Would Jesus shop at Wal*Mart? Not according to the Union
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Gotta love getting to the bottom of some stories.
News on the local TV stations today hyping an anti-Wal*Mart shopping campaign that revolves around the idea that a good Christian or others with moral values shouldn't be shopping at Wal*Mart. The so-called "Would Jesus shop at Wal*Mart?" campaign points out Wal*Mart problems in several areas, including past discrimination suits, low wages, and more.
The campaign might be a very effective one with some people, but then again it might not. There are plenty of people out there that will pay it no attention, and some like Michael Newdow that just might run out and start spending even more at Wal*Mart just over the mention of God being against Wal*Mart.
But the more important part in my mind is the idea that the campaign is funded by unions that have tried to get a foothold in Wal*Mart for years (and have failed consistently at same). They are in effect inciting the Christian coalition and the Moral Majority to do their dirty work, even though in many ways those groups (ultra-conservatives, people of faith, etc.) are quite contrary to most unions and union issues.
Whether or not people will do the research to realize who is putting forth the message remains to be seen. Quite frequently in the U.S.A. people don't bother to dig into the details. They see the message, and like a match tossed into pile of starter materials, the rumors and gossip takes off with no concern to the real truth.
In anycase, original news article snippet on issue follows.
Wal-Mart calls campaign offensive
By Nichola Groom and Martinne Geller
LOS ANGELES/NEW YORK (Reuters) - Wal-Mart Stores Inc. said on Friday a campaign by a union-funded group that says Jesus would have disapproved of the company's practices is offensive and misleading.
Wake-Up Wal-Mart, which has pressured the world's largest U.S. private-sector employer to improve wages and benefits, launched the campaign on Thursday to coincide with the holiday shopping season.
The retailer faces intense pressure from unions, environmentalists and others who say it pays poverty-level wages and gobbles up green space with its massive stores. The company is also defending a class-action lawsuit that charges it with discriminating against women in pay and promotions.
The campaign includes a television commercial that asks "Should people of faith shop at Wal-Mart?," claiming the company's workers lack adequate health insurance, that it discriminates against women and has broken child labor laws.
Wake-Up Wal-Mart also sent a letter to Wal-Mart Chief Executive Lee Scott, signed by some 65 religious leaders, saying "Jesus would not embrace Wal-Mart's values."
Wal-Mart spokeswoman Sarah Clark said in a statement late on Friday, "Surely many Americans are deeply offended that union leadership would use religion as just another tactic in the negative attack campaign against a company that donates more money to good works than any other company in America."
... more at linked article
News on the local TV stations today hyping an anti-Wal*Mart shopping campaign that revolves around the idea that a good Christian or others with moral values shouldn't be shopping at Wal*Mart. The so-called "Would Jesus shop at Wal*Mart?" campaign points out Wal*Mart problems in several areas, including past discrimination suits, low wages, and more.
The campaign might be a very effective one with some people, but then again it might not. There are plenty of people out there that will pay it no attention, and some like Michael Newdow that just might run out and start spending even more at Wal*Mart just over the mention of God being against Wal*Mart.
But the more important part in my mind is the idea that the campaign is funded by unions that have tried to get a foothold in Wal*Mart for years (and have failed consistently at same). They are in effect inciting the Christian coalition and the Moral Majority to do their dirty work, even though in many ways those groups (ultra-conservatives, people of faith, etc.) are quite contrary to most unions and union issues.
Whether or not people will do the research to realize who is putting forth the message remains to be seen. Quite frequently in the U.S.A. people don't bother to dig into the details. They see the message, and like a match tossed into pile of starter materials, the rumors and gossip takes off with no concern to the real truth.
In anycase, original news article snippet on issue follows.
Wal-Mart calls campaign offensive
By Nichola Groom and Martinne Geller
LOS ANGELES/NEW YORK (Reuters) - Wal-Mart Stores Inc. said on Friday a campaign by a union-funded group that says Jesus would have disapproved of the company's practices is offensive and misleading.
Wake-Up Wal-Mart, which has pressured the world's largest U.S. private-sector employer to improve wages and benefits, launched the campaign on Thursday to coincide with the holiday shopping season.
The retailer faces intense pressure from unions, environmentalists and others who say it pays poverty-level wages and gobbles up green space with its massive stores. The company is also defending a class-action lawsuit that charges it with discriminating against women in pay and promotions.
The campaign includes a television commercial that asks "Should people of faith shop at Wal-Mart?," claiming the company's workers lack adequate health insurance, that it discriminates against women and has broken child labor laws.
Wake-Up Wal-Mart also sent a letter to Wal-Mart Chief Executive Lee Scott, signed by some 65 religious leaders, saying "Jesus would not embrace Wal-Mart's values."
Wal-Mart spokeswoman Sarah Clark said in a statement late on Friday, "Surely many Americans are deeply offended that union leadership would use religion as just another tactic in the negative attack campaign against a company that donates more money to good works than any other company in America."
... more at linked article
