WAL MART, AMERICA

WAL MART AMERICA

04/27/2001


Well folks, I for one can't wait for the day when babies will be brought home from the hospital in little Wal-mart smocks. and when one of us will die, we will be burried in Wal-mart coffins, in Wal-mart bought suits, and ofcourse with Wal-mart smocks. All of which ofcourse will be made in Korea, Taiwan, Malaysia and Mexico.


Really though, living in small town U.S.A, the Wal-mart has been a small blessing , but a much bigger curse on the locally ownd small businesses as well as small town economies. Causing many a small business to close, and throwing people out of work in more ways than one.


Here in Southeast Alabama, for instance, towns as far away as thrity and forty miles from a Wal-mart have suffered, and not just because of local businesses closing their doors, but also, the from the effects of the factory jobs moving over seas due to the walmartization of the local economy.


We knew , almost 20 years ago, that open and free trade with the third world countries the textile jobs in particular were in jeopardy. But what we did not know that the other jobs will move out too , and that the Wal-martization will only accelrate the demise of our small towns. The idea of providing cheaper goods at the lowest prices, (for the people alreafdy losing their jobs to the foriegn compatitors), worked like a charm, people came in droves, from miles around, to buy the goods made by the people who took their jobs in the first place.


People around here, lost the jobs by the thousands, and have yet to recover, these were the jobs with retirement, health benefits, and where a woman could go to work and help raise a family, but all gone now. Reduced buying power, that followed the job losses only forced people to shop Wal-mart in turn to look for cheaper, albeit, lower quality junk merchandise, compounding the problems of the small town economies and businesses.


Also, when Wal-marts opened early on in smaller plazas, they became the anchor store of many a small shopping center, in a small town, with the phase two and moves to bigger stores and super centers, Wal -mart left in its wake many a destroyed shopping plaza, with other businees near by ruined or closed altogether.


Thats not all, not only the general revenues and jobs are lost in small towns, the schools and fire departments and other services provided by the local governments have also paid dearly, as sales and property tax dollars are shifted from one locality to another, (from smaller towns to the larger ones).


So next time you travel , miles out of your way to your favorite Wal-mart, and walk in, picture yourself in the shoes of the 60 year old greeter saying welcome to Wal-mart, for that just may be you yourself in a few more years


(M.N. R.)



LIFE IS A GAME OF CONNECT THE DOTS, IF YOU DON'T CONNECT ALL THE DOTS OR DON'T CONNECT THEM IN THE RIGHT ORDER YOU NEVER GET THE PICTURE