[Vision2020] Wal-Mart is Unwelcome

Wed Jan 25 10:58:47 PST 2006

I'll start by saying I know nothing, anecdotally or experientially, about 
Spokane's South Hill.  My dog is in the "no" to a Moscow WalMart Superstore 
fight, and so is Tom Hansen's.  But I've been a little surprised this 
morning at the attacks Tom has had levied against him because of his initial 
posting of the anti-Supercenter-South Hill movement beginning in Spokane.

Tom undoubtedly knows more about both WalMart and South Hill than I do, but 
I know this:  it's unfair to use the current state of South Hill as a weapon 
with which to smack him for his opposition to the Supercenter.  Good people 
can disagree with each other on this, but Tom is not singlehandedly 
responsible for South Hill blight, South Hill cultural and economic 
restoration, or South Hill's success in dealing with WalMart.  He linked us 
to an article.  He's spoken out against the Moscow plan.  He doesn't hate 
poor people and he doesn't have to be King of all things South Hill to voice 
his opinion.

The "denying the poor a place to shop" thing, besides being offensive to the 
core and ignorant in its origin, is also getting really stale.  When there's 
a plan afoot to rid Moscow or anywhere else of all retail outlets other than 
Macy's, we can presume animus against the poor in retail zoning and 
planning.  Absent that, some WalMart Supercenter supporters might just have 
to start arguing from substance, not petulance.

keely

From: "Kai Eiselein, LatahEagle Editor" <editor at lataheagle.com>
To: "Tom Hansen" <thansen at moscow.com>,        "Moscow Vision 2020" 
<vision2020 at moscow.com>
Subject: RE: [Vision2020] Wal-Mart is Unwelcome
Date: Wed, 25 Jan 2006 08:50:23 -0800

Tom,
I lived in Spokane for about 14 years, including the South Hill. maybe you
should take a drive through some of the East Central neighborhoods. Take the
Freya exit and head south to 5th, then turn west into the Liberty Park
area......Welcome to the ghetto.
The line is striking, if you turn east on 5th from Freya, you'll find middle
income families and generally well kept homes, including the one we sold
before moving to Idaho. (Ours was one house in from the corner of 5th and
Havana)
I've also lived on 10th and had an apt. on 29th, so I knew the hill pretty
well.
Much of the lower South Hill, both east and west is poverty stricken, maybe
you should try getting off Grand Blvd once in a while.
   -----Original Message-----
   From: vision2020-bounces at moscow.com
[mailto:vision2020-bounces at moscow.com]On Behalf Of Tom Hansen
   Sent: Wednesday, January 25, 2006 6:10 AM
   To: Moscow Vision 2020
   Subject: [Vision2020] Wal-Mart is Unwelcome

   From today's (January 25, 2006) Spokesman Review with a special thanks to
Gerald Houseman.

   We're not in this alone, Moscow.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------

   Wal-Mart is unwelcome

   So Wal-Mart, the no-goodnik corporate citizen, wants to extend its ugly
plastic blight to Spokane's South Hill ("Wal-Mart considering supercenter on
South Hill," Jan. 19). This would be a disaster for the environment, traffic
control, property values, the business climate, aesthetics, and the social
conscience of our neighborhood and our region.

   Wal-Mart is a job-killer, a bully company always seeking unfair
competitive advantages (low-wage Chinese labor for its products, local tax
concessions and giveaways on matters like traffic management), and, if the
thousands of lawsuits against it can be considered credible, a lawbreaker,
as well. It has allegedly been involved in overtime violations,
discrimination against women, contracts with employers of illegal
immigrants, and gross and intimidating anti-union activities.

   There is no place for Wal-Mart outside Bentonville, Ark. Like all
corporations, its charter rests upon a legal privilege - not a right - to
incorporate, a privilege that should have been revoked long ago.

   Gerald L. Houseman

--------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------

   Dale "Doug's Boy" Courtney claims that Wal-Mart's primary effort is aimed
at providing a benefit to low-income families.

   Like those of Spokane's South Hill?  Come on "Comb-Over".  The average
family income for those living in Spokane's South Hill has got to be
considerably more than mine.

   Here's a catchy tune:

   http://www.tomandrodna.com/Sounds/Walmart.mp3

   Take care, Moscow.

   Tom Hansen

   "Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving
safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in
sideways, chocolate in one hand, a drink in the other, body thoroughly used
up, totally worn out and screaming 'WOO HOO. What a ride!'"

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