Hamilton is objecting, too

Editor,

Hooray for Hamilton! Although the City Council and Planning Board of Polson are rubber stamping Wal-Mart's demand for a zoning change and annexation into the city limits, it's heartening to learn that Hamilton chose to preserve its downtown and aesthetics.

How ironic that a recent letter to the editor here wrote of Wal-Mart's expansion as merely the exercise of free enterprise — considering that the way Wal-Mart does business is far from free. Wal-Mart dictates to U.S. manufacturers the price it will pay for goods, forcing companies to lower quality or move overseas.

The young Chinese women, who work in the sweatshops that manufacture the goods Wal-Mart imports, slave 13 or more hours a day, seven days a week, live in squalid dormitories and are paid less than a living wage.

My right to shop conveniently at cheap prices costs them dearly. It also costs Americans full-time jobs with benefits. Buying from Communist China increases our trade deficit and indebtedness to a fascist nation.

If, God forbid, Polson has to consent to a Super Wal-Mart, you'd think it would have the decency to require it to be built on the west side of town where there are no grocery stores.

As I wait for the devastation of the beautiful hillside on the southeast side of town, I'm singing this song (to the tune of "Lola), won't you join me? "Whatever Wal-Mart wants, Wal-Mart gets, little Polson, Super Wal-Mart wants you. Make up your mind to have no regrets, recline yourself, resign yourself, you're through," etc. Maybe it'll catch on at some of Wal-Mart's pep rallies.

Suzanne Marshall

Polson

(Editor's note: Wal-Mart's application for a zoning change and annexation will be heard May 9 at 6 p.m. So far, no formal action has been taken on Wal-Mart's application by the City of Polson or the city/county planning board. As such, Ms. Marshall's reference to "rubber stamping" the application is her own opinion.)