wal-mart sucks

great film. not much more than i already knew. but a few things really struck me. so many people who shop there (including me!) shop there because it's cheap...but is it? at first glance, it is. but when you take in all the tax incentives towns give out to the store and all the public services their workers have to use because they're paid so dismally and their insurance is so steep, are the prices still so cheap?

another reason people support wal-mart is that they provide jobs for the community. at first glance, yes they do. but what happens to all the local grocery, pharmacy, clothing and hardware shops in 3-6-12 months. what about all those jobs that are lost when these businesses go belly up. and what happens to our down towns.

i keep thinking about my home town, big rapids. now granted, our down town is still present, for the most part. but we use to have 4 local grocery stores. they're all gone now. now we have super wal-mart and meijer. we use to have local pharmacies and hardware shops. those are gone too. and for what? for some super giant to come and rape my community of it's dignity and culture only to provide a poorer workforce and items made in sweatshops (literally). do i really want to be using/eating/wearing something that was made by some big business guy who exploits people to make a buck?

and i know i'm saying these things with a bank account full of money. i know there are struggling people out there that at times, have no choice but to use wal-mart for the prices. i guess what i'm trying to get at is how can we make this better?

the workers are getting raped every day. bent over the laps of corporate america. if they try to get union involvement, walmart cabashes it. their health care is too expensive so managers show workers how to file for medicaid and WIC. workers are scared into working overtime yet are not payed for time worked.

i don't know…i'll stop here. i know this is a personal matter that y'all have to make yourselves, but at least be informed about this corporation. watch the movie and do your own research. this company just seems to really be corrupt…more so than any other company…so be informed