Wal-Mart Open to Gay Community

[shirleytowers]

When I go to Walmart here I do notice that it is a different crowd than I see at, say, Target. Personally, I hate Walmart for the long lines at the check out and the cheesy merchandise. But it is a good place to buy underwear.

 

[Liberalsaved]

Only very snobbish, elite liberals believe that. Do you really feel that shoppers at the largest retailer (largest = most shoppers, especially at their low prices) are the dregs of society? Not much love for your fellow man, I take it?

A: many locations draw people who support this conclusion, and
B: I said it was a reputation, not a fact.

 

[rlg94086]

When I go to Walmart here I do notice that it is a different crowd than I see at, say, Target. Personally, I hate Walmart for the long lines at the check out and the cheesy merchandise. But it is a good place to buy underwear.

Certainly, Walmart’s low prices and style of retail generally bring a higher percentage of people from the lower income levels. I just don’t consider people in the lower income levels to be the dregs of society.

 

[rlg94086]

A: many locations draw people who support this conclusion, and
B: I said it was a reputation, not a fact.

And I said that this reputation is from elite liberals… I still stand by that.

 

[Liberalsaved]

And I said that this reputation is from elite liberals… I still stand by that.

Then you weren’t going to listen to opposing opinions in the first place, so why did you ask?

 

[rlg94086]

Then you weren’t going to listen to opposing opinions in the first place, so why did you ask?

I’m sorry? What opposing opinion did you give?

 

[Bruised_Reed]

When I go to Walmart here I do notice that it is a different crowd than I see at, say, Target. Personally, I hate Walmart for the long lines at the check out and the cheesy merchandise. But it is a good place to buy underwear.

Yes, especially the underwear part.

Only very snobbish, elite liberals believe that. Do you really feel that shoppers at the largest retailer (largest = most shoppers, especially at their low prices) are the dregs of society? Not much love for your fellow man, I take it?

Certainly, Walmart’s low prices and style of retail generally bring a higher percentage of people from the lower income levels. I just don’t consider people in the lower income levels to be the dregs of society.

I wish I could find an article I read…I want to say it’s bee 2-3 years now that compared Target and WalMart. It made the observation that one would be more likely to see parents abusing children in WalMart than Target.

My hometown has a new Wal*Mart. I see more freaks there than I ever did at K-Mart. And they are totally living up to their reputation as far as their employee practices. I think it’s a soul-sucking place to work.

 

[rlg94086]

Freaks? Nice…even better than dregs.

Can you describe these freaks? Are they less human than you or less important than you?

Yes, especially the underwear part.

I wish I could find an article I read…I want to say it’s bee 2-3 years now that compared Target and WalMart. It made the observation that one would be more likely to see parents abusing children in WalMart than Target.

My hometown has a new Wal*Mart. I see more freaks there than I ever did at K-Mart. And they are totally living up to their reputation as far as their employee practices. I think it’s a soul-sucking place to work.

 

[Bruised_Reed]

Freaks? Nice…even better than dregs.

Can you describe these freaks? Are they less human than you or less important than you?

Sure. They appear to be wannabe goths or somthing like it, laden with piercings, tatoos, and hair color not found in nature. Not that I find anything really wrong with these as I had a piercing until I took it out and then couldn’t close the capture, okay, no tattoo and my favorite hair color for me could be described as “plum”. Even I know that is freaky. I use freaks rather affectionately because even if I don’t dress like one (anymore ) I think of them as my people (well, perhaps not). Just waiting for them to grow up and not to things for attention and reaction.

Heh. No they are not less human or less important. But I don’t see them at K-Mart or Target. And they are still freaks.

 

[rlg94086]

Thank you for the clarification. Hopefully, those you describe will also find the route to normalcy. I luckily steered away from piercings and tatoos during my punk phase - hair and clothing can be changed a little easier. I wonder if goths are also the “dregs” the other poster referred to?

I’m not a huge fan or detractor of Walmart…they’re a business. If they are doing anything illegal, then they should be prosecuted. Otherwise, I think the market is working. What I find interesting is that the mostly liberal hatred of Walmart includes disdain for the shoppers. I don’t think some of these liberals realize that many of the shoppers are, in some areas the majority, liberals…their own consituents! They are just looking for a way to make ends meet.

Anyone who has actually been poor for any period of time knows that Walmart, second-hand stores, etc. are one of the only ways to make it through. Someone, somewhere, said we are all God’s children…who was that? Wait, wait…it will come to me…

Sure. They appear to be wannabe goths or somthing like it, laden with piercings, tatoos, and hair color not found in nature. Not that I find anything really wrong with these as I had a piercing until I took it out and then couldn’t close the capture, okay, no tattoo and my favorite hair color for me could be described as “plum”. Even I know that is freaky. I use freaks rather affectionately because even if I don’t dress like one (anymore ) I think of them as my people (well, perhaps not). Just waiting for them to grow up and not to things for attention and reaction.

Heh. No they are not less human or less important. But I don’t see them at K-Mart or Target. And they are still freaks.

 

[Bruised_Reed]

Thank you for the clarification. Hopefully, those you describe will also find the route to normalcy. I luckily steered away from piercings and tatoos during my punk phase - hair and clothing can be changed a little easier. I wonder if goths are also the “dregs” the other poster referred to?

I’m not a huge fan or detractor of Walmart…they’re a business. If they are doing anything illegal, then they should be prosecuted. Otherwise, I think the market is working. What I find interesting is that the mostly liberal hatred of Walmart includes disdain for the shoppers. I don’t think some of these liberals realize that many of the shoppers are, in some areas the majority, liberals…their own consituents! They are just looking for a way to make ends meet.

Anyone who has actually been poor for any period of time knows that Walmart, second-hand stores, etc. are one of the only ways to make it through. Someone, somewhere, said we are all God’s children…who was that? Wait, wait…it will come to me…

I can’t stand WalMart. The stores are crowded, dim and sort of feel unclean. The new WalMart we have is new so it’s not too dingy yet but it is dim. Oh, and it’s not crowed because the powers that be thought it would be more popular than it is.

And finally the way they have treated their employees is just not good. Some examples? New employees here were promised an increase in pay after a period of time. For most? some? that did not happen so they quit. It’s managements way of weeding out who they don’t want. Management will also promote others they want to be rid of to positions which includes a pay raise but also working extra evenings and weekends that are unexpected now that they are the head of a department. And though I haven’t heard of it here (yet) Wal*Mart will keep employees hours under “full-time” so they don’t get benefits.

I think this is borderline legal and Wal*Mart does the minimun to stay legal. Yes, it keeps prices down but at the expense of their employees.

And you should hear the soul-sucking rah-rah **** that they have employees do to inspire (I guess) company pride and loyalty.

 

[Sailboat]

I really already disliked Walmart. I agree with Bruised reed. The employees there seem unhappy, I don’t like their selection, and I’ve read that they buy from factories abroad that exploit child labor or practise unfair labor practises.

The fact that they are supporting gay activists is just another strike against them, but I never go there anyways. They’re only doing it out of fear from the Gay lobby, which is very well funded and could hurt them financially.

 

[TimOliv]

You’re right. If Wal-Mart is giving in to pressure to align themselves with the gay organizations, then I just can’t bring myself to support them anymore.

Newsflash!

Wal-Mart only wants your money!

If they have to choose between Religious Conservative money or the much deeper pool of Gay/Lesbian and Gay/Lesbian Supporters money, they don’t care if you take your business elsewhere (which, you are pretty limited to Target or K-mart at that point).

Mini-boycotts don’t really do anything except inconvenience you. I try not to really look too deeply for the moral high ground when I’m shopping at a multi-billion dollar company because I want cheap socks.

 

[rlg94086]

Yep. They cater to everyone who wants to buy stuff at a lower price. Liberals, conservatives, gay, straight, etc. If you have a dollar, they will accept it. That’s probably why they are the biggest.

As far as the employee situation, I believe unemployment rate is still below 5%. Still, thousands show up for jobs at WalMart. If it is really a terrible place to work, their pool of employment would dry up.

I had dinner with my non-diploma’d, post-high school niece who was complaining about the employment practices of Starbucks when I brought up the positive comments from my local barrista - $9/hour versus $8/hour at her job at the movie theatre, but they make people work back-to-back shifts! She also complained about her own job, because she had to work holidays! Now, she took a job at Target at $9/hour and thinks it will be bliss. I expect her to claim otherwise at our next meeting. My guess is she would complain about WalMart, as well.

These are entry-level, no skill required jobs. It’s a place to start. I started as a busboy and became a waiter and supervisor in a hotel. I then restarted as a bank teller and credit/collections before going into sales. You know what? Those employment conditions stunk! Low pay, back-to-back shifts, working holidays, the bank wouldn’t allow me to be full time to avoid benefits, etc. I seem to have survived and moved on.

I think the problem is we live in a world where people entering the workplace think they should get top dollar and treatment out of the chute. They need to get over that, improve their education, work their butts off and move up.

Rant complete and :twocents: deposited.

Newsflash!

Wal-Mart only wants your money!

If they have to choose between Religious Conservative money or the much deeper pool of Gay/Lesbian and Gay/Lesbian Supporters money, they don’t care if you take your business elsewhere (which, you are pretty limited to Target or K-mart at that point).

Mini-boycotts don’t really do anything except inconvenience you. I try not to really look too deeply for the moral high ground when I’m shopping at a multi-billion dollar company because I want cheap socks.

 

[legeorge]

Good golly. Where do you people shop? Without Sam’s Club, I probably couldn’t afford to buy meat for my family. I certainly don’t consider myself one of the dregs of society because I shop at Wal-Mart. It happens to be the most convenient (and cheapest) store to buy everyday items for me. And the $1 a yard fabrics are also a bonus. This whole thing is making me sick to my stomach. Target is the biggest gay-promoter around. K-Mart is worse than Wal-Mart by a mile, and where else am I supposed to buy toothpaste, soap and shampoo that I can affort on our meager budget? We don’t exactly have a host of options around here. Wal-Mart was the last place I felt I could shop and now all this nonsense! I hate this world.

 

[leonie]

Good golly. Where do you people shop? Without Sam’s Club, I probably couldn’t afford to buy meat for my family. I certainly don’t consider myself one of the dregs of society because I shop at Wal-Mart. It happens to be the most convenient (and cheapest) store to buy everyday items for me. And the $1 a yard fabrics are also a bonus. This whole thing is making me sick to my stomach. Target is the biggest gay-promoter around. K-Mart is worse than Wal-Mart by a mile, and where else am I supposed to buy toothpaste, soap and shampoo that I can affort on our meager budget? We don’t exactly have a host of options around here. Wal-Mart was the last place I felt I could shop and now all this nonsense! I hate this world.

Lori, we do most of our shopping at Wal-Mart. The rest we do at Good-will. I don’t worry too much about boycotts anymore. It is just too hard to keep up with who is doing the latest evil thing. If the Church called for a boycott, I would do it. Otherwise, I’m just feeding and clothing my brood the best I can.

God Bless You.

 

[rlg94086]

Nope. Sorry, Lori, you are the dregs unless you spend more at the the pro-gay store. I don’t shop at WalMart currently because I have other stores closer, but I have shopped there in the past. I find the other comments pretty ridiculous. The crowd looked about the same as other discount stores. I’ve never been to a Sam’s Club…that’s WalMart’s version of Costco isn’t it?

Good golly. Where do you people shop? Without Sam’s Club, I probably couldn’t afford to buy meat for my family. I certainly don’t consider myself one of the dregs of society because I shop at Wal-Mart. It happens to be the most convenient (and cheapest) store to buy everyday items for me. And the $1 a yard fabrics are also a bonus. This whole thing is making me sick to my stomach. Target is the biggest gay-promoter around. K-Mart is worse than Wal-Mart by a mile, and where else am I supposed to buy toothpaste, soap and shampoo that I can affort on our meager budget? We don’t exactly have a host of options around here. Wal-Mart was the last place I felt I could shop and now all this nonsense! I hate this world.

 

[legeorge]

Nope. Sorry, Lori, you are the dregs unless you spend more at the the pro-gay store. I don’t shop at WalMart currently because I have other stores closer, but I have shopped there in the past. I find the other comments pretty ridiculous. The crowd looked about the same as other discount stores. I’ve never been to a Sam’s Club…that’s WalMart’s version of Costco isn’t it?

Yes. And if we had a Costco close by, I would go there. But the nearest one is at least an hour away, so I go to Sam’s Club. I don’t know how other big Catholic families make it without buying in bulk!!

 

[buffalo]

Gays make up far more than 1%. It also encompasses the bi-sexual, and there are LOTS of those folks, not to mention the segments of the politically liberal that this could appeal to, and all the closeted homosexual population. It’s a decision that reaches deeper. If you want to know, i do think they are trying to shake the trailer trash image, and this is merely one step.

Maybe 2%?

 

[buffalo]

Newsflash!

Wal-Mart only wants your money!

If they have to choose between Religious Conservative money or the much deeper pool of Gay/Lesbian and Gay/Lesbian Supporters money, they don’t care if you take your business elsewhere (which, you are pretty limited to Target or K-mart at that point).

Mini-boycotts don’t really do anything except inconvenience you. I try not to really look too deeply for the moral high ground when I’m shopping at a multi-billion dollar company because I want cheap socks.

Yeah, but I feel much better not supporting them through boycott.