Thursday, February 22, 2007

Walled in

Last night we watched Wal-Mart: The High Cost of Low Price. It was my turn to choose. The night before we watched Jackass 2, L's choice. The Wal-Mart film confirmed much of what I already felt about the store. I think it keeps fixed income people down by offering highly processed food cheap, instead of providing healthy, affordable choices. It is always understaffed, and I understand that they are anti-union. I had to go there today to get some items for work, and my workplace has an account there so it makes it easy to shop there compared to other places. While entering I was stopped by a young black boy and a teenage boy. They were selling coupons to are businesses as a fundraiser for their church. WHOA. Wal-Mart allows church groups to fund raise outside their store? Does this mean that I could approach the store as a representative of the church of Satan and be able to fund raise too? Anyway, I asked how much the coupons were and the teenager told me I could give what I liked, or I could spin the wheel on the little display they had and could pay the number the arrow landed on. I bought some time and said I would buy when I came out.

Inside the store I began to think about how much the whole things bothered me. Religious groups accosting people outside of Wal-Mart, the very same people who don't have a lot of economic choices in the first place. I don't like faith by guilt or confrontation. I'm fine with the Salvation Army who ring their bells to raise money to help others, but I don't like the idea of a fundamentalist church (I didn't mention what denomination) raising funds outside a busy shopping center to support their activities. I think it's wrong. When I left the store I avoided eye contact and beat it out to my car. I'm going to make the choice to no longer go to Wal-Mart. I don't need the hassle or their crap.

2 comments:

CBK said...

Unfortunately, their grocery prices are so dramatically lower than all the other stores around, my wife shops every week.

Hyperher said...

Believe me, I'm not judging. My parents shop their too. I just don't like their management. Plus, L went there in the middle of the night last week to buy juice when he wasn't feeling well. They wouldn't let him into that part of the store since they were waxing the floor. Nor would they get the item he needed. It seems pointless to be open if people can't access parts of their store.