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WalMart: the High Cost of Low Price
a review by Michael Tivana, October 25, 2005

"it's time for the Progressive Republicans to begin to speak out"

After 20 minutes of MCing speakers and discussion after viewing the WalMart movie, I noticed there was a lot of Republican bashing going on, so I asked the audience a question.

"Is this a Democrat vs Republican problem we have here?"

Then a man yelled out, "it's time for the Progressive Republicans to begin to speak out". That really hit home, that is what we the people need, a complete blurring of the lines between the Dems and Repubs so we can look at this for what it is - a human being problem. This new free market economy is not about Dems vs Repubs this is something bigger, this is about saving our humanity.

It seems the world has put people into two boxes and they can't get out. The box on the right measures success in dollars and declares that anyone opposing them is anti-capitalist or worse anti-American. The box on the left measures success in quality of life and anyone opposing them is a heartless, uncaring jerk or worse they are anti-human. Well what WalMart is doing by setting such an ugly standard of business practices is not capitalism nor is it American. Their practices can only be defined as hoarding.

WalMart is setting the standard in the world for running a company that puts profits before ethics and moral behavior. Depicted in the movie were two measures of success - money and the GDP and morals and the quality of life. They have separated money from ethics and this is the sin against our humanity that we need to attack.

But the issue around how a company does its business reaches into the heart of each and every one of us and how we as individuals do business. Each time we go shopping are we looking for the best price or are we concerned that the product was not made in a sweatshop? As we shop our humanity is butting up against our greed; money, profits and savings vs our ethics, morality and values. Humanity is on a mission to shop with awareness building integrity in our values. The temptation to profit from the suffering of others is greatest among the poorest. They have only so much money. However, correct shopping may cost a little more in the short run, but in the long run all people and all life are better off. The resulting dignity from making the right choice to help not hinder our fellow humans provides strength to carry on the fight for all of our humanity.

I hope the large attendance at the WalMart movies excites us all. This is a sign there are more and more people interested in gaining power to be used to get control of their world. Everyone who has seen this movie is on a mission to put an end to greedy business practices. I can see it in their eyes, they are demanding change. So the power of numbers encourages the spirit and restores the faith, there will be change.

I ask the readers to be on a mission to shop with awareness, spread the word, create the culture of humanity. Talk with your neighbors and friends beyond being Republicans and Democrats, talk to them as human beings. This is a human being problem, let’s solve it before we lose our humanity.

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