Posted on 03/25/2007 6:18:30 PM PDT by Eric Blair 2084
The television advertisement starts with an ominous warning about 9/11. Then it shows a nuclear explosion, followed by a photo of Osama bin Laden and a ship loaded with cargo containers. "Since 9/11, it is one of the greatest threats we face, a nuclear weapon in the hands of Osama bin Laden shipped through an American port," says the voice-over. Finally, the ad reveals its villain: an outfit based in Arkansas that has a network of 1.8 million workers around the world who operate at 3,900 locations in the United States. Its corporate name is Wal-Mart Stores Inc. What's the world's largest retail chain doing as the target of an apocalyptic television ad campaign that will begin running tomorrow in New York and other major U.S. cities? Well, Wal-Mart happens to be America's largest importer of containerized cargo. It also has taken a definitive position in the ongoing debate on how best to protect the country's ports from terrorist attacks. And a labor advocacy group, WakeUpWalMart.com, has seized upon that position to broaden its campaign against the retail chain's workplace practices to an entirely different arena. "Wal-Mart. Profits first. America's security second," says the voice-over in the ad, which has already been posted on YouTube.com. Wal-Mart spokesman Robert Traynhman said the ad was in "poor taste" and called it "an irresponsible attempt to avoid facts, play upon people's fears and disparage our company." The ad focuses on the question of whether all cargo containers shipped to America should go through scanners before they leave foreign ports.
(Excerpt) Read more at nj.com ...
This is really low ... even for the hate spewed left.
Wally hurts-your-eyes ping :)
Some biggie from WM will be responding on Fox - just saw a clip on Hannity's America.
The biggest treats to the safety of Americans are probably the heads of departments in major Universities that title ends in studies. The safest place for a sleeper cell.
Ping.
I'm sure the terrorists would go out of their way to find just the Wal-Mart containers, and avoid any containers destined for Target, Best Buy, Home Depot, ... /s
That is pretty pathetic...and probably one that will backfire on them.
The America-hating, kneecap busting, union thugs again. (Yawn).
Ya know....I haven't been to Wal Mart in awhile....seems like it's time for another visit.
Wal-Mart Ping..........
It's well worth the click on the link to get the whole story.
Self indulgeant grandstanding by the NJ Democrat, but what else should we expect.
I spent 35 years in shoreside Containership Operations covering almost all aspects of the industry.
The major Containership Operators have much to lose. They know whom their shippers are, and what is in those Containers.
The odd shipper's products and equipment utilization is scrutinized even more than the usual or common shippers.
Nobody in that industry wants to lose an asset such as a ship and crew, much less be responsible for a holocaust.
The most critical vessels to search are the charter vessels. Few are, but they exist.
Wait a minute. Wal-Mart runs port security? Or is Wal-Mart to blame just because it import stuff? Just like BIG gun and BIG fast-food are culpable when the legal products they make are misused.
Bump for Morning Coffee. Need to be clear-headed for these things. ;)
Look for the union label
If you want to
Be out of
A job...
DALLAS -- A union-backed group on Thursday began airing a commercial in 16 U.S. cities alleging that Wal-Mart Stores Inc. does not support comprehensive scanning of cargo containers at U.S. ports.
WakeUpWalMart.com, operated by the United Food and Commercial Workers union, accuses Wal-Mart and the Retail Industry Leaders Association trade group in the 30-second television spot of lobbying against legislation to scan all incoming port containers.
Such scanning, the ad says, would "help stop the next 9/11" by avoiding the scenario of "a nuclear weapon in the hands of Osama bin Laden, shipped through an American port." The ad incorporates visuals of Mr. bin Laden, regarded as the mastermind of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, and a nuclear mushroom cloud.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Wal-Mart, Bentonville, Ark., disputes the union ad's allegations but does not plan to counter the offensive with its own ads. "The union-funded ad is in poor taste and an irresponsible attempt to avoid the facts, play upon people's fears and disparage our company," said Robert Traynham, Wal-Mart's director of federal media in Washington, D.C.
Mr. Traynham denied that Wal-Mart has lobbied against screening of all containers at U.S. ports. "In theory, we support 100% scanning of cargo coming into this country," he said. "It becomes an issue of how do you do that in terms of manpower and from a funding standpoint? But we do support it."
The container-screening provision is among several security-tightening measures contemplated in legislation now being molded in conference after the House and Senate in recent weeks passed differing bills on the matters. The House measure would require radiation screening of all incoming containers at U.S. ports. The Senate version would not.
The UFCW's WakeUpWalMart.com has spent a sum "in the six figures" to produce and air the ads, spokesman Chris Kofinis says. Rarely short on hyperbole, the group in a release issued Thursday accused Wal-Mart of the opposition lobbying it denies. "As the leading opponent of 100% scanning and as the nation's largest importer of containers, Wal-Mart has a moral responsibility to stop its lobbying campaign and join with us, the American people, and our elected leaders to help stop the next 9/11," WakeUpWalMart.com campaign director Paul Blank said in the release.
The Retail Industry Leaders Association, a group of major retailers, released a statement pointing out that its members already are helping the Department of Homeland Security study port security as part of legislation passed last year. It added that technology for 100% scanning is not yet ready for use in foreign ports.
Wal-Mart, the world's largest retailer by sales, posted sales of nearly $345 billion and a net of nearly $11.3 billion in its fiscal year ended Jan. 31.
Let's see, scan all containers before they leave foreign ports, but give in to terrorism in the War on Terror.
Only a liberal could make sense of that.
Thanks for the ping!
BTTT
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.