No More Wal-Mart

March 29, 2008

I've had problems with Wal-Mart for quite a while now. But, I must confess, I've spent money in Wal-Mart stores regardless. I figure that comes to an end this evening.

NBC News did a story on a former Wal-Mart employee whose minivan was slammed into by a semi. The woman was brain-damaged beyond repair.

Her husband has done his best for his wife. He has even divorced her that she might qualify for more government aid.
He sued the trucking company and got a settlement. After the lawyers raided the take, he put some money in a trust for his wife. The trust, according to the report, holds $278,000. Wal-Mart has sued to take that money.

The woman was covered by group insurance through her Wal-Mart job, but, apparently, the letter of the law allows Wal-Mart to take any settlement money a covered victim gets. The husband of the injured woman acknowledges Wal-Mart has the legal high ground. He simply asks for compassion. Wal-Mart, it seems, has none to offer.

Can it get worse? Yes, it can. The husband, while trying to deal with his wife's problems, came down with cancer. And even worse yet, the couple lost a son in Iraq.

The heirs of Sam are consistently listed in the top ten of wealthiest Americans. They are multi-billionaires all. The CEO of Wal-Mart made a reported $23 million in FY07.

According to Yahoo Finance, Wal-Mart has a market cap of $208 billion, grosses $378 billion a year and is sitting on over $5 billion in cash. Yet this company has launched an attack on a family that has endured more pain and suffering than any family should over a lousy 278 grand.

This I say to Wal-Mart: Not one more dime of my money will find its way into a Wal-Mart cash register. Not one more thin dime, you sorry sons-of-bitches.