Wal-Mart. Seems these days, either you’re a frequent shopper or you see it as a sort of price-slashing fourth reich. Well, we citizens have that luxury, but of course the media has a duty to play it straight, and let us make up our minds, right? Let’s see what the Bee’s Ed Fletcher has to say:
West Sacramento embraced Ikea as a boon to the local economy when the Swedish home furnishings retailer broke ground on its giant store in April.But now that a Wal-Mart Supercenter is riding the coattails of zoning rules aimed at bringing big-box retail to town, residents are beginning to complain.
And while it may be too late to stop Wal-Mart, the development at Interstate 80 and Reed Avenue - a short drive from downtown Sacramento - moves the city closer to its goal of increasing sales-tax revenue. (Emphasis is all CoolDMZ)
I’m a little “uneasy” about it, but let’s examine the “rhetoric” here.
When zoning laws allow Ikea to put down roots, it’s a boon to the economy. When the same zoning laws allow Wal-Mart to set up shop, it’s “riding the coattails” which are admittedly “aimed at bringing big-box retail” to West Sac. And as if that’s not confusing enough, it’s “too late to stop” the evil menace, which will have the terrifying effect of “increasing sales-tax revenue” in West Sac. Oh the horror!
Note to Ed Fletcher: you’ve got something on your sleeve. You might want to clean it off before the media ethics seminar.
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12 Comments | Leave a comment
Wow. You managed to take my name in vain on a topic I haven’t weighed in on.
I think Ed’s choice of words was a little poor, but on the whole, I thought his piece was more or less fair. I actually thought it was sympathetic toward the city officials.
It *is* the goal of the city to increase sales tax revenue, after all. I don’t think there’s much argument there.
posted 10/27/05 at 11:00 am #
Right. So if the purpose in re-zoning is to increase sales tax revenue, I don’t think there’s any substantive distinction between Ikea and Wal-Mart. Which makes the distinction in Ed Fletcher’s tone toward Ikea vs. Wal-Mart questionable. Is he concerned that Wal-Mart will simply draw a different shopping crowd? Or is he on the “it’s politically progressive to hate Wal-Mart but okay to shop at Target” bandwagon? Or am I just so bored during the working day that I’m conjecturing his motives when in fact he has simply given it no thought at all? I am open to the possibility that that last one is true, but I have to go with DMZ on leaning toward the bias theory. p.s. I speak for the entire website and all its contributors.
posted 10/27/05 at 11:31 am #
It is next to impossible not to fill in your own blanks about what is being said in Ed’s article and what CoolDMZ is trying to get at. That is, the brand name Wal-Mart is a hot topic of political debate in recent years due to allegations of (linked below) “…unfair labor practices around the world…”
So, yes, Mr. Fletcher does seem intent on including his personal views on the matter in his article which has become all too popular with today’s news reporting. Much the same way he managed to include the quote from Villegas which also supported his opinions about Wal-Mart.
Bottom line is that this article wasn’t about the business practices of retail giants, but rather about West Sacramento getting closer to reaching their retail goals.
Basically, let the Sac Rag tell you what is really being said out there and what opinions you should have, not your local newspaper.
Quote obtained from: http://www.1worldcommunication.org/Walmart.htm
posted 10/27/05 at 12:38 pm #
aren’t we all being a little too serious for our own good here? after all, clearly the most pressing issue is that IKEA does not offer a vegan alternative to their famed Swedish-themed meatballs. this is an outrage.
also they don’t offer a well built alternative to their shitty fall apart furniture. Oooh!! burn!!
posted 10/27/05 at 1:35 pm #
Hey everyone, CoolDMZ says it is ok to be funny now…
posted 10/27/05 at 1:42 pm #
Ah, I LOVE my shitty falling apart furniture. It brings back good memories and has good vibes.
posted 10/27/05 at 1:49 pm #
The biggest issue in my mind is that Ikea outsources it’s customer service jobs to India, thereby robbing able-bodied Swedes of their right to work at a job in sub-zero temperatures in some crappy suburb outside of Stockholm. This global economy is really being felt at home…as long as your home is floating on an ice floe in the middle of a fjord.
posted 10/27/05 at 1:50 pm #
Ed is a friend of mine. He’s a well-educated dude. If his choice of words seems leading, perhaps it’s because he’s trying to reflect the sentiment of W. Sac residents, not insert his own opinion into the piece?
posted 10/27/05 at 2:25 pm #
http://www.jibjab.com/Movies/MoviePlayer.aspx?contentid=122&adp=1
posted 10/27/05 at 3:04 pm #
Places like West Sac were meant for Wal-Mart. Wal-Mart does not make since in Downtown Plaza. West Sac is a gross industrial area, and a place like Wal-mart is not going to make it any worse.
posted 10/27/05 at 3:43 pm #
Couldn’t have said it any better myself, Wally.
You know, not since the “accident” that is.
posted 10/27/05 at 3:49 pm #
Fjord. I just wanted to use that word too. Not an opportunity I get too often!
posted 10/27/05 at 5:44 pm #
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