Blue Owl Brewing
Those Opposed to Wal-Mart Not Racist
RECEIVED Sun., Dec. 31, 2006
Dear Editor,
This is a reply to V.J. Asensio’s letter on the "Witch-Hunt of Wal-Mart" [Postmarks, Dec. 29]. To accuse those opposed to Wal-Mart of racism is to ignore two facts: 1) The workers in the sweatshops that make Wal-Mart’s merchandise aren’t usually Caucasian; and 2) many of those owning small businesses threatened by Wal-Mart are minorities. But at least when they lose their businesses they can work at Wal-Mart for pitiful wages and no benefits!
As for "supply and demand", when the U.S. had slavery, the cotton supply met the nation’s demand, right? Now we have the same principle, only our slaves are overseas.
The economic impact of Wal-Mart is peanuts. Wal-Mart readily does business with human rights abusers: Does the word "laogai" mean anything to anyone?
This is a reply to V.J. Asensio’s letter on the "Witch-Hunt of Wal-Mart" [Postmarks, Dec. 29]. To accuse those opposed to Wal-Mart of racism is to ignore two facts: 1) The workers in the sweatshops that make Wal-Mart’s merchandise aren’t usually Caucasian; and 2) many of those owning small businesses threatened by Wal-Mart are minorities. But at least when they lose their businesses they can work at Wal-Mart for pitiful wages and no benefits!
As for "supply and demand", when the U.S. had slavery, the cotton supply met the nation’s demand, right? Now we have the same principle, only our slaves are overseas.
The economic impact of Wal-Mart is peanuts. Wal-Mart readily does business with human rights abusers: Does the word "laogai" mean anything to anyone?
Vanessa Hutcheson
