Politics

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Don’t Believe The Hype – Wal-Mart Is Not Your Enemy!
by Dan Blankenship



One of my favorite places to shop, Wal-Mart, has been under attack for quite some time now. There’s even a website dedicated to finding current and past employees who might be willing to post their horror stories about the company.

Now I fully support freedom of speech. In fact, I rarely stop running my mouth or typing on my keyboard about what I believe. And I truly believe the attacks and accusations against Wal-Mart are completely out of control, disseminated and exaggerated by pro-union, anti-free-market, and leftist-leaning individuals who find pleasure in “taking on” big, evil corporations.

Let’s look at some of these accusations more closely. Wal-Mart critics site low wages for part-time employees as a reason to rage against the “giant” corporation. I’ve worked in the retail business, part-time, and I don’t remember ever making a lot of money under that employment, so please forgive me if I don’t quite understand all the anger. Perhaps it would be a better world if we all made superior wages, but what would that do to prices? Is that of no concern to the fanatical Wal-Mart bashers? Don’t answer that for me. I already know the answer.

Another concern the Wal-Mart-slayers list, is that the large chain is putting the smaller, locally owned retailers out of business. If only someone had stopped Henry Ford back in 1893, we would still have our neighborhood stables and blacksmiths. I’m pretty sure indoor plumbing caused a lot of local outhouse builders to lose their jobs too. Hurry, someone better stop the iPOD industry before CDs become obsolete!

Wal-Mart not only provides for one-stop shopping, it also allows a person to stretch his or her dollar further than a “ma and pa” shop ever could, and Wal-Mart employs a lot more of the neighborhood! Call it economical evolution if you like. I’ll call it more money for me to spend on necessities.

One of the most ridiculous complaints against my favorite store is that it doesn’t give back to the community. Huh? What about the hundreds of incomes it provides? What about the property and sales tax generated by the stores? How about the millions upon millions of dollars and products Wal-Mart donates to charities, disaster victims, and the needy. Between local, state, and federal income taxes, Wal-Mart paid over five billion in 2004 and collected over eleven billion in sales taxes. This money goes back into all communities throughout America, not just the community where their stores are built.

Wal-Mart also recently provided 900,000 military families with Mack Packs that allowed military personnel to communicate with loved ones while overseas and donated 600 pallets of ice and 7,048 pallets of water to victims of hurricane Dennis. Can a “ma and pa’ store do that?

Yet none of that is important to the critics. They are more concerned with Wal-Mart’s attempt to keep items off of their shelf that our out of whack with the company’s moral values. I can’t imagine these so-called consumer advocates believe a company should be forced to carry any item, let alone the smut they believe Wal-Mart is entitled to provide for their customers. Wal-Mart should be given an award for taking a moral stand with their product inventory, not bashed!

As far as I know, there is not a Wal-Mart store in the United States that has voted to unionize. I believe this fact contributes to the continued assault on company and its leaders. Imagine if all of the Wal-Marts voted for union representation. That kind of money is worth an all out assault on a company, and that’s exactly why I ignore “the sky is falling” cries of the pro-unionists crowd and look at the real facts. I suggest readers of this column do the same before jumping on the bandwagon of bashing a company that is dedicated to helping its employees and customers live a more comfortable life.

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