OUR VIEW: Lawsuit opposing Walmart is good news
Published: September 24, 2009
» We hope the National Trust for Historic Preservation is successful in blocking a supercenter planned at the Wilderness battlefield.
The fight against building a Walmart Supercenter in the Wilderness didn’t end when the Orange County Board of Supervisors voted to approve it last month. In the latest twist to this long battle, preservationists and residents have teamed up to file a lawsuit that would block construction.
It’s time Walmart realizes that this is a battle it’s going to lose, even if it wins. Building on the planned location, which sits across from the national park, will only harbor resentment that could last decades. Alternate sites nearby might not be as ideal to Walmart, but it’s hard to imagine that insisting on building there is worth fighting a lawsuit, nor is it worth all the negative press.
Even if Walmart builds down the highway a few miles, it will still be the only store of its kind within a 15-mile drive for most of the area’s residents. For the good of protecting our nation’s history, it’s time for Walmart to give in and build elsewhere; both sides will be happier in the long run.
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DAR: Kudos to the local chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution for its commemoration of two “Real Daughters” of the war. Elizabeth Roberts Strother and Isabella Roberts Jett were both Culpeper residents for much of the 1800s, and both their fathers fought for U.S. independence. Incredibly, the women were still alive when the DAR was founded in 1890, making them two of only 14 Virginia DAR members whose fathers actually served in the war. The recent DAR event, which took place at the Masonic Cemetery and restored the women’s gravestones, was a nice reminder of just how deep our local history runs.
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THE REV. LELAND: Another interesting reminder of our rich local heritage came at Culpeper Baptist Church during the town’s 250th birthday celebration. A lively impersonator of the Rev. John Leland, a Culpeper man who befriended and aided some of our Founding Fathers, entertained the congregation and illustrated the important role religion — specifically, the free exercise thereof — played in our history.
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Other counties are not supposed to voice an opinion about a Virginia battlefield site. The land is in Orange County and therefore THEY have total say despite the fact that Culpeper Walmart can put up a table in front of the store with a petition for people to sign, and a huge sign that says, “HELP BRING WALMART TO ORANGE COUNTY”. It seem the majority of Orange citizens a frothing at the mouth for this store because of the 600 jobs and the millions in tax revenue that will have to go for roads, traffic lights, and trash pickup.
P.S. I live in a VERY historic part of the state and a serious battle took place very close to where our Wal-Mat stands. However, the history is preserved and everyone seems to be happy.
Just one question…why is the CSE editorializing about Orange County business???? What has the Orange paper said? Since I don’t keep up with Orange county happenings I am very curious. Glad I don’t live close enough to become embroiled in this one. I do believe, though, whatever Wal-Mart wants, Wal-Mat gets. And yes, we do have a Super Wal-Mart where I live.
“I’ve been where Stonewall was shot, traveled the 28 miles he was taken wounded in a wagon, been into the house where he died, and have been to Ellwood where his arm is buried.“
Good for you. I think it is important for us to have a sense of our Nation’s history.
To dwell on it? To wallow in it? To demand that other people give up the very rights our forefathers fought and died for in order to preserve every single square inch of it? No.
But studying and learning about our history is a very good thing. I have already taken my young son to the Wilderness Battlefied (and Chancellorsville). When he is older, and better able to understand the events that occurred there, I will take him again. And who knows, I might even stop by the new WalMart on our way home to buy him a DVD of Gods and Generals.
Sandalwood,
No, I do not “worship the almighty dollar”, but I DO respect the Constitutional and legal rights of others and I try my best to refrain from telling other people what they can and cannot do with their personal property.
Back on topic, since you apparently decided not to logically address the primary point of my posting, but instead chose to make more emotion-driven, anti-capitalist remarks, you have left me little choice but to conclude that you are OPPOSED to individual liberty and private property rights.
Regarding my comments on the 70 % turnover rate of employees at WalMart, I should point out that you are the one who brought it up. Why else would you have done so if not to help demonstrate Wal-Mart’s important position in our economy as a “stepping stone employer”? They, and companies like McDonalds, Burger King, etc. provide many people’s first employment experience and their first experience earning their own money. They help provide basic work-place training for many young, inexperienced individuals, and offer them real-world experience in the job market, which helps to prepare them for bigger and better opportunities in their futures. Companies like WalMart are an essential part of our economy. They play an important role in preparing inexperienced workers to enter the economy.
Given their “stepping stone” status, it only stands to reason that such an employer would have a high employee turn-over rate. The goal of most who start out there is to move on to better, higher paying jobs, with more responsibility and more opportunity, as they gain experience. I view WalMarts 70% employee turn-over rate as a positive, not a negative, when considering their contributions to the community and the economy as a whole.
PS – Sarcasm much?
Well, I’ve been to the battlefields and have an ancestor hanging in the visitor’s center at Chancellorsville. I’ve been where Stonewall was shot, traveled the 28 miles he was taken wounded in a wagon, been into the house where he died, and have been to Ellwood where his arm is buried.
People always take the high road when the “Almighty dollar” does not pertain to them. I am willing to bet that most against this transaction have never been to the Wilderness Battlefield.
This suit will more than likely be dismissed.
It appears that you and the rest of Orange County worship the almighty dollar. Typical American way of thinking. And yes the owner can do anything he wants with his piece of land. Never let it be said that conscience got in the way of a profit.
And your comment about the 70% turnover is pretty lame and doesn’t deserve a response.
Wow!
Again, I suffer from serious brain fade:
The first paragraph in my first post to Sandalwood SHOULD have said:
“It appears to me that you are reacting emotionally to this issue rather than rationally analyzing the situation using the constitutions of the United States and the Commonwealth of Virginia, and the laws of Virginia and the County of Orange.“
Sorry about that…
Sandalwood:
You also wrote, regarding WalMart Corp:
“CSE said there was a 70% turnover of employees.“
That is an excellent point. It proves that those who work at WalMart do so by choice and are NOT, as some might have us believe, being held in effective slavery.
It is a prime example of individual liberty and individual self-determination in action.
This truly is a free and wonderful country, isn’t it?
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