(no subject)

[sarasusa]

OMG YOU MUST SEE THIS MOVIE!!!!111%^&?~^#...

Wal-Mart: The High Cost of Low Price

If there is, was, or will be a Wal-Mart near you, you should see this movie.

If you're a U.S. citizen, you should see this movie.

If you form part of the global economy, you should see this movie.



Incoherent hyperbole aside, the documentary does have its faults--I think they overstated the connection between underfunded schools and subsidies to Wal-Mart; the editing was occasionally annoying; as with any strongly polemical piece, there were statistics flung about that could easily be picked at.

Nonetheless, this ranks with Fahrenheit 9/11 and The Corporation as a call to action. Prepare to be shocked, repelled, and nauseated by the stories former and current Wal-Mart employees have to tell about intimidation, discrimination, and outright being cheated out of pay; punishment for whistleblowing; and more. Then there's the environmental devastation, the abuse of workers in Latin America and Bangladesh and China, the skyrocketing crime rate in unguarded immense parking lots, the crushing of small-town businesses in the United States.

The filmmakers interviewed German employees of two companies taken over by Wal-Mart; fortunately, they were able to stay unionized. One woman said, sincerely baffled: "I don't see why the American workers put up with this, why they can't have a Workers' Council, if Wal-Mart's supposed to be all one big family." You and me both, friend!

The movie is definitely aimed at an American audience. There's several clips where interviewees say things like, "I don't want anything to do with socialism, BUT..." "I'm all for free enterprise, BUT..." It frustrates me that so many people in the States, when making mildly progressive comments, seem to feel the need to preface them with, "I'm not really a leftist/liberal/pinko/Commie! I'm a true-blue American!"

However--if such disclaimers help more people connect with the message of the film, I'll grit my teeth and bear it.

In other news: I stayed out way past my proper bedtime, drank a whole glass of Woodchuck hard cider and talked shop with the librarian I went to see the movie with, and now I'm trying to type with a heavy cat draped over one arm.

Comments

[fourth-moon.livejournal.com]

That movie sounds worthwhile - thanks for teliing about it, because it'll probably never run in Germany.

From teh odds and ends I'm picking up from internet and US-movies, being a commie or against free business seems to be something of a cardinal sin, if for no other reason because it's OMG unamerican.

But what is usual connected with "socialism"?

(Talking of cardinal sin: bad girl! Go post your PR and WIPR! You managed to get later than I, and I'm surprised that that is even possible. ;) )

[sarasusa.livejournal.com]

Realized I forgot to answer the question! Yes, the mainstream impression of communism is that it's Teh Enemy--decades of the Cold War and the accompanying cultural baggage and propaganda ground that message deep into the American psyche. As for socialism--well, you can't expect us to make distinctions, can you? Pink, red, all the same! o_o;
[/heavy sarcasm]

But seriously--the mere word "socialist" gets used as a put-down and a bugbear in U.S. political discourse. If we had a truly functional multi-party system, things might be different--but the Republican/Democratic machinery already thrusts other movements to the sideline, and then the legacy of the U.S./Soviet deathmatch has tainted the term further for most folks.

What makes me saddest and angriest, though, is how those in power played on that fear ("Red Menace" is the earlier term, "Evil Empire" the Reagan-era phrase) to justify overthrowing progressive governments in Guatemala (Arbenz in the 1950s) and Chile (Allende in 1973). This manipulation happened in many other places and ways, too, but those are particularly glaring examples of how the United States helped destroy democracy in the name of "freedom."

...and I *still* haven't reported on last week, darn it all! Will try to do so now.

i avoid it like the plague

[arlobee.livejournal.com]

But I get the plague about once every two years or so for some necessity when I am on the road and can't find anything else. I've found myself in Target a couple of times recently and it has a better feel, but I have no idea if their worker policies are any better than Walmart's.

One thing I haven't figured out is where to most conscientiously buy some electronic commodity that isn't going to be at any more local type of store. I'm thinkig of a CASIO watch i particular but there are a few things that fit into that category...[THINGS MOM AND POP NEVER MADE]

And I sin at Staples and Best Buy and Circuit City .... is there a "BIG BLOCK RATING GUIDE?"
Bob

Re: i avoid it like the plague

[arlobee.livejournal.com]

a reply to me: I found the following on the Google teaser for a page, but the page (even the cached version) didn't have it or anything more about it...

quote: "if I support a big block store, I'd support CostCo - they pay their employees a living wage, give them health insurance, and support employee retention"

Re: i avoid it like the plague

[arlobee.livejournal.com]

talk talk talk talking to myself again....

http://www.boston.com/business/articles/2004/07/25/rivalry_between_wal_mart_costco_also_extends_to_national_politics/

"Costco is stronger in Democratic states. Costco is a friend to labor. Unions hate Wal-Mart."

Now where are they around here?

Actually, there is a rating guide...

[sarasusa.livejournal.com]

...though I haven't really explored it yet (just learned of it at the movie screening, actually!):

BuyBlue.Org (http://www.buyblue.org/)

"BuyBlue.org supports businesses that share our progressive values and ideals. We believe in a triple bottom line: people, planet and profit. BuyBlue.org uses our power as consumers to vote with our wallets, supporting businesses that abide by sustainability, workers' rights, environmental standards, and corporate transparency. At the same time, BuyBlue.org focuses sharply on businesses that violate the essential values of a sustainable, fair and profitable society through their policies and the politicians they support."