[Vision2020] Wal-Mart: Replies to Donovan and Crabtree
keely emerinemix
kjajmix1 at msn.com
Thu Mar 2 14:57:26 PST 2006
Visionaires,
If Joe Campbell doesn't stop with the reasoned, well-stated arguments he's
tossed off just this afternoon (see former posts), he's going to ruin Vision
2020s reputation among the conservatives.
(Please?)
Great points, Joe.
keely
From: joekc at adelphia.net
To: vision2020 at moscow.com
Subject: [Vision2020] Wal-Mart: Replies to Donovan and Crabtree
Date: Thu, 2 Mar 2006 17:49:59 -0500
Donovan and Mr. Crabtree,
Iâm sorry for the combined post but I have only one more post to use
today.
Both of you used an interesting fallacy in response to a previous post of
mine on the proposed Super Wal-Mart.
Mr. Crabtree wrote: âYour argument with regard to aesthetics doesn't fly
all that well either. ⦠You didnât pipe up about any of [previous]
developments, why the concern now? Sounds more like a case of not âin my
backyardâ syndrome than any real desire for architectural grace.â
Donovan wrote: âCan you please explain to me how it is that you can buy
plastics and gasoline from countries like Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia
etc., that have the worst human rights record in the world, yet at the same
time scorn Wal-Mart for buying products from other businesses that
manufacture their goods in China?â
In response, here is a story. For 15 weeks, children threw eggs at the house
of Mr. Crabtree-Arnold. One day, as he was walking to his car, Mr.
Crabtree-Arnold noticed young Tommy, throwing an egg at his house. Mr.
Crabtree-Arnold scolded Tommy, at which point Tommy replied: âFor 15 weeks
kids have been throwing eggs at your house. You never said anything against
them, so why pick on me?â
Does that fact that Mr. Crabtree-Arnold never said anything prior to this
day mean that he has no reason to scold Tommy?
Here are some comments to other points that youâve made:
1/ Donovan: âIf you believe that countries with bad human rights records
should be denied jobs, and believe the US kills innocents overseas, then
why are you not for exporting US jobs to countries with better human rights
records then our own?â
Reply: I love our country and I want to make it the best that it can be.
2/ Crabtree: âI would suggest that if you stand in the way of a place to
shop being built you are most assuredly dictating, in an albeit small way,
where folks can and can't shop.â
Reply: You are wrong. There is a difference between dictating what people do
and using oneâs words to influence what people do. The latter respects
that people have the capacities to reason and make decisions for themselves.
The former does not.
Furthermore, by attempting to keep a Super Wal-Mart from coming into Moscow,
I am not âdictating where people can shop.â We have a Wal-Mart and there
is a Super Wal-Mart scheduled for Pullman. People will still be able to shop
at Wal-Mart.
3/ Crabtree: â⦠having a Wal Mart on the east side of town would seem to
be in keeping with the âsmart growthâ mantra I keep hearing you MCA
types carry on about. Isn't the idea to have shopping be within walking
distance of residential development?â
Reply: You must be joking. Do you think that Super Wal-Mart would plan for a
gas station on location if the intent were only to increase the level of
walking customers? If this reply were correct, it would make a mockery of
the economic arguments in support of having a Super Wal-Mart in town, which
only work if customers beyond the east side of Moscow visit the store often.
Part of my concern with having a Super Wal-Mart nearby is that I already
have a difficult time walking or riding my bike to different places in
Moscow as it is. A Super Wal-Mart on Route 8 will only make matters worse.
4/ Donovan: âJust because a place offers low prices does not mean that
they are exploiting others.â
Reply: I didnât suggest this argument. I said that Wal-Mart happened to
offer low prices because they exploit others. Iâm not claiming that this
is true because of some general rule. Crabtree asks that I provide evidence
for exploitation in the form of some pro-Wal-Mart website and, well, I guess
I canât do that. Clearly there is a problem here since both of you seem to
think that any evidence in support of my claim is prejudiced since it is
â¦. well, evidence in support of something you donât believe.
I did give just one small example of exploitation. Part of the reason that
Wal-Mart offers low prices is that many of their products are manufactured
in countries that fail to recognize the concept of a human right. Point out
that other stores are guilty of the same and Iâll point you to the Tommy
story above. Iâm not perfect but at least I can try to stand up to
principles in which I truly believe as best as I can. I donât condemn
people who think otherwise. I do wonder why people worry so much about
whether we recite the pledge of allegiance instead of just living in
accordance with the thoughts and sentiments it conveys: âliberty and
justice for all.â
5/ âP.S. Tony, sorry if I'm stepping on your toes a bit here but when it
comes to our resident junior philosopher's musings there's plenty
âwrongnessâ for ten folks to respond.â
Reply: Iâm so glad you included this PS. Otherwise it would be difficult
to refer to you as âthe guy who is unable to say anything to me without
insulting me.â
Until tomorrow!
Best, Joe
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