WAL-MART, YOUR SOURCE FOR CHEAP PLASTIC SHIT

I actually read that slogan on a t-shirt. It was printed exactly like the Wal-Mart logo. Of course I had to purchase it for my brother Chris in Nashville.

Today was my last day to ever enter a Wal-Mart and here's why:

At least half of my readers (all three of you) are too young to remember Wal-Mart moving into your town. That started in the 70's and continues today.
I can still remember small hometowns across America with town squares surrounded by every shop you could possibly want. There was a nice department store, Woolworth's, Rexall drug store, two shoe stores, a hardware store, ice cream shop, two small dress shops, Sears, beauty parlor, two barber shops and a candy store. Just around the corner was the theater. These businesses were locally owned!

Then WAL-MART came to town. The stores closed one by one until your little downtown where you spent most Saturdays is now a ghost town.

Wal-Mart was supplying so many stores that they were able to get much better "bulk" prices thus running the "locally owned" stores out of business.

Wal-Mart was a Trojan Horse. It was all shiny and new. We all flocked there like a moth to the flame (using as many metaphors as I possibly can)! It was like a drug at first because there had never been anything like it.

The boarding up of our little downtown's happened so gradually it took some of us twenty years to scratch our heads and say: What the fuck? That's WTF to you religious freaks...

As I look back on this mysterious phenomenon I'm reminded that Sam Walton, (money grubbing) founder of Wal-Mart didn't save us anything. In fact what he has cost us can never be replaced.

We were getting everything we needed at a great value from our hometown stores. Well, except maybe for "plus" size. That only became a necessary item since Wal-Mart came along. Thanks Sam!

I could go on and on about their poor treatment of their employees. And about the "toxic" crap they import from China. Not to mention hand made goods from countries with "no" labor laws protecting children!

From today on I pledge to shop anywhere but "Wal-Mart"!!!
I immediately felt better about who I am. My one little act may not help much but it definitely wont add fuel to the flame!

Please do the same! Leave your name or initials if you pledge to stop shopping at Wal-Mart today. :)