It is pretty well documented that I can not, will not shop at WalMart. Maybe 10% of the reason being the crappy merchandise, and 90% of the reason being unethical labor, commerce, and real estate practices.
Somehow, Target has managed to fly under the radar with a relatively squeaky-clean image, but digging in a little reveals that they're little better than their larger, uglier cousin. They are similarly anti-union, pro-import, and pro-superdevelopment.
Factoid to consider:
Annual salary of Target store employee: $13,000
Hourly salary of Target CEO: $19,010
(source: United Food and Commercial Workers Union)
Outside of the glaring irony of my workplace, I consider there to be a relatively good consistency between my values and my consumption. But the age of the all-purpose discount giant is probably here to stay-do I continue to boycott WalMart while ignoring the injustices of the Big Red Beast, in the name of them being the (slight) lesser of two evils? Perhaps I get a Costco membership: http://www.buyblue.org/detail.php?corpId=17
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The only way to beat them is by shopping at mom and pop stores. Not to many in a non-big city. So, my best advise to you is for you to become Amish. A Amish man in Minneapolis would be a hoot. You commute might be extended and you horse might get spooked. Goodluck!
Interesting to know. Will have to check out more.
One thing Target doesn't do is tout itself as 'all American' while 70% of it's products are made in China. 70% of Target's products may be made in China - I'm not sure, but they're not draping themselves in the flag as Walmart does.
That's only because they're marketing to different customers. WalMart's marketing to red staters, or people in blue states who are red-stated at heart. Target is "cheap-chic" and mports are part of the game. I don't think it gets them any more off the hook for being cocksuckers.
I actually give WalMart a tiny bit of credit for being the one huge chain (actually, maybe add McDonalds to that), that doesn't make their target audience idealized versions of themselves. They market to the lower-crust, into which about 55% (and growing) of our nation's population falls, and laugh all the way to the bank.
Target & Best Buy & Kohl's, and everyone else in retail is scratching and clawing for the 12% of our population which is college-educated, well-off, and age 25-44.
Not excusing them really - just adds to the SUV driving hypocrisy that leads people to think that they're doing this country some good by shopping at Walmart.
Amish POWER!
I know you're joking, Clogger, but you're bringing a Gibbons-esque level of insensitivity into a topic that I feel pretty strongly about.
Fact is, the rich are getting richer and the poor are getting poorer. Worldwide. And it's happening at a faster rate than ever before in history, and it's due almost entirely to 1st world nations' laws being contructed around corporations having far more rights than individual people. That's just nuts if you think about it. But currently, there are very few disincentives to rich people getting richer by screwing everyone else.
Our government is now like a Rolling Stones concert: by rich people for rich people. We live in a plutocracy.
I understand where you are coming from brother. I am being quite insensitive. I don't know if anyone has ever said that I was being Gibbons-like in an e-mail before. Maybe a first. I know first hand how freakin annoying it is when he does that crap. Please accept my deepest appologies. :)
Speaking of Walmart and the Amish...
Buggies will be pasted from axle to axle with Support Our Troops ribbons.
Awesome find AJ! Extra textiles, and straw hats on hand. A huge section for buggy parking as well. I would like to see an Amish greeter at our Wal-mart in Cedar Falls.
His sub-standard wage will allow him to more easily conform to the Amish practice of not accumulation wealth & possessions.
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