me that The Walmart Corporation chooses to live by the old adage, “he with the most gold make the rules”, and given the millions of dollars they spend lobbying for subsidies and other favors, it seems they are well on their way to doing exactly that. Other small businesses don’t get subsidies so why should Walmart? Isn’t America supposed to represent fairness, equality, freedom and justice for ALL? We should have a fair and level playing field with everyone being held to the same standard.
America may be financially wealthy, but if we allow corporations like Walmart to continue to choose profit over people, what does that say about the wealth of our collective spirit? We can no longer afford to rationalize unto ourselves at the expense of others, here at home or abroad. As a matter of principal, we can no longer allow greed to trump need. Wake up America! Wake up Walmart!
www.wakeupwalmart.com
www.walmartwatch.com
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