The headline from today's Republican newspaper article, "Wal-Mart opponents get no satisfaction," about the last Wal-Mart planning board hearing in Hadley, spins the story the wrong way. Far closer to the truth is that the hearing did not go well for Wal-Mart and its paid consultants. And, in fact, one of the reasons it didn't go smoothly for them is because of the resistance they got from community members.

[image:110]Good job to all the Hadley citizens who came out last night to the planning board hearing to express their opposition to Wal-Mart's plan to transform Hadley into a mini version of Los Angeles with their propsed super-grotesque Wal-Mart. Where would we be without people to take on greedy Goliath's like Wal-Mart and the Pyramid Corporation?

See photos.

i am hoping there are others out there who wish to keep up the visiblity outsde the hadley walmart. This being a holiday week an such, it is still possible to pressure them on the day after Thanksgiving.

I'd love to live in a world free of individuals who do nothing but scheme ways to squeeze money from less advantaged people. And since it's the job of a Wal-Mart exectuive to do just that, I have all the motivation I need for fighting Wal-Mart.

Last Friday, I got to mix it up a little with a couple dozen students and residents at a house party in on Route 9 in Hadley. Part social-gathering and part teach-in, the party brought together people concerned about the impact of Wal-Mart's plans to build a Super Center down the road.

So many people turned out to the Hadley Planning Board meeting, public safety officials because the building exceeded fire codes according to a report in the Republican newspaper. The meeting has been rescheduled for December 6th.

Read the Republican's account of the event

Blogs are abuzz with Jib Jab's new "Big Box Mart" animated Flash toon which takes some pointed shots at American consumerism and corporate greed that's leading to massive layoffs and a surge in low-paying service sector jobs at retail stores like Wal-Mart.

"When it got out that Wal-Mart was building a superstore, all kinds of people got involved." Good article in this week's Valley Advocate that highlights some of the grassroots organizations sprouting up on Wal-Mart's green profit-laden lawn like crabgrass.

Click on for more...

[image:65]Nearly two dozen students, labor leaders, and citizens gathered at Amherst College to share plans for taking on the world's largest employer and putting the big kibosh to Wal-Mart's design to intrude on the community they love. The participants, many representing organizations in Western Massachusetts, were diverse in their opposition to Wal-Mart. But all were eager to work together for their common interest of curtailing the power of the Behemoth from Bentonville.

[image:63]Jeremy Bird, a lead organizer for the Wake-Up Wal-Mart campaign, flew into town from Washington, DC last Tuesday to assist our community's burgeoning campaign against the Wal-Mart corporation. With a master's degree from Harvard Divinity School and a key player in Howard Dean's surprisingly successful presidential bid, the energetic Bird is lending his big picture organizing talent and experience to develop a nationwide grassroots network of activists looking to curtail the economic power and irresponsible behavior of the Wal-Mart corporation.