Religious leaders join in successful community fight against Wal-Mart

Published: 2004-05-05

LOS ANGELES (CNS) -- The recent victory at the ballot box by a coalition of community, political and religious leaders who faced off against the world's largest retailer perhaps has set a precedent for communities that do not believe economic gain is worth paying any price. This coalition in the Los Angeles County community of Inglewood defeated a Wal-Mart sponsored ballot measure to allow the Arkansas-based retailer to build a giant retail and grocery superstore without an environmental review or public hearings. The ballot measure also included language that, opponents claimed, would have given Wal-Mart unprecedented control over local issues like traffic control and public ordinances. Despite Wal-Mart's expensive public campaign, which included prime-time television commercials and neighborhood rallies, 61 percent of Inglewood voters said no to the measure in the largest voter turnout for a special election in the city's history. "Many times people feel powerless against these huge corporations," said Msgr. David O'Connell, pastor of St. Michael Church in South Los Angeles, which is near Inglewood. "This defeat shows the power that small organizing has. You say to Wal-Mart, 'You can't do this,'" added the priest.

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