The national Wake-Up Wal-Mart campaign (WUWM) will be in Davenport on Wednesday, August 16, at 6 p.m. at United Neighbors, located at 808 North Harrison Street.

Since August 1, The WUWM campaign has embarked on a national bus tour, visiting 35 cities in 19 states. The bus, affectionately nicknamed Smiley, will be touring Iowa, as well, and Davenport is one of its stops along the way. Secretary of State and gubernatorial candidate Chet Culver will also be there! This will be a town-hall meeting to discuss what we want the face of America to look like. Everyone is welcome!

Do we want to continue to foster and support small businesses within our community, or are we willing to let big-box retailers like Wal-Mart become our sole supplier? Hardware stores, boutiques, gift shops, shoe stores, and grocers are some of the hardest hit when Wal-Mart moves into a community. The "city" doesn't give these small-business owners TIFs or subsidies to help them compete in today's global marketplace. Wal-Mart made $18 billion in profit last year alone. Small businesses traditionally re-invest 45 percent of their profits back into the community. In contrast, Wal-Mart, the largest corporation in the world, re-invests about 13 percent back into the communities in which they operate. Does this seem fair to you? Do you think taxpayers should continue to subsidize Wal-mart? This is your opportunity to weigh in!

For more information on the WUWM national bus tour, go to (http://www.wakeupwalmart.com).

 

Caroline Vernon

Davenport

 

 

This Land Is Your Land

From New Hampshire to Oregon, our nation's national forests are under attack. When President Bush was elected, he made it clear that he would increase logging in national forests and remove protections in the few remaining wilderness and old-growth areas. Apparently voters weren't paying attention.

Right now, nearly two dozen new logging, and logging road construction, projects in previously protected roadless areas are underway. Who will be affected by this mismanagement of our precious natural resources? Millions who have relied on these wild and scenic areas for their livelihoods or recreation, including outfitters, guides, hunters, hikers, anglers, birders, canoeists, backpackers, cross-country skiers, campers, the bed and breakfasts, restaurants, gas stations, and convenience stores. The forest service admits that there is 38 times more revenue generated from recreation than from commercial logging.

Even though you may not be one of those mentioned who will be affected by our government's disastrous abuse of our natural resources, it is still your land. So let your voice be heard in Washington. Call President Bush and your legislators. Tell them you are outraged by their failure to be good stewards of our forests.

 

Gerald Neff

Pleasant Valley, Iowa

Support the River Cities' Reader

Get 12 Reader issues mailed monthly for $48/year.

Old School Subscription for Your Support

Get the printed Reader edition mailed to you (or anyone you want) first-class for 12 months for $48.
$24 goes to postage and handling, $24 goes to keeping the doors open!

Click this link to Old School Subscribe now.



Help Keep the Reader Alive and Free Since '93!

 

"We're the River Cities' Reader, and we've kept the Quad Cities' only independently owned newspaper alive and free since 1993.

So please help the Reader keep going with your one-time, monthly, or annual support. With your financial support the Reader can continue providing uncensored, non-scripted, and independent journalism alongside the Quad Cities' area's most comprehensive cultural coverage." - Todd McGreevy, Publisher