Let’s scrape away all of the BS here. Your premise is flawed to begin with.
When you walk through the front door of that store you have made a tacit agreement to abide by the rules set forth by Wal Mart. If not they have the right to refuse you service.
When you purchased the TV, you again agreed to a set of rules set forth by Wal Mart called a purchase agreement. It includes the return policy etc. They are a private business, and therefore can set whatever rules they want to conduct business. You as a free American can choose to, or not to obey those rules. If you choose not to then you can choose to shop at another store whose rules you do agree with.
You do not have any “right” to shop at Wal Mart, and you do not have the “right” to break Wal Mart’s rules, immediately after you entered an agreement to abide by those rules when you made your purchase.
It’s the same argument we conservatives have been using for years abut the anti-smoking nazis. These are private businesses. If they want to allow smoking , and you don’t like smokers, then your right ends with your decision to go to an establishment that doesn’t allow smoking where you’ll be comfortable. You don’t have a right to go into the smoking business, and start demanding that everyone put out their cigar, or cigarette because you’re there and don’t like smoking.
So, my wife’s bonus aside, you are still off base. If you don’t like Wal Mart’s door policy, shop elsewhere. That sir is your “right”.
Stop right there. That sentence is only good as long as Wal-Mart abides by the law.
That is not the case here, as has been demonstrated.
OK. But it appears you are wrong on the facts. Wal-mart has a policy encouraging ITS EMPLOYEE at the entrance to ask for a receipt for large/unbagged items, etc. Wal-mart DOES NOT have a rule that obligates customers to furnish a receipt upon exiting. I challenge you to find such a rule anywhere. Could they make one? Yeah. But they haven't. You're defending a fiction.
WalMart policy cannot trump legislation and natural law.
That’s where your whole thing kinda breaks down on you.
That tacit agreement thing works both ways. I'm walking in with their tacit agreement that the rules they set forth won't violate my rights and that the rights of one of us end where the rights of the other begin. The real issue here is a conflict of rights and lack of a clear definition of where the one’s rights end and the other’s rights begin. By the way, these rules set forth by Wal Mart that we are supposed to abide by, where are they set forth? I don't recall ever seeing a sign or anything setting forth that I have to show my receipt on exiting. What are the other rules set forth somewhere that we have to abide by but don't know what are?
“If not they have the right to refuse you service.”
1. I've read that before. In this situation, I suppose they could ask someone to leave if they won't show their receipt. (I'm just pointing out the contradiction in the situation.)
2. Whether or not they actually have any kind of right to refuse service for breaking their rules would depend on what their rules are.
“When you purchased the TV, you again agreed to a set of rules set forth by Wal Mart called a purchase agreement. It includes the return policy etc.”
I don't recall ever seeing a purchase agreement at Wal Mart for me to agree to, or not. The return policy may be set forth on the receipt and signs in the service area, but I don't really have a choice about agreeing to it. They accept the return or the don't, their choice. Rules about check cashing are set forth at the registers. Rules about store hours and so on are set forth at the door. Rules about purchasing alcohol, tobacco, firearms, ammunition and so forth are set forth in the appropriate departments. I've never seen a rule set forth about showing a receipt at the door. Again, where is this rule set forth and what are the other rules I don't know about, which apparently are set forth someplace I don't know about?
“They are a private business, and therefore can set whatever rules they want to conduct business.”
No they can't. They are limited by law and the rights of others.
“You as a free American can choose to, or not to obey those rules. If you choose not to then you can choose to shop at another store whose rules you do agree with.”
Which stores, aside from the membership retailers, set forth all their rules where I can find them so I can know if I agree with them or not?
“You do not have any “right” to shop at Wal Mart, and you do not have the “right” to break Wal Mart’s rules, immediately after you entered an agreement to abide by those rules when you made your purchase.”
As a member of the public and absent anything else, I and my neighbors have a right to shop at Wal Mart due to the tacit agreement Wal Mart entered into when it opened a store to members of the public in my community and agreed to serve the community.
“If you don’t like Wal Mart’s door policy, shop elsewhere.”
That's an option in Lexington, perhaps less so in Jackson and Hazard.
“Let’s scrape away all of the BS here.”
Are you willing to start with post 304? (Sorry sort of, but I couldn't resist.)
By way of full disclosure, I worked there for a short time during the early part of this manufactured "recession" and know quite a few things about WallyWorld. They didn't get to be big by being customer friendly nor pro-American.
Okay...say I cede your point, a store can make you abide by any agreement, even if it violates state law.
Okay, then let’s have Wal-Mart force everyone to burn any leftist literature they have at home, if you want to shop there, ya’ gotta burn the Communist Manifesto and any books by Bill Ayers.
Also, any one that wants to shop there must register third-party Independent and promise to vote for Conservative pro-lifers over the next ten years.
And, they have to give $10 to the Salvation Army! And they have to promise not to swear at anybody, to not watch any X-rated movies, and to go to church every Sunday, ONLY if the church is Christian and conservative!
Hey, I like this idea of saying stores can force you to do anything they want, even if it’s against state law! Thanks, great idea!
Ed