Height of Hypocrisy or Caring Concern? Help a girl out.

[ScreamingMeemie]

I am going to lay it out there and say I support the protests, am sad it ended in destruction, but I understand why it happened. I feel badly for those who lost their jobs at CVS, but I care nothing for CVS and haven't shopped there since they ridiculed me for having "Obamacare" last year when I went to fill a prescription (apparently, they didn't take the Humana Silver Plus plan that I had, but they didn't call it that--they said loudly, "We don't take Obamacare&quot . So, it is my hope that the chain is eradicated from the face of the earth in favor of mom and pop drug stores like the one I currently get my prescriptions from.

That said, it has been consistently stated by some (not all) that it is cruel to the employees who lost their jobs. That it's awful that some aren't upset over that. A lot of concern has been shown for these employees as it should be.

HOWEVER,

is the same concern shown when people are yelling for boycotts of Walmart and Chick fil A? People work there too, and if we stop shopping there (I have), those stores and chains will close and many, many more people will be out of jobs. And those people are just as economically depressed for the most part, or they wouldn't be working at a minimum wage job. Or, is it okay because people aren't rioting in the streets in front of them? Be honest with yourself. As honest as I'm trying to be. Do you feel badly for the employees of Walmart, Chick fil A, Hobby Lobby, Boycott-of-the-Week when the call goes up to make them suffer?

I haven't because I realize that these jobs are minimum wage at best, and who are we fooling? But, if I'm supposed to be more upset about the loss of a minimum wage job over the loss of a life due to racist police brutality, perhaps I should be more upset about thousands of minimum wage jobs instead of supporting social issues through boycott.

I truly look forward to honest and open conversation here.

Thank you.

[NoJusticeNoPeace]

1. Sudden "concern"about the store or the jobs is bullshit, and we know it.

good OP

[bravenak]

2. Uh oh.

I think you may be right.

[ScreamingMeemie]

7. This has truly been one of those weeks on DU where I don't even recognize where I am anymore.

I have examined this from all sides, and I don't like what I'm coming up with.

[bravenak]

9. It makes me think I'm going crazy.

[cwydro]

3. The CVS burning was unfortunate.

But the burning of the senior center was tragic, wrong, and only hurt seniors who needed affordable housing who live in that community.

No idea why folks are so focused on CVS.

I guess it's easier to pretend the senior center burning did not happen - because that can't be blamed on corporate America.

[840high]

4. Bingo. Thanks.

[ScreamingMeemie]

6. I'll get you both at the same time.

Please see post below and answer the question. I really appreciate it. Thanks.

[ScreamingMeemie]

5. Now let us look at this. You and I agree that they are both unfortunate; however,

the senior center? It was under construction, right? And it is awful that it burned, and I wish it hadn't, but it doesn't change my understanding of why it happened, and I wish the PTB would take the struggles of inner city residents seriously. There weren't any residents there, thankfully, like there were employees being paid minimum wage like the employees of Walmart, Chick fil A, etc. Many of those employees come from the same depressed and distressed situations. Most are used for corporate interests while barely being able to support their own families.

I guess I'd like to hear your input on that. Would you stand up for those employees who would lose everything as I've heard others comment about the CVS employees?

[840high]

11. I would. I don't

boycott places of business. It's always the employees that get hurt.

[ScreamingMeemie]

13. Thank you for answering me, 840high.

I appreciate it, and that is commendable.

[cwydro]

17. Your response is garbled and unclear.

What employees are you talking about? Where did Walmart and Chick fil A fit into my post about the senior center? Oh, you say understand why the senior center was burned. Can you fill me in on why that was necessary?

Huh?

Oh wait, the employees of Walmart and Chick fil A have nothing to do with my post, do they? Redirection because there is NO EXCUSE for that senior center to be burned down by a mob of criminals who care about nothing.

The struggles of inner city residents??? Those were the very ones slated to move into that senior center. Surely you know that? Are you serious? Do you not care about those senior citizens? How about their struggles? How about they have no home that they were so looking forward to moving into, feeling safe and secure for the first time, having a place of their own, maybe having a pet, just being HOME? Wow. Empathy much?

I worked with underserved seniors for years. This is something close to my heart.

The burning of that center was unconscionable. How lucky for you that you can rationalize it.

[ScreamingMeemie]

19. My response was quite clear; it's unfortunate that we can't have this discussion without

getting upset. I asked about the hypocrisy between two separate situations. I was respectful of your answer. I would have hoped you would have been respectful of mine.

Did I rationalize it? Or did I say I understood it?

Please, let's keep it from devolving to accusations or commentary on how we think the other person thinks. Thank you.

[cwydro]

20. OK, I have no idea why you brought employees of Walmart or Chick Fil A into this.

So I guess I'll leave this conversation.

I was talking about Baltimore. I have never advocated boycotting anybody anywhere. I have never eaten at Chick Fil A. Yuck.

I don't eat chicken because I raise them. I love them and will have nothing to do with factory farming of animals. That is not a boycott. That is just a choice. I don't eat fast food of any type for that matter.

Walmart? I shop there to buy my dog and cat food, planting items, landscape stuff. It's cheaper there. I'm not rich.

What either of these two chains have to do with the posts on Baltimore - I have not the faintest idea.

The burning of the senior center was wrong, tragic, and criminal.

Again, I have no idea what in the blue blazes you are talking about. Lol, I'm not in the least upset. Just very confused.

Have a nice evening.

[RobertEarl]

8. My take

There is no telling how many lives will be saved.

The next time the cops attack someone, they will be thinking how their actions may just lead to death and destruction. And make them act accordingly.

[ScreamingMeemie]

14. Thank you RobertEarl. Do you think it's hypocritical that a lot of us are okay

with boycotts that cost jobs?

[RobertEarl]

15. My take

If the need is real, and the product is socially acceptable, the only costs incurred in boycotts is to those who's trading is socially unacceptable.

[riderinthestorm]

10. It's not CVS in general, it's this CVS specifically in this neighborhood

This area of Baltimore has more than 20% unemployment. Virtually everyone lives under the $25k poverty rate. The fact that there are so few places to work there already is a major part of the problem and that reality now gotten exponentially worse. The chances that CVS will ever open again are very very slim as history shows us.

The community lost a valuable resource in an economic wasteland already.

http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/crime/2015/04/freddie_gray_death_a_closer_look_at_the_tragically_impoverished_and_violent.html

http://thinkprogress.org/economy/2015/04/28/3651951/baltimore-freddie-gray-economic/

You must live in an area with a sound economic base to be blind to the deep blow this community has sustained.

I'll go even further, the residents of that community are grieving the loss of that store (and there were other stores that were destroyed as well). You are devaluing their voices, their pain. These AA voices matter as much as anyone's even as you and the four other DUers who agree with you, belittle them.

[ScreamingMeemie]

12. This is interesting for one reason: it skirts a genuine answer.

My background: Born on 44th street in Milwaukee and with quick stops in NC and NY and back to WI, I ended up in Saint Clair Shores, MI, a blue collar working-class town. My husband was a machinist.

I currently live in Houston, TX, an economically diverse neighborhood with housing ranging from Section 8 to homes that cost $200K and there aren't many job opportunities over minimum wage in the surrounding neighborhood. I, myself, make $1500/month in SS survivor benefits for my son and I. I am a freelance writer to supplement when I can, but I realize I will have to downsize rather quickly as my son approaches graduation next year. Yes, for me? The struggle is real. I hope that gives you insight, although it has nothing to do with the question I asked.


A minimum wage job is a minimum wage job for the person who holds it, and minimum wage jobs can be hard to come by in flooded markets all over the country. My teenaged son has turned in 20 applications because he wants to leave a major pizza chain with no bites. And I STILL know he has it better than many, many others.

Why are we okay with ending the jobs of so many minimum wage workers when they face the very same struggle as those workers in Baltimore?

I am asking a question that devalues no one. I am coming at this in all honesty and I was hopeful that others would do the same.

As for your last sentence? I'm going to choose to ignore it because I KNOW you are better than that. Thank you.

[riderinthestorm]

16. I'm not skirting your question. I answered it.

these workers in this neighborhood have a specific economy and you can't take their situation out of context and try to extrapolate it.

If Walmart closed in an economically depressed area like you live in, mom and pop stores would flood back in since it hasn't ever had a riot. Presumably you may even have some alternatives for shopping in your area if there's no Walmart there already.

This area of Baltimore doesn't have that luxury. It's already blighted if you read my links. CVS moving in there was an economic ray of light towards rejuvenating that neighborhood, regardless of how you or I dislike stores like this.

The destruction of this store, and the others, means no one will either take a chance and rebuild there (which is a historic fact based on other riot-blighted areas), or the insurance is so high no Mom and Pop operations can afford to open there.

I understand you want to address this topic generally but clearly it's in the context of what's happened in this Baltimore neighborhood.

Edited to add, I will say I'm grateful for your faith in me in regards to my last comment. Thank you. Sometimes I let my inner witch fly and I can see how that's crap. I won't delete my nastiness above so people understand your comment in context and in relation to mine. I guess I'm not comfortable with people discounting the people in that community and their own view on this. If they believe it's a disaster, I wouldn't say otherwise.

[Buzz Clik]

18. Not much of a comparison at all.

The CVS was basically collateral damage. Bummer, but shit happens. They'll rebuild with insurance money.

Chik-fil-A and Walmart? Fuck 'em. I don't recall anyone calling for them to be burned or smashed or bombed. Just boycotted. Which I do and will continue to do so.