Occupiers Protest $1.4 Billion Free Art Museum to Bash Wal-Mart

CNS News ^ | 11/22/11 | By Julia Seymour

[Clint N. Suhks]

In their zeal to bash Wal-Mart, Occupy Wall Street protesters are even complaining about the company giving $1.4 billion to found a free art museum in Arkansas.

Alice Walton, Wal-Mart heiress, is being criticized by Occupy Wall Street for giving $1.4 billion to found an Arkansas art museum.

The incoherent and absurd messaging of the Occupy Wall Street movement continues. Recently, the OWS crowd joined forces with Wal-Mart workers to protest Crystal Bridges, an American art museum that opened on Nov. 11 in Bentonville, Ark.

Art snobs are outraged by the notion of a major art collection in Arkansas, but protesters are trying to tie this in with their class warfare message about the 99 percent vs. 1 percent.

In a press release posted on GalleristNY.com, protesters said, "Workers negatively impacted by Wal-Mart's recent decision to increase healthcare costs for employees will hold educational events across the country at the Occupy Wall Street encampments in multiple cities putting a face on the Walton family as the '1%' of wealthy Americans making decisions that negatively affect the rest of us."

Gallerist was clearly on the side of protesters since they also called Wal-Mart a "notoriously terrible employer."

The UK's Guardian also took shots at Alice Walton, the Wal-Mart heiress and founder of Crystal Bridges, who spent $1.4 billion on the museum. "Some have celebrated the unveiling of a significant new private art institution, but many have criticized the decision to spend $1.4bn of company and family foundation money as the retail colossus cuts back its worker's benefits," wrote the Guardian.

[apoliticalone]

They contributed to an Arts Council I started in order to purchase an old theater for the local acting group.

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Philanthropy is good, but let’s be honest that doesn’t mean they are an asset to the USA. With politicians it’s about about what we can do for them, versus what they can do for the country. Multi-national corporations think exactly the same as pols, and hire lobbyists to make sure it happens. America version 2011.

It’s become all about cronies, money, perks and connections and rarely if ever about the concept of acting in the national interest.

[apoliticalone]

So, instead of blaming Walmart for being so super-successful, ask yourself HOW they did it.

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Here’s how they did it. They simply bought off the corrupt thieves in DC. The Clintons and other politicians that would sell out their grandmother if it greased the skids to Wall St and others to sell out the USA under the pretense that average Americans earned too much. They opened our markets to China even though the China markets were closed to us.

Instead of patriots in Congress working to maintain an economically secure USA where we had a continually rising standard of living and a nation able to be self sufficient and secure, we had 535 traitors give or take some that are still owned by the Chinese lobbyists.

Capitalism is a wonderful self correcting concept if done with ethics and zero favoritism. If one takes the risk and fails then they should lose, and not be able to buy taxpayer forgiveness. Instead we have crony capitalism where taxpayers are sacrificed. We still don’t have free trade with Asia. Instead these Commie Asian countries have government subsidized industry that have no overhead and have no morals. They steal our intellectual property.

I need to understand why I hear Americans trying to defend Chinese instead of Americans?

[SunkenCiv]

Of course, the biggest crime of Walmart is how they force everyone to leave Sam’s Club when they’re about to close for the night. /s

IOW, I’m sure this “protest” (astroturf) will resonate with the residue of FINOs here on FR.

Thanks Clint N. Suhks.

[Hodar]

Here’s how they did it. They simply bought off the corrupt thieves in DC.

Really? It has nothing to do with delivering the things people want, at the lowest price? China doesn't give two hoots what Clinton thinks about their products - they will sell them to ANYONE. If you don't line up and place your order, isn't that YOUR FAULT?

There is nothing that Walmart sells, that you couldn't find yourself somewhere else. The fact that the other stores were too lazy or self-absorbed to compete, isn't Walmart's fault.

Now, please point to a legislative bill that gave Walmart exclusive access to China. Walmart gets the same access to wholesale goods as the rest of the USA. That Black and Decker drill at Walmart, is also available at other stores; it's just cheaper at Walmart. Same thing with Corellware, toilet paper, automotive goods, groceries.

Walmart was growing long before Clinton got in office.

If one takes the risk and fails then they should lose, and not be able to buy taxpayer forgiveness.

I agree, but Walmart has not taken taxpayer bailouts.

We still don’t have free trade with Asia. Instead these Commie Asian countries have government subsidized industry that have no overhead and have no morals. They steal our intellectual

Agreed, but how is this Walmart's fault? This is an issue that needs to be directed at duly elected Gov't officials, not a commercial like Walmart.

Now, if you don't like Walmart; that's fine. I personally find K-mart an insult to capitolism and choose not to shop there (declare bankrupcy, emerge with stores, distribution centers and inventory 'free', re-issue new stock; then bought Sears). I shop Sears, so I guess I'm a hypocrite - but the judge that allowed this to happen really needs to be replaced.

[apoliticalone]

I rarely shop at Walmart because I have specific problems with the stores and management as follows:

1- Bill Clinton and Hillary have always been on the front end of their take first from USA list and convince our Congress to give (i.e give China most favorite nation status).
2- If push came to shove between retaining US firms as suppliers that paid decent US wages, versus commie firms that paid commie wages WMT would choose and encourage the latter.
3- They play games with us Christian conservatives on the moral issues. They sell DVDs and moral books but only as long as it makes them profits.
4- I can’t stomach visiting their stores and parking lots with the visual reminder that our once great mainstream USA is now in the dumps and represented by the outlandish impoverished customers we see on Youtube.
5- If old man Sam Walton had lived and prevented his greedy offspring from taking control of WMT, it would have represented an asset to the USA because suppliers would have been forced to favor Made in USA instead of made anywhere but.
6- Instead of capitalism I’ve seen this billion dollar giant company get paid big taxpayer dollars directly to start a warehouse or store. It is wrong and corrupt. Google: Walmart subsidized by taxpayers.
7- Walmart has played a much bigger role in the decline of the USA that our new found economic strength.