Wal-mart is an American “big box” department store. It is also a pioneer in the ways of union-busting, earth-raping, urban-sprawling consumerism. We’re against it! Help us!

The Tennessee Valley (U$A) faction of Katuah Earth First is asking you to support their campaign to prevent the building of yet another Wal-Mart. The proposed store would be built on some of the last green space and wetlands in the Chattanooga area. On June 10th, in an international action of solidarity in support of Earth First! and against Wal-mart, please call/fax/e-mail the parties listed below and demand that plans for this store be dropped, immediately! (But hey, if you get bored before then, go ahead and start calling, just don’t forget to call or write on June the 10th.)

On the evening of the 10th, in cooperation with neighborhood groups and others, members of KEF! will confront the Chattanooga City Council with our demands. If you are in the Chattanooga area, show up and support us!

Please post this call far and wide. Write your own message, or paste the suggested message below, or a portion of it. Those who will, please copy  responsibleprogress@yahoo.com so we can estimate the support generated.

Politicians:
City Council (423) 757-5196 or Fax (423) 757-4857.
Representative Ron Littlefield  littlefield@mail.chattanooga.gov or (423) 757-5196.
Mayor Bob Corker (423) 757-5152  Mayor@mail.chattanooga.gov

Developers:
Corker Group Telephone (423) 757-5152  Mayor@mail.chattanooga.gov
Fletcher Bright Company (423) 755-8830 & (423) 877-8570  bill@fbright.com


Suggested message:

Because plans for the new Wal-Mart, in the Brainerd area of Chattanooga, call for the store to be built on some of the last green space and wetlands in the area, we insist that these plans be scrapped.

Because the green space in question is of historical interest to our Native American brothers and sisters, who were harmed by the criminal governmental policies known as the Trail of Tears, in solidarity with them we demand that these plans be scrapped.

Because Wal-Mart has a history of discrimination on the basis of gender, in solidarity with our working class sisters, we demand that this store not be built.

Because area citizens made their wishes known long ago via the Imagine Eastgate plan, in the name of community autonomy and democracy, we demand that this store not be built.

Because Wal-Mart has a history of paying it’s employees low wages and offering exceptionally poor benefits, and in light of the fact that such policies have the effect of driving down wage rates for the entire surrounding area, we demand that this store not be built.

Because Wal-Mart has a history of evading legal requirements to provide overtime pay to it’s employees who are required to work such schedules, in solidarity with all working class people, we demand that this store not be built.

Because nationwide Wal-Mart has a history of employing the reprehensible practice of “disposable real estate,” building a new store only to abandon another one, and because this is likely to be done in the Chattanooga area, we demand that this store not be built.

After full consideration of all aspects of the question, in the best interests of the earth, and of the people who inhabit it, we demand that this store not be built!

(your name or alias)
geographic location
In solidarity with Katuah Earth First!