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Event details

• Monday, June 5, 2006, 7 p.m.
• Liberty Hall Cinema, 644 Massachussets Street, Lawrence
• Cost: $2
• Age limit: All ages

From the promoters: A year ago in June Films for Action screened "Wal-Mart: the High Cost of Low Price" to highlight a part of the Wal-Mart story we felt was not being told by local or mainstream media at the time. Local reporters had implied in previous coverage that the new Wal-Mart to be built at 6th and Wakarusa was a done deal, but a quick checking of the facts showed that was far from the case. The Planning Commission had not yet offered its recommendation, and the City Commission still had the authority to deny the plans. On June 5th 2006, three hundred and twenty people came to the film screening, and hundreds of people afterwards joined in our efforts to tell the commissioners we did not want any more Wal-Marts in our town. Sure enough, after the Planning Commission was unable to recommend the Wal-Mart plans, later in October the plans were denied by a 3-2 vote. Fast-forward to July 2007, and it is amazing to see what can be undone in just a few months. Immediately after the recent City Commission elections, with the appointment of two new commissioners, they decided to give Wal-Mart a second chance, sending the process back to square one. Despite evidence that Lawrence is clearly opposed to this development, given the substantial body of research that shows what a destructive effect Wal-Mart has on towns like ours, the new City Commission will consider approving the plans again mid-August. As a member of the Lawrence community, Films for Action is strongly committed to seeing this city become the best city it can be. As the city grows and changes, many important decisions will need to be made about the fundamental character and direction this city will take. Wal-Mart raises several important questions that affect us right now.Do we want super low prices at the expense of nearly every affected link in the economic chain - from the non-livable wages of checkout clerks to the exploitation of cheap labor from China, to the degradation of local business, the environment, and diversity? Or do we want locally sourced products sold at prices that support living wages and the local economy? Do we want the growing areas of our town to be a place of big boxes and urban sprawl - with homogenous, low density residential areas and cookie-cutter franchise's sending profits back to corporate HQ? Or do we want mixed-use, community centered development, and alternative transportation to be encouraged? As Tim Hjersted, co-founder of the Films for Action project said, "These are important decisions that we believe all of us should learn about and participate in." ~ ~ ~Robert Greenwald's documentary "Wal-Mart: The High Cost of Low Price" takes the viewer on a deeply personal journey into the everyday lives of families affected by the corporate Goliath. From a small business owner in Missouri to a preacher in California to workers in China, dozens of film crews on three continents contribute to the story.Tribal Vision is a group of cultural activists, music promoters, artists and musicians. The group's "Films For Action" campaign aims to use films as a springboard to address larger themes and create positive change at the local level. "Wal Mart: The High Cost of Low Price" raises several important questions pertinant to the recently approved construction of a second Lawrence Wal-Mart. For more information on the film, go to www.walmartmovie.com.