Sponsor a Wal-Mart Protester

There are many consumers these days who have taken it upon themselves to try to harm Wal-Mart. Most of them do this by avoiding Wal-Mart when they can shop elsewhere, or even refusing to shop there altogether. Some are activists, fighting for legislation to hinder the growth of the huge company or for its unionization. For simplicity, let's call all of these people, collectively, Wal-Mart protesters.

The problem is that if too many people become Wal-Mart protesters, Wal-Mart might be ruined financially. Thousands would lose their jobs and millions would lose a very affordable place to buy the things they need. And, of course, the protesters would have to move on to another cause.

Far be it from me, though, to suggest that people stop protesting Wal-Mart out of consideration for the many, rich and poor, who benefit from the corporation's practices. No, if the protesters have found a way to vent their frustrations, and it makes them feel good to be so disagreeable, I would like to support them in their protesting by working to alleviate the many negative effects of their actions. Negative effects which I'm sure are unintentional, since the protesters seem to lack even a rudimentary knowledge of economics.

Let the consciences of the protesters rest easy, because I'm doing my part. I've been a Wal-Mart shopper since I got married, and even more since we moved to Davis, a town with a business climate so restrictive that I may as well have been invited to shop at the Wal-Marts and other stores in nearby towns. I have therefore developed a very good idea of the products and prices to expect from Wal-Mart, and when faced with the choice of buying something from Wal-Mart or from one of its competitors at a similar price, I choose Wal-Mart. It's actually quite easy: every time I hear someone complaining about Wal-Mart's low prices (and the complaints are becoming quite frequent), I am reminded of something I need to stock up on. At Wal-Mart. So I am, in a way, bringing a balance to the world by canceling out the harmful but well-intentioned efforts of at least one Wal-Mart protester. I invite you to join me in this way, in sponsoring a Wal-Mart protester.