More reasons to hate Wal-Mart

One doesn’t really need additional reasons to hate Wal-Mart, but the corporate giant keeps providing them all the time,
Here’s a new one: In Fort Worth, Texas, a newly-constructed Wal-Mart, has announced its intention to sell wine and beer at its store – a fairly radical departure from its stock items.
And it will break the law, with the city of Fort Worth’s blessing, to do so.
As many of you already know, Wal-Mart already controls three of the nation’s biggest retail factions. It sells 19 percent of all groceries in the United Stated, 16 percent of all pharmacy drugs and 30 percent of household staples. Any more of an increase and one would have to seriously consider anti-trust status.
Wal-Mart sought, and received, a variance from the city of Fort Worth to sell alcohol. Why a variance … for something out of the ordinary? Seems as thought to the new store is quite close to an elementary school - Ridglea Hills Elementary.
As in right next door.
Which, by state law, is prohibited from selling alcohol within 150 feet of a school. Wal-Mart property is adjacent to it apparently.
A dilemma? A conundrum?
Well, in typical jurisdictional fashion, the Fort Worth school district was never informed by the city of this “variance” and is going to court to protest the license … although the horse is already out of the barn because the city’s formal proceedings have been approved.
So what did the city do, since it KNEW of the conflict and school location? It insisted that Wal-Mart construct a 16-foot wall to keep the little children from the booze. A Wal-Mart spokesperson said in addition to the wall, they have also put in “additional safeguards” to make sure minors wouldn't be able to buy the alcohol.
Shame on the city of Fort Worth for sneaking around the law and kow-towing to Wal-Mart’s improper request. And shame on Wal-Mart (a redundant statement, sorry!) for knowing that a school was next door and that it would openly sell alcohol to its clientele – less than brilliant patrons who might “slightly” abuse that product within shouting and striking distance (as in cars) to young schoolchildren.
Again, stop shopping there, people! This company is no good and now threatens the well-being of innocent children.
Sadly, some of the neighbors don’t see a problem and don’t see the danger, wall or no wall. They shop at Wal-Mart and they vote. And you wonder why the country is ALL screwed up????