Corporations and consciences

Eyeditor,

What Do Wal-Mart and Coca-Cola have in common? Neither has a conscience — but nor do other mega-corporations. Might they pay even less if no one complained? Exxon still has not paid Alaska fishermen court-ordered restitution for the 1988 oil spill — waiting recipients just die off. Making money — that's a corporation's bottom-line job. No conscience needed.

It's fairly likely that Polson and other Montana towns will have not only Wal-Mart but many other corporations coming in. Look for Wal-Mart Banking, Wal-Realty, Target-Tires, Halliburton Flowers, Coca-Cola Water & Sewer Utilities, and Wal-Mart City Governmental Services.

Money buys a lot of influence. Not only corporations — big bucks paid to athletes and entertainers allow them to buy and develop the land around you. Investor groups do the same thing. Dollars win and the power of the little guy dwindles.

Wal-Mart closed a store rather than hear employees speaking through a union. How then do "non-corporation"i people have a say? By necessity, ordinary citizens sometimes complain, reason, argue, protest and even bellow loudly to make their thoughts known. Currently in Maryland Wal-Mart is "offering" to give assistance to local merchants through training. How do such adjustments come about? Answer: through local citizens standing up against Goliath and making their concerns heard.

I offer here my respect and gratitude to those who do so. Such are the students in Missoula who confront George Dennison and Coca-Cola on issues of social justice. And such are those across the country who speak similarly to Wal-Mart, Exxon or other giants.

Yes, the big boys generally get most of their way. But concessions should be part of the deal — locals must learn to negotiate, negotiate, negotiate. Hopefully, local "dissidents" will indeed speak loudly. After all, they represent an important (maybe the only) conscience.

Gene Joohnson

Polson