Higher Expectations Week of Action Against Wal-Mart

In the air and on the ground, we are spreading our message like never before. This weekend, in hundreds of churches, mosques and synagogues across the country, congregations heard messages of economic justice, respect for community and fair labor practices.

An article in Saturday's edition of the Los Angeles Times (http://walmartwatch.bluestatedigital.com/page/m/3atuu4abxkl/mlCelp) considered how both sides on the Wal-Mart issue are reaching out to religious leaders:

The Rev. Frank Alton of Immanuel Presbyterian Church in Los Angeles said he could not recall ever sermonizing about a specific company in his 10 1/2 years in his pulpit. But asking his 250 members to consider the ethical implications of Wal-Mart, he said, was worth making an exception.

Visit http://www.walmartwatch.com for highlights from hundreds of other kickoff events, including:

* In Gettysburg, PA there was a screening and panel discussion of Robert Greenwald's new documentary Walmart: The High Cost of Low Price sponsored by the National Organization for Women.
* "The Raging Grannies" hit three Wal-Marts in Tucson, AZ. The story was picked up on several local television stations.
* Less than 30 miles from Wal-Mart's corporate headquarters, a screening of Walmart: The High Cost of Low Price played to a packed house at the Omni Center for Peace and Justice in Fayetteville, Arkansas.
* Author Barbara Ehrenreich spoke to residents of Charlottesville, VA about her experience working at Wal-Mart, which was chronicled in her best-selling book, "Nickel and Dimed."
* State Rep. Joe Bolkom hosted a town hall meeting in Cedar Rapids, IA that was broadcast live to viewers across the state.

These events are in addition to the over 7,000 house parties across the country, where friends and family members are getting together to watch Walmart: The High Cost of Low Price.

What will you do this week to hold Wal-Mart accountable for its impact on our communities?

Another Leaked Memo

The Associated Press reported yesterday (http://walmartwatch.bluestatedigital.com/page/m/3atuu4abxkl/J8KkFG) on an internal company document that details Wal-Mart's plans to open or expand 484 stores next year alone. The document, which was provided to AP by Wal-Mart Watch, lists 100 more expansion sites than Wal-Mart had previously disclosed.

Show your support for our efforts and help spread the truth about Wal-Mart in your community. Join us at one of over 1,200 public events to learn more about the fight against Wal-Mart's unchecked growth.

Get involved in Higher Expectations Week now. Find an event in your area here: http://walmartwatch.bluestatedigital.com/page/m/3atuu4abxkl/mgmfJS

Sincerely,

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Aimee Tavares
National Field Director

Paid for by WalmartWatch.com, a campaign of Five Stones and The Center for Community and Corporate Ethics