No thank you to big box stores

This is in esponse to Mr. Stern’s argument in favor of revenues generated by Wal-Mart/big boxes.

I’m sure 18th century American plantation/slave owners made the same argument in favor of slavery that Ed Stern has made for Wal-Mart. It creates revenue so therefore it’s good and look at all the benefits. Stern ran for the Democratic County Commissioner seat and received zero to a few votes out of 70 – 80 voters as a result of his positions and support for Wal-Mart. And why was it a contentious issue Mr. Stern? Wal-Mart was raided by Federal agents in 22 states for using illegal aliens to clean its stores at slave labor pay. Wal-Mart has been involved in some of the largest employee abuse/discrimination law suits in American history.

Wal-Mart is the major culprit of outsourcing and offshoring — that means American companies have sold out the American worker and moved their production and manufacturing to China because they can’t afford to pay Americans decent wages and health care benefits. Wal-Mart imports sweatshop and slave labor products (Chinese employees work 80 hours per week in prison style factories). And Wal-mart has lowered the standard for all American workers.

State taxpayers subsidize health care for Wal-Mart employees who are at the poverty level and among the millions of Americans without health care. And finally, Wal-Mart and the big box aesthetic is a destructive force to the cultural American landscape – it creates sprawl, pollution, mindless consumption, and it destroys beauty.

Where does Mr. Stern think all of the carbon dioxide from the increased traffic through Poulsbo is going? I’ll never shop at Wal-Mart. I only shop with businesses that pay employees living wages and provide health benefits (I’m not comparing small businesses). I don’t care if it costs more. No thanks Mr. Stern, we don’t want your money.

Carson Farley

Poulsbo