New Orleans The call came in during the middle of the week. Did we know that there would be 5000-6000 Wal-Mart store managers having their annual shebang in Kansas City at the Convention Center? We did not, but we do now. Turns out that they meet there every year, so we will have to put it on the calendar as something to watch for in the future.
Andrew Ginsburg, Kansas City ACORN head organizer, had an inkling it might be something, because he had been hearing reports all week about something to do with building a “mock” Wal-Mart store, so the news filled in the missing pieces. Wal-Mart Watch had originally put out the call. The Ruckus Society had an imaginative idea — put 100 folks in haz-mat suits and masks and “quarantine” the managers as “health risks” — cute! The question at the last minute was simple — if ACORN had the office, leaders, members, and staff in Kansas City, could we make it happen in 2-3 days to pull out the 100 people.
It turned out that we could! And, Sunday afternoon it came together. Some radio, some TV, lots of fun and the point was made — the managers need to be careful about putting their show on the road in our towns!
January 31, 2006
