-The leader of most of the protests (Joseph Kizelnik) is the owner of the store that sits next to the empty lot. The store is a discount store and I would assume would probably shut down if Walmart were allowed to compete with it. This might sound bad but the store Kizelnik runs probably employs a lot less people than Walmart would employ if it was allowed to operate in Monsey. Also, I am sure Walmart will save local families a lot more money. Net result - more money for the community.
-Kizelnik claims that Wal-mart "will bring in very low-level people, and if these low-level people come in they are going to follow us to our homes, and ransack our homes." This is pure elitism and racism. Wal-mart might attract low-income shoppers because of its low prices. However, to deny the poor access to cheap goods because Monsey residents are afraid of them is absurd.
-A local legislator highlighted an interesting fact about the community in question:
"Bruce Levine,... a Wal-mart foe, recalls that in those days (the 1950's and 1960's) the main street in the town centre at Spring Valley was the place to go shopping for a suit at Nat Kaplan's, or to EJ Korvette's, the discount store chain that was one of the first to establish a model that was so successfully followed by Sam Walton."This quote highlights how an economy works. Businesses go out of business. Competition brings better stores to the area which closes down older stores. However, the new stores have better jobs and offer better products. This should not be something we lament, it should be something we enjoy seeing.
-The most entertaining part was when Wal-mart came to town to tell the protesters why they were wrong. However, not many protesters came to listen. They did not want to hear another side of the argument. But, who did show up?
"The event was sparsely attended, attracting a few residents and a couple of businessmen interested in supplying the new store."-Government officials don't realize what a Wal-mart could do for government such as increases in revenue due to the property taxes a Supercenter would pay.
-The most laughable part of the piece was when the FT discussed the actual protest that occurred recently against the proposed Wal-mart.
"In early December, the UFCW staged what Lipsky says will be the first of a series of public demonstrations against the store - an event which the largest group consisted of union members bussed in from New Jersey."People should not be afraid of Wal-mart. They supply 1.8 million people with jobs. They save the average American family $2,300 a year due to lower prices. And they are an American success story. A result of freedom and capitalism...
