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May 01, 2005
Deliver Us From WalMart’s Critics; Give Us WalMart Alternatives
Like many people I know, I hate the experience of shopping at WalMart, but find myself there a few times a week because it is so convenient, and so much cheaper than the alternatives.
But is WalMart acting Christianly? That’s the question examined by Jeff Sellers at Christianity Today. He’s focusing on issues such as low wages and benefiting from sweat shop labor.
What you’ll find, however, is that the shots being taken at WalMart are the same fired by liberals at any major corporation—writ large because of WalMart’s size. I believe WalMart is more sensitive to the Christian market than any retailer out there.
I will continue to shop at WalMart, while I wish for competition that will provide a more pleasant experience and shopping alternatives that will be both practical and enriching.
Posted by Jim at May 1, 2005 08:47 AM
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Posted by: Jim Jewell at May 1, 2005 05:04 PM
It would be hard to get the same kind of value that Walmart offers without bringing along some of the same problems. Look at Target for instance. They are less criticized in the news, but for a while (maybe still) they would hire people at part time hours (less than 30/week), and then make them work full time hours, and then not pay them the overtime, because they are part time employees. I'm not sure if that story is true, but I have heard it more than once.
Posted by: Ryan Scott at May 1, 2005 08:12 PM
Hmmm, interesting that you assume liberals dislike "all" large corporations. You might be surprised that there are many large corporations that liberals work with to help the corporations be good corporate citizens. Let's take a look at Costco compared to Wal-Mart: Costco checkers make $12 an hour plus benefits and year-end profit sharing, Wal-Mart checkers make an average of $6.50 an hour depending on state minimum wage laws, often no benefits and no year-end profit sharing.
Other good corporate citizens are Jet Blue, Starbucks, Apple Computer Inc., Barnes and Noble, Bed Bath and Beyond, Google, Ralph Lauren,... just to name a few companies who pay their employees middle-class family wages and benefits.
Liberals don't like corporations who pay poverty level wages, hire illegal immigrants in order to surpress wage levels even further, and receive huge corporate give-aways from the federal government, a.k.a corporate welfare.
Posted by: Heidi-ho at May 2, 2005 04:28 PM
Right, and I'm sure none of the companies you named have ever recieved a government check?
And do you liberals also enjoy the way Costco, like Wal-Mart, abuses imminent domain on a regular basis?
Wal-Mart is terrible, I'll grant you, but let's not be inconsistent.
Posted by: Matt at May 2, 2005 08:05 PM