Brain-damaged woman at center of Wal-Mart suit

[Spirithound]

Then why say this?

Hmm…that’s a good question. Perhaps I can be more accurate by saying I believe they are an evil corporation, just like (almost) all other large companies, but I don’t hold it against them.

 

[distracted]

Then why say this?

…

 

[vern_humphrey]

Hmm…that’s a good question. Perhaps I can be more accurate by saying I believe they are an evil corporation, just like (almost) all other large companies, but I don’t hold it against them.

So basically, they stand convicted in your mind, no matter what they do?

Wal-Mart employs people who could not otherwise be employed. Wal-Mart brings business and prosperity to rural communities. Wal-Mart has a generous policy which allows store managers to budget for charities, to support their communities.

On the 5th of February, my town, Mountain View, Arkansas was hit by a tornado. This tornado was a record for the state and tore a 123-mile long swath across the state. Our hospital and ambulance services were destroyed. All electric power was knocked out. Highways to the south, east and north were blocked by downed trees and live electric lines.

Before dawn, before telephone communications were restored, a Wal-Mart truck arrived with a huge generator. Without being asked, Wal-Mart went into action. They powered up the Murphy gas station – which was the only place in the county where people and emergency vehicles could get gasoline.

They started cooking in the dining section – feeding people for free. More and more Wal-Mart trucks rolled in, with generators, chain saws, propane heaters – exactly what we needed in this emergency. Yes, they sold those things – but for the same price they’d have charged had there been no tornado, and they didn’t add on the cost of the generator and other things needed to get up and running.

 

[vz71]

On the 5th of February, my town, Mountain View, Arkansas was hit by a tornado. This tornado was a record for the state and tore a 123-mile long swath across the state. Our hospital and ambulance services were destroyed. All electric power was knocked out. Highways to the south, east and north were blocked by downed trees and live electric lines.

Before dawn, before telephone communications were restored, a Wal-Mart truck arrived with a huge generator. Without being asked, Wal-Mart went into action. They powered up the Murphy gas station – which was the only place in the county where people and emergency vehicles could get gasoline.

They started cooking in the dining section – feeding people for free. More and more Wal-Mart trucks rolled in, with generators, chain saws, propane heaters – exactly what we needed in this emergency. Yes, they sold those things – but for the same price they’d have charged had there been no tornado, and they didn’t add on the cost of the generator and other things needed to get up and running.

I am sure this has earned them a great deal of loyalty from you.

But there is nothing wrong with questioning the motivations of a corporation. In this instance, I spent a great deal of time working for this corporation. In my experience, there was never a motivation beyond the bottom line.

 

[vern_humphrey]

I am sure this has earned them a great deal of loyalty from you.

But there is nothing wrong with questioning the motivations of a corporation. In this instance, I spent a great deal of time working for this corporation. In my experience, there was never a motivation beyond the bottom line.

First of all, they’re in business to make money – so they have a duty to watch the bottom line.

But do you say Wal-Mart doesn’t have a policy of hiring elderly and handicapped people? Wal-Mart doesn’t give to charity? Wal-Mart doesn’t strive to hold down prices, so people in poor, rural areas can buy school clothes and other necessities for their kids?

Wal-Mart is a better neighbor and corporate citizen than dozens of other large corporations.

 

[vz71]

First of all, they’re in business to make money – so they have a duty to watch the bottom line.

But do you say Wal-Mart doesn’t have a policy of hiring elderly and handicapped people? Wal-Mart doesn’t give to charity? Wal-Mart doesn’t strive to hold down prices, so people in poor, rural areas can buy school clothes and other necessities for their kids?

Wal-Mart is a better neighbor and corporate citizen than dozens of other large corporations.

A neighbor that has only the bottom line as their motivation may present as a good citizen, but it does not present as a moral.

It is quite possible to maintain the duty to the bottom line and also be considerate of the common good.

Wal Mart, in my estimation, fails miserably at this.
They follow only the bottom line. Welfare of any individual is not a consideration beyond PR.
Working for them proved this beyond any shadow of a doubt.

 

[vern_humphrey]

A neighbor that has only the bottom line as their motivation may present as a good citizen, but it does not present as a moral.

It is quite possible to maintain the duty to the bottom line and also be considerate of the common good.

Wal Mart, in my estimation, fails miserably at this.
They follow only the bottom line. Welfare of any individual is not a consideration beyond PR.
Working for them proved this beyond any shadow of a doubt.

So you think they should not make a profit?

Perhaps, given your experience working with them, you could start a business of your own – you might call it “VZ71-Mart” and strive not to make a profit. Of course, you would employ as many people as Wal-Mart, and sell at the same price as Wal-Mart.

 

[vz71]

So you think they should not make a profit?

Perhaps, given your experience working with them, you could start a business of your own – you might call it “VZ71-Mart” and strive not to make a profit. Of course, you would employ as many people as Wal-Mart, and sell at the same price as Wal-Mart.

Perhaps you misread my post.

I’ll re-iterate for those that have a problem reading…

It is quite possible to maintain the duty to the bottom line and also be considerate of the common good.

Perhaps I should state this in a different way…
Moral behavior does not necessitate not making a profit (as some suggest). It simply necessitates that the bottom line not be the only priority.

It is good that you wrote in your experience with this corporate giant. It let’s me know precisely where you are coming from.
I too would find it difficult to critically judge an entity that has done so much to help my community.
But let’s not let that be a set of blinders here.
The experience of the employees in this corporation speaks volumes. In several stores, the ‘happy employee’ that everyone sees on the commercials or on their own training tapes is a foreign concept.

A happy customer is one that feels they are getting a bargain.
Wal Mart has hit upon this, and taken advantage. Their success testifies to this. But this ‘bottom line first’ concept, as successful as it is, is not a moral approach.

Perhaps that is why Wal Mart finds it necessary to engage in such huge PR displays.

 

[vern_humphrey]

Perhaps you misread my post.

I’ll re-iterate for those that have a problem reading…

It is quite possible to maintain the duty to the bottom line and also be considerate of the common good.

Perhaps I should state this in a different way…
Moral behavior does not necessitate not making a profit (as some suggest). It simply necessitates that the bottom line not be the only priority.

It is good that you wrote in your experience with this corporate giant. It let’s me know precisely where you are coming from.
I too would find it difficult to critically judge an entity that has done so much to help my community.
But let’s not let that be a set of blinders here.
The experience of the employees in this corporation speaks volumes. In several stores, the ‘happy employee’ that everyone sees on the commercials or on their own training tapes is a foreign concept.

A happy customer is one that feels they are getting a bargain.
Wal Mart has hit upon this, and taken advantage. Their success testifies to this. But this ‘bottom line first’ concept, as successful as it is, is not a moral approach.

Perhaps that is why Wal Mart finds it necessary to engage in such huge PR displays.

Perhaps you misread my post.

I’ll re-iterate for those that have a problem reading…

There is no law preventing you from starting your own business and running it as you think it should be run.

Be sure to employ as many people as Wal-Mart, sell as wide a selection of goods as Wal-Mart, and charge what Wal-Mart charges or less.

 

[harrisunt]

I think so. Glad to see you agree.

As for nationwide industries, just because something is a nationwide industry doesn’t mean it should be preserved. Abortion is a nationwide industry. So was the Final Solution. So was the Soviet Gulag.

Oh the classic… Everything Bad= Abortion debate…

You have the Soviet Gulag but no Hitler… that was surprising to say the least.

Seriously? You can vent in anger but the truth of the matter is that Wal-Mart was simply exercising their rights under the laws of this country. If you don’t like them you have two choices…1) Move 2) Work to change them.

But since your ability to read sarcasm is slim… let me put it in a different way.

Outlawing insurance companies is a stupid idea.

 

[vz71]

Perhaps you misread my post.

I’ll re-iterate for those that have a problem reading…

There is no law preventing you from starting your own business and running it as you think it should be run.

Be sure to employ as many people as Wal-Mart, sell as wide a selection of goods as Wal-Mart, and charge what Wal-Mart charges or less.

You missed part of your post. The part I was addressing (with a fair amount of charity, I might add).
The part that says “So you think they should not make a profit?”

Perhaps I should have made my clearer in explaining to you what points I was and was not addressing. I will next time.

As for the rest, I have ignored it.

 

[vern_humphrey]

Perhaps you misread my post.

I’ll re-iterate for those that have a problem reading…

There is no law preventing you from starting your own business and running it as you think it should be run.

Be sure to employ as many people as Wal-Mart, sell as wide a selection of goods as Wal-Mart, and charge what Wal-Mart charges or less.

 

[vz71]

Perhaps There is no law preventing you from starting your own business and running it as you think it should be run.

Be sure to employ as many people as Wal-Mart, sell as wide a selection of goods as Wal-Mart, and charge what Wal-Mart charges or less.

What exactly does this have to do with the question of the motivations behind Wal Mart’s decisions in this case?

 

[vern_humphrey]

What exactly does this have to do with the question of the motivations behind Wal Mart’s decisions in this case?

It has to do with the motivation behind those who say, “Well, they do the right thing, but for the wrong reason.”

It has to do with the motivation behind those who complain, but who are not willing to do as much good as the target of their complaint.

 

[vz71]

It has to do with the motivation behind those who say, “Well, they do the right thing, but for the wrong reason.”

It has to do with the motivation behind those who complain, but who are not willing to do as much good as the target of their complaint.

Perhaps we are mistaking complaint for observation.

 

[vern_humphrey]

Perhaps we are mistaking complaint for observation.

Nice dodge.

Once again, if you believe what you say, remember there is no law preventing you from starting your own business and running it as you think it should be run.

Be sure to employ as many people as Wal-Mart, sell as wide a selection of goods as Wal-Mart, and charge what Wal-Mart charges or less.

 

[rpp]

I think what I see here is someone who views a particular corporation as one that engages in heroic activities, others who view it like any other corporate citizen, and a few others who view them a villain.

Only the second of the three perspectives allows a person to see activites in fair light.

 

[vz71]

I think what I see here is someone who views a particular corporation as one that engages in heroic activities, others who view it like any other corporate citizen, and a few others who view them a villain.

Only the second of the three perspectives allows a person to see activites in fair light.

:clapping:

 

[vern_humphrey]

I think what I see here is someone who views a particular corporation as one that engages in heroic activities, others who view it like any other corporate citizen, and a few others who view them a villain.

Only the second of the three perspectives allows a person to see activites in fair light.

You are in error – I view Wal-Mart like any other good corporate citizen. I do have a tendency to rebut hatred and bigotry, whether directed against Catholics, Blacks, Jews, or corporations with a good record.

I have a lot of experence with Wal-Mart, including having lived long enough to see how Wal-Mart has saved many rural communities. And I have heard many falsehoods about Wal-Mart, including (on these forums) that Wal-Mart “pulls out of communities and ruins them.”

Let’s take that one for a minute. Why on earth would any corporation close down a profit-making store? Clearly, if a community dies economically, it isn’t due to Wal-Mart pulling out – it’s just the other way 'round.

 

[vz71]

Nice dodge.

Once again, if you believe what you say, remember there is no law preventing you from starting your own business and running it as you think it should be run.

Be sure to employ as many people as Wal-Mart, sell as wide a selection of goods as Wal-Mart, and charge what Wal-Mart charges or less.

I do not accept that premise.
My own beliefs concerning Wal Mart do not necessitate any of the action specified. They are simply observations into how the business is run. I have no intention of opening any type of business, nor attempting to compete for their customer base.

I am simply noting that their intentions may not be as noble as some would believe. Of course, their intent may not be truly evil either. Their prime motive is the bottom line, and morality does not play a part in that. Owning and running a competitor business is not necessary to see that.