“George W. Bush, being woken up, and people who use seven words when four will do are the only things I hate more than Wal-Mart. The corporate monster epitomizes everything that is wrong with the United States. First, the company always opens stores in some small town area, consequently driving out the mom-and-pop stores.”
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George W. Bush, being woken up, and people who use seven words when four will do are the only things I hate more than Wal-Mart.

The corporate monster epitomizes everything that is wrong with the United States. First, the company always opens stores in some small town area, consequently driving out the mom-and-pop stores.

In the Akron area, every time a Wal-Mart opens, the nearest Acme grocery store is crippled. They can’t compete with Wal-Mart’s dirt-cheap prices.

But, most important, the corporation uses what could be perceived as sexist practices. As you may know from a past class-action lawsuit, Wal-Mart stores promote their male employees more often than they promote their female employees. Women compromise 70 percent of the stores’ positions, yet hold only 30 percent of managerial jobs. Compare that to Target, where women hold 60 percent of the manager positions.

As if that isn’t bad enough, across the board, women earn about five percent less than men in every position in the stores.

While their low prices are great for consumers, they’re not so good for businesses. Wal-Mart demands that companies meet their low prices or they won’t sell their products. This translates into lower wages for their workers, since their product is being sold for so little.

Many companies can’t afford not to sell their product at the world’s largest retail store, so they are stuck. Rubbermaid once had a great relationship with Wal-Mart, but when it was forced to raise their prices because of supply costs, Wal-Mart dropped them. The company hasn’t been able to recover from the financial hit.

I haven’t shopped at a Wal-Mart for four years and intend to create a lifelong boycott. Granted, the company has improved its image lately. But its reputation and poor business practices are nothing to smile about. Dirt cheap prices are not worth lowering your moral values.

Unless you didn’t have any to begin with.

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