You can read all the details of Wal-Mart's foolish use of a photograph depicting a Nazi bookburning at Wal-Mart Watch and Wake-Up Wal-Mart, but for the real story you have to go to the Fark comments and just keep scrolling -- the debate seems simultaneously vulgar and civilized, which I hadn't thought possible...
FWIW, I thought putting Hitler's face on Wal-Mart's infamous bag-man was perfect.
Posted by Kevin on May, 16 2005 at 10:40 PM
Roy W. Wright wrote:I suppose I shouldn't be surprised by the depths to which Walmart's persecutors will go to cast it in an evil light, but I'm having real difficulties seeing the problem with the ad. The picture is of a book burning, not a concentration camp. It is also noteworthy that you can't tell from looking at the picture that there are Nazis in it. The ad links historical fanaticism and injustices (that happened to be perpetrated by the Nazis) with the injustice of those who would deny business owners their market rights. That the Nazis were guilty of much deeper injustices is very true, but the ad doesn't take away from that fact. Indeed, the maniacal political rhetoric and attacks against Walmart are reminiscent of the milder days of Nazi rule, and that doesn't bode well for the future of our country.
-- May 17, 2005 12:41 AM ∞
Kevin Brancato wrote:Roy,
you can't tell from looking at the picture that there are Nazis in it
Well, from the reproduction, I couldn't tell the historical context at all; and I was astonished to read in a newspaper article that, "A swastika is clearly visible near the center of the photo".
I can't find the swastika. Could somebody point it out to me? Also, is there some place where the photograph WM used is identified as being taken of the infamous 1933 Opernplatz book-burning? The ADL should know...
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I've kept out of this argument until now, and wrote about it only when Fark made it funny.
Since my libertarian politics are so strong, I readily see a link between one type of government coercion and another -- for good or bad, restriction and coercion is a big part of what all governments do.
Others don't see it that way, for instance Greg Beato:
Wal-Mart says it didn't even realize the ad depicted Nazis. When people complained, the retailer apologized "for the use of the imagery." But the general idea of equating government censorship by force with a ballot item people can vote on? That Wal-Mart stands behind completely.Government force was used in German book-burnings and would be used to prevent WM from operating.In two ways, it's a mistake to call the bookburning something imposed by force and the box restriction something which is democratic. First, force is required for the imposition of democratic governance. Second, the Nazi party was Germany's popular party in 1933. The German people voted in their censoring/murdering dictator...
Hence, the general idea of equating "popular" censorship of books with "popular" censorhip of retail stores is not too far-fetched.
-----IMHO, Wal-Mart should have used a photograph of a book-burning in the U.S....
-- May 17, 2005 02:11 PM ∞
Brandon Weber wrote:There is, of course, a vast irony in Wal-Mart claiming anything undemocratic when in fact it shuts down any store that votes in favor of unionizing, and actively silences any "associate" who talks positive about unions. Democracy, indeed.
I believe the fascist insignia and references apply in full to Wal-Mart and its management.
-- May 23, 2005 08:17 PM ∞
Roy W. Wright wrote:Hilarity. Now Wal-Mart trying to protect itself from unionization at the point of a gun is undemocratic. The concept of private property doesn't sit well with you, does it?
-- May 27, 2005 06:33 PM ∞
Roy W. Wright wrote:Speaking of irony, you link to ExportingOurJobs.com, a racist/protectionist website that reads like Nazi propaganda.
-- May 27, 2005 06:36 PM ∞
Brandon Weber wrote:>a racist/protectionist website that reads like >Nazi propaganda.
It's 90% news articles...if you see a bias, it's yours alone.
Protectionist? Possibly. But I don't mind that label. With the giant sucking sound coming out of India and China, a little of that is not a bad thing.
>unionization at the point of a gun is >undemocratic. The concept of private property >doesn't sit well with you, does it?
The gun was pointed by Wal-Mart, and fired. 200 and something workers were effectively shot by the corporation for trying to unionize.
Yeah, you could say that private property, when it's used in such selfish and violent ways, is something I am not fond of...
-- June 1, 2005 10:01 PM ∞
wrote:>ExportingOurJobs.com, a racist/protectionist >website that reads like Nazi propaganda.
It's 90% news articles. Any bias is your twisted perception, not reality. And before you get off on a soapbox of "liberal media," let me remind you that Nazis are more right wing than the Republicans. Slightly.
>Wal-Mart trying to protect itself from >unionization at the point of a gun is >undemocratic. The concept of private property >doesn't sit well with you, does it?
The gun was loaded, pointed, and fired by Wal-Mart. In the face of such violence against working people and their lives, no, the concept of private property doesn't sit well with me at all.
The Fascists are here, indeed. They are 5 of the 10 wealthiest people in the U.S. - - all named Walton.
-- June 1, 2005 10:07 PM ∞
