War, What is it Good For?

In the Wednesday edition of the Moscow-Pullman Daily News, there was a Town Crier commentary piece by Mark Konty titled “Culture wars or a war on pluralism?” The article reiterates the point that Rodney King made over a decade ago, namely “Can we all get along?”

With regards to the Wal-Mart situation (without mentioning Wal-Mart by name), he states:

In Pullman, the radical elements known as the Pullman Alliance for Responsible Development are fighting a spirited skirmish against the invincible axis of corporation and government. PARD claims the support of the people, as does the corporation’s propaganda machine. Majority support is irrelevant, says the democratically elected government. With only a single-shot public comment left in their arsenal, it looks like the people are left with wet powder.

Mr. Konty makes the point that I have been trying to make all along. We don't want or need such radicalism in Pullman.

I think his characterizations of PARD make them out to be a bit too heroic ("invincible axis of corporation and government" and "corporation's propaganda machine" are reminiscent of WWII Germany). And the words "single-shot," "arsenal," and "powder wet" almost seem to compare Pullman residents to the Minutemen at Lexington and Concord, standing up against the evil Wal-Mart of King George.

I assume he is using hyperbole to drive home his point, but I do have some concerns. Mr. Konty is identified as a “husband and father of two boys whose idea of a culture war is whether or not Spider-Man or Batman is cooler.” It is not mentioned, however, that he is also an Assistant Professor of Sociology at WSU, the very same department that so many PARD supporters are from. I hope there is no contamination going on there.

The law is being strictly followed with Wal-Mart and the only reason the council hasn't held more meetings is they want to avoid more barking moonbat attacks like we witnessed back in March at City Hall.

It comes as a shock to some, I know, that we don't vote on businesses in Pullman, just we like we don't vote on who can live here.

Ironically enough, to illustrate this "culture war," just below Mr. Konty's article, is one of the most radical anti-Wal-Mart letters to the editor I have yet seen, full of bombast and religious and patriotic overtones. The writer, Wiley Hollingsworth, tries to link CAFTA (the Central American Free Trade Agreement), the building of a Wal-Mart in Pullman and the downfall of American civilization as we know it.