Letters: Wal-Mart moves to Chinatown

Re “Thousands rally against Wal-Mart in Chinatown,” July 1

Apparently unions must dislike senior citizens on fixed incomes and mid- to low-income families -- because they are always protesting against affordable grocery shopping.

I take my elderly parents to Wal-Mart on a weekly basis, and they are so thankful for the store given that they are on a fixed income. At Wal-Mart, I see many senior citizens and large families representing many ethnic and socioeconomic groups. I talk to employees who are happy in their jobs; some feel that Wal-Mart gave them a chance when no one else would. My guess is that a lot of these protesters were paid by the unions or work for one of those union grocery stores.

I bet when this Wal-Mart opens, it will be packed with shoppers and that the area will end up being all the better for it.

Marlene Carney
La Verne

Interesting that Wal-Mart has faced an “intense” fight against its unfair and degrading labor practices in Chinatown, but a similar project in Panorama City has “generated little opposition.”

Is this that “achievement gap” I’ve been reading about?

Kirk Stuart
Long Beach

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