Mother's Day Gift: No Wal-Mart.

             On the eve of Mother’s Day, we think about everything nuestras madres have done for us. Everything they have sacrificed, the patience in raising the troubled ones and the hardships gone through in order to provide better futures for their kin.  And for all their troubles and stress-filled days, we can only wish for them the best. The best life, the best house, the best car, the best health and the best jobs out there. We wish they are provided the best opportunities to raise their newborns and preteens.  And the construction of a Wal-Mart, in the city of South Gate, is in no way a guide to a better life for a family.

            The history of Wal-Mart stretches over 50 years intersected with lawsuits, boycotts, and demonstrations from religious groups to environmental organizations. The one-time small brand, founded by Sam Walton, has grown into the world’s third largest public corporation. And with its growth, there is no shortage of wrongdoings and violations that define success in America. From vile working conditions to racial and gender discrimination, and until 20 years ago even taking out life insurance on its employees to make sure dollars and cents are not lost.

Is this the type of company we want our mother’s to be employed in?

The answer is no. We would be hard-pressed to find someone who would be comfortable with his or her mother being employed in such a place. Whose wages tread below the poverty, whose health insurance is inaccessible, whose track record’s only bright light is the profit it makes. As a community, it is important that our residents have access to jobs with livable wages and health insurance. NOT jobs that keep its residents below the poverty line, unable to afford basic goods and services, much less provide for a family of four. Stretching out a little further, if we aren’t willing to accept such working conditions or track records for our mother’s, it is safe to assume these jobs would be unacceptable for anyone else on any level.  

If, as many have said, Wal-Mart isn’t the worst and can offer so much to the community, why is it in hiding? Why, if Wal-Mart can discredit every one of its criticisms and lawsuits, is it yet to announce its arrival to the residents of South Gate? If you drive by the intersection of Atlantic Blvd. and Firestone Blvd., it is hard to miss the announcement of coming attractions, which vary from In-N-Out to Forever 21. But lost in all the excitement of economic possibilities, is the obvious: there is no sign of a Wal-Mart logo anywhere on the board.

Why? If Wal-Mart was favorably supported by the majority of residents, as called in by city councilmembers during election season, then how come there is no banner or even a little logo tucked in the tiniest spot on this board? It isn’t like ULTA, Anna’s Linens, or even Yogurtland are as commercially known as Wal-Mart, so then why the hold-up? Maybe these are a few reasons why:

1. In 2004, Wal-Mart lost the largest gender discrimination class action suit in US history.
2. 196,000 US jobs lost because of Wal-Mart’s imports from China.
3. In 2011, Wal-Mart settled an EEOC harassment lawsuit brought on by Latino factory workers in Fresno, CA.
4. Between 2005-2011, Wal-Mart’s greenhouse gases emissions grew from 18.9 to 21.5 metric tons.

Perhaps Wal-Mart is afraid of the repercussions of announcing its impending arrival, as was the case at home (Chinatown, Baltimore, New York City) and abroad (Paraguay, Colombia, Mexico).

            As Mother’s Day approaches, let’s ask ourselves something simple: do we (mothers, fathers, sons, daughters, cousins, friends) deserve something better than what Wal-Mart offers? After all, those terms and conditions set by Wal-Mart aren’t what define the search for better life.