Walmart Yes

A coalition has sprung to life here locally to help bring a Wal-Mart Super Center to our little western Montana valley. Holding signs that say Yes To Wal-Mart these working class folks are gathering signatures for a petition to recind the temporary ban on Big Box stores enacted recently by county commisioners after a huge public display. Every action has a reaction. Interestingly, this coalition consists of religious zealots, er, evangelicals ( the same people who fight "the gay agenda" and wish to teach creationism) , the well organized Mormon Church (?) and ignorant poor people, which flourish here in the land of minimum wage and meth labs.

For poor people, Wal-Mart means cheap stuff and that is as far as their political analysis needs to go. OK. For evangelicals Wal-Mart means what? One thing of course, is it provides a chance to strike back at the secular liberals who have organized to oppose. Wal-Mart represents FREE ENTERPRISE, the beauty of capitalism, the American way of life and the "good" aspects of modernity, abundance, consumer goods, convenience, trailer home accessories galore.

But what are these Mormons up to? The worlds fastest growing religion, clean, shiny, white people optimistic and well organized. Like the Zionists they take care of their own, but rather than claim some Middle Eastern homeland they are building it right here in the high deserts of the Rocky Mountain West. They elected one of their own as a pro-development member of the commisioners. They are business leaders, lead civic organizations, influence state government in Utah, Idaho, Montana and elsewhere. The Church takes ten percent of everyones earnings right off the top, just like the Baptists. Thats a lot of cash, people, a lot of cash. Read Under The Banner of Heaven if you are sleeping a little to well at night.