REAL MUSIC:
The Great Wal-Mart Wars
Or
Wal-Mart Sucks

From the San Francisco Chronicle via AlterNet:

Wal-Mart has announced its intention to open 40 new supercenter stores – each the size of four football fields – in such fast-growing California suburban areas as Contra Costa County.

But Contra Costa County has fought back. A year ago, Martinez prevented a traditional Wal-Mart store from expanding into a supercenter that could sell groceries. On June 3, the county Board of Supervisors voted to ban such supercenter stores from unincorporated areas of the county.

In making its decision, the board cited a study done by the San Diego County Taxpayers Association (SDCTA), a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization. It found that an influx of big-box stores into San Diego would result in an annual decline in wages and benefits between $105 million and $221 million, and an increase of $9 million in public health costs. SDCTA also estimated that the region would lose pensions and retirement benefits valued between $89 million and $170 million per year and that even increased sales and property tax revenues would not cover the extra costs of necessary public services. "Good jobs, good pay, and good benefits should be the goal of an economy," SDCTA concluded, "and supercenters are not consistent with that objective."

Click here.

In addition to the economic havoc that Wal-Mart brings to communities, the mega-store corporation also attempts to enforce its own brand of "family values." CDs with the dreaded "Parental Advisory" stamp, and videos and DVDs with content that is objectionable to the corporation for whatever reasons are banned from their shelves. Beavis and Butthead merchandise were banned during their mid-90s heyday. Gangster rap is banned due to its violent content despite the fact that one can buy a gun in Wal-Mart's sporting goods department. Because Wal-Mart is often the only retailer of such cultural products in many, many towns and communities, their in-store ban creates a de facto complete ban.

Indeed, Wal-Mart sucks. Here's a song I wrote about their suckiness:

Wal-Mart Sucks

Don't buy your records at Wal-Mart.
They bleep dirty words at Wal-Mart.
Won't let you hear about sex, hear about dope.
I guess Sam Walton wants to be the Pope.

Don't buy your records at Wal-Mart.
They ban naughty covers at Wal-Mart.
You know they trash rock and roll, bash rock and roll.
I guess Sam Walton wants to save your soul.

Wal-Mart sucks. It's a family values store.
Wal-Mart sucks. I won't go there any more.
Wal-Mart sucks. With it's corporate homespun shit,
Wal-Mart sucks. What a pit.

Don't buy your records at Wal-Mart.
They ban gangster rap at Wal-Mart.
A parental advisory means "no sale."
Sam Walton wants to keep us all out of jail.

Don't buy your records at Wal-Mart.
No Beavis and Butthead at Wal-Mart.
You know they treat us like children, treat us like fools.
Sam Walton wants to make up all the rules.

Wal-Mart sucks. It's a family values store.
Wal-Mart sucks. I won't go there any more.
Wal-Mart sucks. With it's corporate homespun shit,
Wal-Mart sucks. What a pit.

Click here for mp3 download or here for streaming audio.

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$