Will the real Wal-Mart employees please stand up? It seems that personal rationalization has inadvertently tainted the arguments of those who publicly criticize the recent Wal-Mart protest. I will deal with the two arguments presented in the March 4 edition of the (University) Chronicle. I can certainly understand the concern expressed by Mr. Lins, that closing down the St. Cloud Wal-Mart would cost him, and many other people in the community, valuable jobs in a market that could be getting even tighter with the possible closing of Fingerhut. And I would like to assure him that, at no point, did anyone involved with this protest advocate closing down the St. Cloud Wal-Mart and putting it's work force out on the street. However, I would like to remind Mr. Lins that in 1993 Wal-mart was found guilty of selling items below cost in Arkansas in order to drive competition out of business.
As for the article written by our Reader's Advocate entitled Econ 101, you obviously didn't see the protest from inside Wal-Mart (if you were working that day), because it hardly seemed like people were crying to their collective 'mommies.' In fact, the atmosphere could not have been more positive. People were really excited about standing up to a cold wind and a giant corporation � and this was all reinforced by the positive feedback that the protesters received from the Saturday afternoon traffic on Second Street.
The most interesting argument I heard against the protest, however, was from one of the Wal-Mart associates at the meeting just prior to the demonstration. One associate in particular said she "believes in the company." This, I believe, is getting close to what is at the heart of each of these arguments. Turning charges of using child labor and engaging in predatory pricing around, and criticizing those arguing that these things could indeed be happening is simply an ad hominem attack � and thus not a valid argument at all.
The point is that the burden of proof should not be laced on those asking the questions.
Mike Christensen
Senior
Philosophy/Sociology
