WTF? - A New Observation About Wally World

In the past month the local Wally World has done the following:
(1) hosted a book signing by a politically active fundie mega-church pastor;
(2) contracted with a local mega-church to bridge the drainage system and permit church attendees to exit through the Wally World parking lot using a traffic light (church has other parking exits with traffic lights); and
(3) tomorrow will host a book signing by internationally known fundie televangelist Joyce Meyer.

Is there some new developing relationship between Wally World and the fundies? Or is this simply some mutual exploitation? Or perhaps a local fundie fruitcake manager making decisions not known to Wally World headquarters?

Is anyone else seeing this kind of activity?

Must say that I find it rather amusing. This has to be offending at least some customers.

is, I believe, dedicated to religious stuff. Knowing where the WalMart headquarters is, it doesn't surprise me that there are fundy-WalMart affiliations.

I've lived in the NE (J)Oklahoma and NW Arkansas all my life and have had ample opportunity to observe how Wally World conducts its business. This is something very different from typical Wally World behavior.

I have never before seen a Wally World that appears to be *promoting* fundie religious beliefs (or any other for that matter). The Walton Foundation has primarily used money to fund college education at various religious colleges.

Wally World has always been all about the money. Nothing else - just money.

Since Wal-Mart has never been shy about this. Sam Walton was a proud and loud Bible thumper. And, just take a looksee at their book section... and their CD section. They listed "The Protocols" as a history book on their website, had some infamous racist cd stuff on their website, give 100% to red candidates, etc.

Because of this, the way they treat their vendors and labor, their racist and sexist promotion policies, how they treat communities, and their early and eager outsourcing (while still waving the flag) is why I haven't shopped there in close to a decade... even though it does hurt the contents of my very small and unpadded billfold.

They are -- and always have been -- a major Freeper company.

What, pray tell, do you base that statement on? I personally know several people (non-religious life-time dems!)who knew him and they have never made that observation. Quite the opposite actually.

Yes, the company has atrocious ethics and treat people crappy. And, yes, the stores do carry religious texts mixed in with various bestsellers. And some religious CDS mixed with mostly popular music. Carrying a mix of merchandise is something different from promoting a particular view. Regardless of however obnoxious and offensive something is there is usually somebody who will buy it.

Freeper does not necessarily equate to fundie. What I am seeing is behavior more consistent with fundie frootloops. In the past, Wally World has always been about the money. Nothing else. The would do anything to get or save a penny or two. And now they are promoting the prosperity gospel.

I've read several, and he had very deep Fundamentalist beliefs. And, it's a known fact that these beliefs are shot through the company on every level, including purchasing. Too bad they forget to read the part about being your brother's kjeeper....

And, their insistence on censored lyrics and refusal to carry certain books and cds is Freeper and Fundamentalist. So, there goes your "they have a mix of merchandise" theory. And, calling "The Protocols" merely offensive, and claimning its legit merchandise? So's the KKK manual on how blacks are sub-human. Let's carry that, too.

Why do you ask a question nd then argue with the answer when you don't like it? Wal-Mart is -- and always has been -- a very, very red company, in every way.

I prefer the opinions of people I know and trust who actually knew and interacted with Sam Walton over a period of time to those of some "investigative" author with an agenda. I can introduce you to people who knew the man before there ever was a Wally World. Bentonville was a very small town. As late as 1980 the population was only about 10,000 people. Even today the population is less than 30,000.

Perhaps you confuse the business practices of a corporation with the personal beliefs and actions of an individual. No doubt Wally World is red. That does not equate to Sam Walton was a fundie.

Editing potentially offensive material that can be purchased by minors is an issue that goes far beyond fundamentalism. Offering such material is indeed providing a mix of merchandise. No, it is not the artistic impression that the artist intended. But alot of parents find it more appropriate for their younger children. Like it or not historically, this has been a bi-partisian issue. Remember Tipper Gore? The fundies absolutely loved her in the early to mid 80's when she was advocating a rating system and/or censorship of potentially offensive lyrics.

Many freepers are fundies. Believe it or not, not all fundies are freepers. Fundies come in lots of varieties. A small percentage of fundies are (gasp!) politically moderate. There are many shades of grey.

The changes in the corporation came after Sam Walton left the scene. I remember in the early years Walmart was very proud of its "Buy American, Sell American" reputation -- American made products were given special consideration, etc. After Sam the company went to China, which made it what it is today.

and he is absolutely turning over in his grave right now over what his company has become.

His kids and business partners turned Walmart into what it is today...after he died.

He was a ruthless business man, that is not disputed.

This is just WalMart building brand loyalty. They know who their customer base is and realize that by expending a couple thousand dollars and hosting a few fundie attractions, they will continue to be able to sheer a whole flock of sheep.

1. If the church is a neighbor of the Walmart, it pays to cooperate about the parking lot. After services get out, the people will flock there next to buy stuff. Meijer has been cashing in on the after-church donut business for decades.
2. I believe WalMart supports lots of different book signings, but I'm sure there are some authors who refuse to sign books at their stores. I've never heard of Anne Rice signing books at Walmart, for example, but she does at Borders or B&N.

I hate Walmart for a lot of reasons (mostly union ones), but not that one.

The book signings bring people into the store. Those people end up buying stuff.

Routing people through their parking lot is also about money. Walmart isn't making it easier for the folks to exit their church lot, they're making it easier for the church folks to shop at walmart on their way home from church.

placement of the church and hoping that when they use the new exit, they'll just stop in the parking lot and go into the store. That's why they have the fundie speakers as promotion to get them to stop, instead of driving on through...