Democratic Underground Latest Greatest Lobby Journals Search Options Help Login
Google

Obituary: John Walton, 58; billionaire and Wal-Mart family heir (IHT/AP)

Printer-friendly format Printer-friendly format
Printer-friendly format Email this thread to a friend
Printer-friendly format Bookmark this thread
This topic is archived.
Home » Discuss » Archives » General Discussion (Through 2005) Donate to DU
 
Up2Late Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Jun-29-05 01:49 AM
Original message
Obituary: John Walton, 58; billionaire and Wal-Mart family heir (IHT/AP)
(I wish I could say that I'm sad about this, but I can't)

Obituary: John Walton, 58; billionaire and Wal-Mart family heir


The Associated Press, Reuters

BENTONVILLE, Arkansas John Walton, a billionaire who was the son of the founder of Wal-Mart Stores, died Monday when a small experimental plane he was piloting crashed shortly after takeoff near his home in Wyoming. He was 58.

Walton, an experienced pilot who was a resident of Jackson Hole, was flying a homemade ultralight aircraft with an aluminum body, heavy-duty cloth-covered wings and a small gasoline-powered engine, a spokeswoman for Grand Teton National Park said. The cause of the crash was not known, and park rangers planned an investigation, officials said.

Walton, the second of three sons of Sam Walton, the Wal-Mart founder, was a major advocate of school vouchers, supporting efforts to create taxpayer-funded ways for students to attend private schools.

Walton founded the Children's Scholarship Fund in 1998 to provide low-income families with money to send their children to private schools. The foundation started with $67 million from the Walton Family Foundation and benefited more than 67,000 children.

<http://www.iht.com/articles/2005/06/28/news/obits.php>
(more at link above)
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
punpirate Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Jun-29-05 02:09 AM
Response to Original message
1. Makes him sound like an altruistic fellow...
... instead of the right-wing anti-tax, anti-public education extremist he was, giving $250,250 to Prop 174 and $360,000 to Prop 226 in California. He also gave $137,000 to the Claremont Institute, which paid for pro-Prop 226 ads. Working with Ted Forstmann, Walton launched a $200 million national voucher effort.

Just to remind, vouchers are intended to kill the public education system, and to restrict primary education to religious institutions.

He was a financial and moral supporter of the State Policy Network, devoted to the privatization of all public services and to virulent opposition to labor movements. His own corporation fought, legally and illegally, against unions in its stores, employed illegal aliens for profit and is the defendant in numerous suits for illegal hiring and workplace practices, including discrimination against women.









Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
saigon68 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Jun-29-05 06:04 AM
Response to Reply #1
4. He was working for a 2 Class System
THE WORTHY and the "GREAT UNWASHED"

Under this system the WORTHY provide the guidance ---

-and the "GREAT UNWASHED" enlist, fight the Wars, work for $6.00 per hour and keep their mouths shut out of fear they will lose their job.


The "GREAT UNWASHED" also learn to goose step, click their heels together and extend their right arms straight out-- when encountering a WORTHY person.

Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
DemoTex Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Jun-29-05 06:25 AM
Response to Reply #4
8. Ironically, he one of our best brothers-in-arms: a combat medic.
Walton was an U.S. Army veteran who served with the Green Berets as a medic during the Vietnam War. He was awarded the Silver Star for saving the lives of several members of his unit while under enemy fire.


Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
saigon68 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Jun-29-05 06:29 AM
Response to Reply #8
9. I know that Mac
That's why it is so ironic

He of all people should have been more egalitarian

There are no black, white, poor or rich men in a foxhole, they are all scared kids,


although I am impressed by his service I am totally unimpressed at his RIGHT WING NUT JOB FUNDAMENTALIST life he led after the Nam.

Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Up2Late Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Jun-29-05 10:47 AM
Response to Reply #9
13. What just amazing to me are things like this...
"...was a major advocate of school vouchers, supporting efforts to create taxpayer-funded ways for students to attend private schools...."

You think these people understand how wrong and unfair goals like that are?
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
losdiablosgato Donating Member (649 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Jun-29-05 07:57 AM
Response to Reply #1
11. I hear China has declared a week of mourning.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
tomreedtoon Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Jun-29-05 02:14 AM
Response to Original message
2. And he might not have died...
...if he hadn't built his ultralight aircraft with parts from Wal-Mart.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
fujiyama Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Jun-29-05 03:46 AM
Response to Reply #2
3. That certainly
would be ironic if he built it using parts from Wal Mart.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
ima_sinnic Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Jun-29-05 06:11 AM
Response to Original message
5. but surely with all THAT money, he is guaranteed a wonderful afterlife
:sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm:
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
anarchy1999 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Jun-29-05 06:14 AM
Response to Original message
6. Oh no, not another Walton and this time it's "John Boy"! I'm sorry,
I just couldn't help myself. To bed I must go now soon, waiting to hear from someone about pics I'd like to put up for freeway blogging in Dallas yesterday! We did it, big time!
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Pryderi Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Jun-29-05 06:24 AM
Response to Reply #6
7. I loved that show. :P
<img src="">
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
truthisfreedom Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Jun-29-05 07:08 AM
Response to Original message
10. at least he died having fun.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
iconoclastic cat Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Jun-29-05 08:02 AM
Response to Original message
12. It looks like he shouldn't have used that monkey's paw...
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
DU AdBot (1000+ posts) Click to send private message to this author Click to view 
this author's profile Click to add 
this author to your buddy list Click to add 
this author to your Ignore list Tue Apr 30th 2024, 10:40 AM
Response to Original message
Advertisements [?]
 Top

Home » Discuss » Archives » General Discussion (Through 2005) Donate to DU

Powered by DCForum+ Version 1.1 Copyright 1997-2002 DCScripts.com
Software has been extensively modified by the DU administrators


Important Notices: By participating on this discussion board, visitors agree to abide by the rules outlined on our Rules page. Messages posted on the Democratic Underground Discussion Forums are the opinions of the individuals who post them, and do not necessarily represent the opinions of Democratic Underground, LLC.

Home  |  Discussion Forums  |  Journals |  Store  |  Donate

About DU  |  Contact Us  |  Privacy Policy

Got a message for Democratic Underground? Click here to send us a message.

© 2001 - 2011 Democratic Underground, LLC