When Wal-Mart is a beacon of hope . . .
 

I saw the CEO of Wal-Mart on CNN tonight and he was clearly moved by what is happening in New Orleans and ready to do something about it. Wal-Mart is giving $15 million dollars worth of aid. They have forty stores closed and they are not whining about it. They expressed concern for their employees. They expressed understanding and sympathy for the people "looting" their stores, including those who were stealing guns.

Wal-Mart. Aren't they supposed to be practically the Evil Empire? This is decency and commitment to community and country on a really impressive level. I feel like I'm going to have to buy some stuff there now. Based on CNN today, I want Anderson Cooper for President and The Salvation Army and Wal-Mart as favored charities.

wow. Wal-mart does seem like an odd source of empathy and bigger picture understanding on this issue. I'll have to buy some latex gloves there this weekend.

Thanks for posting.

http://www.walmartstores.com/wmstore....jsp&year=2005

Wal-mart has also always been big on such things. They need the PR and why the hell not it does not really cost them anything. Fuck hate to be synical and all but that is just how big business is.
I appreciate their gesture and I am glad to see them offering aid. It still will not get me to shop there and support what they do though.

Oh please, it's the LEAST they can do. How about all the small stores they put out of business? Jobs they cost people? I'm not impressed. They are evil.

They didnt have to do shit. Much respect to Wally World.

They just opened a Wal-Mart here in Dinuba last Wednesday, and I'm damn glad they did. There's nothing downtown but a bunch of mexican boot stores, bridal shops that supply dresses and tuxedos for 'shotgun' weddings (we have the highest rate of teen pregnancy in the country here in Tulare County) and mexican record shops. The town next to ours decided to refuse to have Wal-Mart in their town... to bad, the massive amounts of business the Wal-Mart will do here will keep our property taxes pretty darn low.

well they are doing a great job and any help is appretiated right now

Small stores around Walmart are springing up all over the place.

Go to Walmart and ask for a certain screw or washer etc. and see if you every find it.

Then go to the small hardware store a few blocks away and see if you can get that $.89 screw?

I went to a small hardware store the other day with my wife for a washer for her coffee maker. Someone met us at the door and we gave him the washer and he went right to the washer shelf and got her a washer.

I went to Lowes a few months ago for a new sprinkler head. What a fucking mess.
After about 20 minutes of walking around to find them (They're in plumming and not sprinklers) the girl didn't have a clue so I went to the small hardware store and they helped me in 2 minutes.

15 millions isn't much ... but at least they are helping out

I don't really like wallmart as a store ... but you know, all they do is run their business as good as they can.

Like they care for another 15, any idea how much money theyve got in that family? cheap ass Id say, with all the small town biz they put outa biz.

People who bash walmart are morons. Walmart has single handedly reduced inflation of the US dollar.

That, in itself is an amazing feat.

:321GFY to all the walmart haters.

:thumbsup to walmart for giving when they can!

Thing you have to understand is most big businesses make these decisions not purely out of charity, but in the hope of good community PR also. Big coporate machines are about money more than anything, they are always donating to charities and public events as it raises their profile within the community.

Not to mention the fat insurance check they will get. Everyone would be in good spirits if everything in their store just got "sold" overnight.

Seems like it is a good thing for them to give to their community though. Should we not think it is good for them to give? I mean, I think the
alternative might be for big business to just not give, if no one will appreciate them giving.

What other big retails are giving?

wal-mart has insurance.. it will all be paid for.