The Walmart Death Star



Today I  took a trip to Atlanta, Texas to celebrate Thanksgiving.  Atlanta is an East Texas town of about 6500 people.  As I drove through “downtown” Atlanta it was clear that that any resemblance to its namesake in Georgia was in name only.  It was named after Atlanta, Georgia because many of the early settlers were from that area.

It was a typical one street downtown as I have seen in other small Texas towns such as Olney, Boyd and Archer City where the classic movie The Last Picture Show was filmed.   Streets like you would see in any “Route 66” town across America.    As is standard in small Texas towns, there is a barber, candy shop, bank, hardware store, bakery, sporting goods store, few antique stores, a Dairy Queen and of course a huge, bustling, Walmart.  The staples of  life that can be cut and pasted to countless small towns across America.

There were also numerous boarded up storefronts.

The Atlanta Chamber of Commerce Web Site states:

“Atlanta exemplifies small town America. Warm smiles and warmer greetings reflect a friendly and progressive community.”

What Atlanta and other small towns all over the country never envisioned when they were formed (Atlanta was founded in 1872)  was that small town America would one day be synonymous with the arrival of Walmartdeath-star.

Today in Atlanta as I lay in a turkey coma on the couch watching The Dallas Cowboys dismantle their opponent in their new stadium dubbed “The Death- Star”  I casually mentioned that it was sad that there were so many boarded up stores. Out of the depths of my turkey fog I heard a voice in the room yell out”

Walmart Did This To Us!

It then occurred to me.   Many in small town America may look at  the arrival of Walmart as the invasion of Evil Empire and its own type of economic Death-Star

Darth Vader, who was unmasked many years ago, didn’t initially destroy these towns with his death ray. He arrived with the promise of peace and prosperity. The Death -Star then set down in the middle of town,  touting every possible convenience a person could want at cheaper prices, with greater diversity and quantity.  Unfortunately no Jedi Knights ever came to the rescue.  They were to busy fueling up their Starfighters at discount prices.

Now, instead of seeing the sign “Victory Tonight And Free Haircut Tomorrow” if the high school football team or basketball team wins, we see, “Going Out of Business Liquidation Sale.”

How can the “It’s A Wonderful Life” dream of small town America possibly compete with the neon lit entrance to the Death Star just a block away?  Instead we see “The Last Picture Show” at the local theater just before it closes for good to be transformed into a Walgreens.  The residents of Atlanta, Texas leave the theater and disappear into the Death Star never to be heard from again by the local merchants.

©2009 Brian Cuban

Comments

Powered by Facebook Comments

6 Comments For This Post

  1. Mark Says:

    I’ve been to Atlanta, TX one time and first have to say they have a surprisingly good hospital.

    Living in an urban area I am a Wal-Mart snob and usually can avoid them. I grew up in a small town of similar size to Wal-Mart and their arrival is a mixed bag. Local stores mostly can’t compete but they didn’t just bring consumers lower prices. They brought much greater product selection including many items that just weren’t available before. They brought consumer friendly hours.

    I remember when people had to take off work get tires, clothes, or furniture or get them before noon on Saturday.

    I hate how they treat employees and have abandoned their emphasis on US made goods but in many ways they have improved small town life.

  2. Michael Sitarzewski (1 comments.) Says:

    Hey Brian, I did a post on almost this exact topic after a trip our family took last year. Check it out: http://www.zerologic.com/Blog/The-Depressed-South… Needless to say, I haven't been in a Walmart in a year (nearly to the day). It's not Walmart's fault, per se, but simply the finances of the modern small town family. Cheaper is better for them, and they either don't care about the consequences, or are willing to look past them "Yeah, but…."

  3. Jeremy Says:

    Some might say we're in a consumer dictatorship, but that's silly. The US isn't a dictatorship. If it were, the authorities would have told us.

    http://areyoutargeted.com/2009/11/26/if-this-were…

  4. Big Al Says:

    That's probably the best (Wal-Mart Snob) take on them I have heard. Not sure about how bad they treat employees. They offer healthcare, stock purchase plans, retirement plans, employee discounts, etc. How many of those small town shops (that they closed down) offered health care or retirement to anyone but the owner?

    I shop there, on occasion, as it is very close to my house. I think one thing that is hugely neglected to mention about Wal-Mart is the increase in standard of living that they bring to our poor. Not to mention that China couldn't afford to buy all of our "bailout bonds" if Wal-Mart didn't stimulate their economy so much…

  5. Karl meisenbach Says:

    Wal-mart the Better Life Provider.
    The reason millions of Americans depend on walmart every day is for lower prices and better selection.
    Small retailers are free to compete with wal-mart.
    Or, are you suggesting we have government interference to force shoppers to support retailers with high prices ‘for the greater good’ or to ‘create jobs’. Are you saying we should all sacrifice for something greater than ourselves and pay higher prices?

    The Principle is free enterprise.

  6. Josh H. Ellis (1 comments.) Says:

    Some good stuff Brian. I don't totally disagree with you, but as an Atlanta native, allow me to share my thoughts: http://geoausch.com/2009/11/28/whats-the-matter-i…

Leave a Reply

CommentLuv badge

Follow Me



The Revolution Rant Radio Show

Newsletter

Sign up for The Revolution Rant! Stay up to date on the great guests and provocative topics on my weekly web-cast!
Viva la Revolucion!


powered by MailChimp!

Brian Cuban on Facebook

Related Sites

cipro hc generic form
ciprodex pregnancy
buy viagra without a prescription
order cialis on internet
i want a lumigan perscription
cialis by mail
next day viagra
cialis professional
ups of viagra
lumigan price singapore
doxycycline 100mg uses
overnight delivery of accutane
online pharmacy canada viagra
cipro hc otic contraindications
generic cialis canada
buy zithromax
purchase cialis next day delivery
cialis cost
lumigan with free dr consultation
how to get cialis in canada
purchase cheapest viagra
viagra in us
lumigan rebate coupon
viagra.com
ciprofloxacin dosage side effects
buy cheap cialis online uk
doxycycline 500
lumigan 10
purchase viagra
cialis online from canada
cialis purchasing online
online generic cialis 100 mg
free viagra samples
cheap generic india viagralevitra 20mg
cheapest viagra online
get cialis fast
doxycycline buy
viagra doses
cipro breastfeeding aap
usa viagra sales
buy doxycycline medication online
buy doxycycline malaria online
lumigan weight gain
lumigan alternatives
buy cialis canada
original viagra online
viagra legal in canada
viagra online without a prescription
doxycycline mechanism of action
buy cialis online best price
doxycycline malaria prophylaxis
buy viagra on line uk
buy doxycycline for malaria
legal viagra
lumigan drops 0.03
where can i get cialis
expired doxycycline
cialis free delivery
generic cialis from india
lumigan how supplied
best prices on brand viagra
viagra 25mg online
50mg generic viagra
cipro side effects fatigue
cheap cialis
buy doxycycline online in uk
viagra free pills
doxycycline in las vegas nevada usa
buy discount viagra
cheap viagra uk
cipro uses in std
ciprofloxacin hcl zofran
cialis discount code
buy doxycycline in canada
buy cialis online in australia
itching from doxycycline
lumigan overdose
zithromax uti
soft tab generic cialis online pharmacy
online order viagra overnight delivery
cialis price 100 mg
doxycycline hy
cipro address johannrsburg
doxycycline fetal effect
cipro xr iv dose
cialis canadian cost
i want a lumigan perscription
generic name for lumigan
generic viagra 10mg
viagra online wit
where can i buy real viagra
viagra sildenafil citrate
order cialis us
ehrlichia doxycycline puppies
cialis without prescription
viagra discount sale
doxycycline and lyme desease
original brand cialis
viagra side effects
cipro hc otic shelf life
accutane no script overnight
viagra shop
lumigan allergan
viagra fast delivery
lumigan without a perscription
doxycycline allergy test dose
zithromax sinusitis
doxycycline acne
cialis malaysia
cialis bye online
real viagra online
doxycycline xibrom
viagra 50mg online canada
accutane by mail order
cialis and ketoconazole
doxycycline hyclate capsules usp
lumigan ophthalmic solution
doxycycline will treat chlamydia
compare cialis prices
buy viagra in india
lumigan generic cheapest
canadian cialis with 2 free viagra
cialis canada illegal buy
doxycycline and diflucan together
doxycycline youtube
cialis tablets
viagra alternative
cheap generic viagra
canadian discount viagra online
safe site to buy cialis
cialis bye online
buy cialis online cheap
buy lumigan online without a perscription
lumigan label
canadian pharmacy viagra legal
doxycycline prescribing information
ciprofloxacin nsaid
buy cialis online china
canada healthcare viagra
cipro usage
lyme disease doxycycline dose pediatric
viagra subscription
generic viagra canadian
lumigan 0.03
purchase cialis overnight delivery
women viagra
doxycycline directions
levitra viagra cialis
viagra for women
cialis side effects
free cialis samples without prescription
cipro side effects tinnitus
zithromax uti
adoxa doxycycline
doxycycline dairy
buy real cialis online
cheap viagra in us
generic viagra usa
buy cialis online no prescription
usa viagra sales
cialis soft
doxycycline breast feeding
buy ciprofloxacin ear drops
lumigan kidney disease
cialis for daily use
cialis pills for sale
mrsa doxycycline
purchase lumigan cod cash delivery
buy doxycycline hyc
buy cialis once daily
t pallidum treponema doxycycline tetracycline
lumigan discount card
lumigan without a perscription
online lumigan no perscription
doxycycline urinary tract infection dosage
25 mg viagra canada
buy cialis without rx
viagra 100 mg
ciprofloxacin dosage gastroenteritis
lumigan coupons discounts
lumigan 0.3
doxycycline hyclate
viagra in india
buy cialis on
viagra canada generic
viagra cost
buy accutane online pharmacy in turkey
viagra online canada
cheapest viagra 50 mg online
herbal viagra
cialis iop
cipro prostatitis time
viagra no prescription
lumigan dosage form
generic propecia viagra
cheap viagra online without prescription
lumigan without a perscription overnight shipping
cheap viagra
doxycycline wiki
buy doxycycline online without script