Another reason to organize Wal-Mart: racism

Wal-Mart has been accused of promoting racism and that is totally justified. The shopping website of the world’s largest retail store recently linked together a DVD box set of “Planet of the Apes: The Complete TV Series” with documentaries on the lives of Martin Luther King Jr., actor Dorothy Dandridge, former U.S. heavyweight champion Jack Johnson and singer Tina Turner—all of whom are African American. In other words, when you click on the link to this particular television series, under the section entitled “similar items,” these four documentaries are listed. Representatives of the gigantic conglomerate apologized, saying that “Walmart.com’s item mapping system does not work” and that its movie recommendations section on its website was being shut down on Jan. 5.

The “apology” put aside, the damage had already been done. Wal-Mart management’s action is another example of the deep-seated racism that permeates U.S. society. If Wal-Mart was really serious about repentance (which it is not), it would put its money where its mouth is by stepping aside and letting unions organize the low-wage workers, many of whom are people of color and women, at all of their stores here and worldwide.

—Monica Moorehead