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Third Party Movement targets Wal-Mart with protest Thursday

By Joe Borlik on September 11, 2009 6:00 am in Metro / 64 comments

 
Third Party Movement targets Wal-Mart with protest Thursday
Mount Pleasant senior Ryan Dacey of Third Party Movement protests at Wal-Mart with fellow Third Party members Thursday afternoon at the stoplight at East Blue Grass Road and Encore Boulevard. (Libby March/Staff Photographer)

A newly formed group of students spent Thursday evening boycotting Wal-Mart.

Nine members of Third Party Movement, formed two and a half weeks ago, held signs, passed out flyers and shouted about the corporation outside the 4730 Encore Blvd. location.

Grand Rapids senior Jack Buck, the group’s organizer, said the group’s goal is to raise awareness of third party political groups without endorsing a specific party.

“Small businesses struggle because of Wal-Mart,” said group member Chris Belanger, a Lake Leelanau junior. “They come in and lower their prices, making it impossible for businesses to compete and then wait for the businesses to crumble so they can reap the benefits.”

When arriving at Wal-Mart Supercenter, the group split up and started passing out flyers outside of each store entrance.

Jenison sophomore Kyle Landstra, right, and Grand Rapids senior Jack Buck of the Third Party Movement RSO rally against Wal-Mart at the intersection of East Blue Grass Road and Encore Boulevard. (Libby March/Staff Photographer)

Jenison sophomore Kyle Landstra, right, and Grand Rapids senior Jack Buck of the Third Party Movement RSO rally against Wal-Mart at the intersection of East Blue Grass Road and Encore Boulevard. (Libby March/Staff Photographer)

The flyers contained an article titled, “Wal-Mart Dishonors America’s Civil War Dead” and another page of facts stating that Wal-Mart mistreats its employees and gives billions of dollars to China.

Response

Within about ten minutes of the group’s arrival, Wal-Mart security and management informed members they had to leave.

Store manager Chris Emmons declined to comment on the issue other than stating Wal-Mart has a no solicitation policy, which must be followed.

Once kicked off company property, the group relocated to the store’s main entrance at the corner of Encore Boulevard and Bluegrass Road and passed out flyers to moving cars.

They held signs reading “Gravesite of the American Dream,” and “Support local biz,” which contained an upside down smiley face.

Hudsonville senior Ryan Dacey said the group passed out around 750 flyers within about 45 minutes.

“I think we got our voice out there no matter if people agreed or not,” he said. “We just want our voice to be heard.”

Mixed feedback

The group’s presence caused many people to honk their horns and cheer in support — but not all the feedback was positive.

Buck said he received death threats from passing vehicles.

“We got screamed at and called hippies,” he said. “There were four or five people that screamed, ‘Go back to college.’”

The group dispersed after about an hour, when Isabella County Sheriff’s Deputy Mike Hosking told them the police received complaints regarding group members running into traffic.

“You guys have the right to do what you want but, when you start running into traffic, it becomes a problem,” he told group members.

Mount Pleasant resident Anthony Boness, who was shopping during the protest, said the group was using its constitutional rights.

“Nobody really forms together anymore,” he said. “Whether good or bad, all opinions should be put out there.”

 

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  • MPFLASH

    9 misguided people who got together two and a half weeks ago. Really did their research. How about the thousands of people Wal Mart employs? How about all the taxes Wal Mart pays to local communities?

    Do some research next time in between bong hits.

  • John

    Yea, actually i made the fliers and i did do the research. Wal-Mart employs not thousands but 1.4 million.

  • John

    Have you seen the fliers we handed out? Maybe you should do some research and actually know what we were saying before you bash us.

  • Kate

    For your information, these “9 misguided people” have exactly what this country was built on : The courage to stand up for an in justice.

    Why don’t YOU take a break from Fox News and read a non partisan paper for a moment and take a look at what’s ACTUALLY happening to this country. For those kids to go out there and stand up for something, anything, wether you believe in it or not was courageous. I personally know Jack and for you to think, say or imply that his actions were anything less than heroic are assanine.

    There is a huge problem in this country and people are ignoring it. Say what you will, but this will get people TALKING! Which is the point, nobody talks anymore, they only worry about number 1.

    Your comments were mean, hateful and completely ignorant. Which is a testament to what is wrong with this country so thank you for the reminder of all that’s wrong around here!

    Go Jack and team! I’m so proud of all of you for standing for something in the face of adversity and ignorance.

  • CMU student

    Come on, now. This is a bunch of disgruntled communist students. I find it amazing they had a CM Life photographer and reporter on scene as their innocent pinkie-commie mob was “informing” Wal-Mart customers. They should be glad they weren’t arrested for trespassing.

  • John

    To clarify things… here is a link to a copy of the fact sheet we handed out during the protest. The very first point made states just how many people Wal-Mart employs. I personally considered that very fact when choosing to do the protest. Two weeks ago I was unsure a protest on Wal-Mart is something I saw fit. But I did do the research and what I found out surprised me and made me want to tell other people what I learned. And that’s all the protest was, we were merely informing consumers about the corporation. If you are so close minded that you don’t approve of people even sharing information in your community, then you yourself may in fact be anywhere from “misguided” to Un-American.

    http://www.zshare.net/image/65409081b6009d84/

  • http://isitfriday.biz/ Zing.

    I like the part where Wal-Mart pays women less than men in every pay grade too.

  • Michelle

    Protest all you like, I doubt it will have any effect because where else can you find low prices and wide selection? Walmart is awesome and I highly doubt that all 9 of those members shop elsewhere. But hey, maybe they do. Maybe they waste gas driving up and down mission to shop at other stores for their needs. So they waste time in traffic having to go to multiple stores instead of just shopping at Wal-Mart. I’m sure that when those 9 students grow up, move away and start families, they won’t bat an eye to rush into Wal-Mart for their child’s back to school supplies. Besides, why hate Wal-Mart? Let’s just be thankful that this is a company that is still in business that gives millions of people jobs. So many other companies are suffering so we’re lucky that they are still surviving.

  • Rachael

    my father owns a local business in southern part of Michigan, he has to compete with 3 WalMart corporations within 10 miles of our residency. It is very difficult for a local business to suceed

  • Dean

    Before you decide to put down our organization consider this; we had the courage to stand up for what we believe in. We did not insult or make ignorant comments about our opposition (whose numbers far outweigh our own). So, continue to sit comfortably behind you computer in your dorm room or apartment and bash us, while we are out trying to make a difference by displaying what we believe in.

  • James

    Good job guys! It’s great to see other people standing up to inform people on things like this. You have my support!

  • Jessica

    Driving up and down Mission wasting gas? Missions not that long of a road but anywho… My family takes the time to shop elsewhere and most of the time prices are lower other places if you actually look. I don’t understand why individuals who hate big government support big businesses. Wal-mart has cheap prices but that’s because they have to power and the money to lower them and still make a profit. Most of the millions of people with Wal-mart jobs aren’t there because they want to be but the economy forces them to be there. You can tell that their workers hate their jobs because they give the worst service. They’ll ignore you if they can. We have monopoly laws for a reason and Wal-mart is an example of why we do. I am happy these students took the time to use their freedom of assembly and speech.

  • Rachael

    I agree with the user ZING
    how is that fair? How is Wal-MArt allowed to pay men more than females that is ridiculous!

  • Jason

    Wal-Mart may employ 1.4 million people and offer the lowest prices around but it’s lowering the standard of living in the US and increasing the poverty rate. Open your eyes. The facts are out there and the monopoly needs to be stopped.

    It’s great to see people actually making an effort to stand up against them. The effort may be small to start but stay strong as it will build. As for everyone else, we need to pay attention at what’s happening here, stand along side them, and have a little faith in the decency of others to join in.

  • Anthony

    These 9 people were practicing their American Rights. Sadly now a days Americans forget what they have a right to, Freedom of Speech, Right to assembly, which are just a slim few of our rights. I will say though sadly protesting will do no good on the four front, but I glad to see someone is trying to do something.

  • Stephon

    Hey you have to start somewhere, i’m glad this group stood up for something they believed in. I hope they can grow and become a force in the local community. Change starts with you guys!!

  • Dacey

    Communist? Really, wouldn’t that support Wal-mart. First of all we did our research, we stood up for something you Americans would never do. We had about 15 people out there, and got negative comments, but who cares, it is just to get you informed, not to slam your ideological views. Thanks for the support from all of you, and to the rest. Well I feel sorry for you, its just an opinion. Support your local farmers and local buisnesses.

  • John

    This is exactly the kind of discussion we could have hoped for by starting this protest. The encouragement is great and the discussion topics are all very valid and reasonable.

    Zing: you bring up a great point that should have been included on the fact sheet flier.

    Michelle: your concerns are real, legitimate, concise, and well worded. I encourage you to voice your opinion and force those who disagree with you to explain themselves in light of your reason. I would be more than happy to continue this discussion in person or at our meetings so that I can explain what I find wrong with your logic but chatting online is to slow and linear.

    Rachael: I wish the best of luck to your father, his business, and your family’s welfare. And I completely agree that the unfair pay is ridiculous.

    Dean: you know i love you.

    James: Thanks for your support and encouragement.

    To all of you. You all seem like intelligent people that are passionate about what is going on in our community and country. You are all welcome to attend our meetings and join our organization to voice your opinions in person where hopefully we can get things done.

  • Ryan L.

    I don’t like supporting third world slave owners. But hey, out of sight out of mind, right? The average chinese sweat shop laborer makes enough in a week for 4 meals. For one person. That is all. No clothes money. Shelter money. They give them just enough to stay alive it seems. Just enough to make all those stupid things you idiots buy to make your life seem a little easier.

    Fear and laziness will bring you leman to your grave. I will spread light wherever I can, out of spite for all the global corporate nazi’s complete destruction of everything in their path, including human life.. because I’m sure human life means so much more to some people than other life. No logic, but hey whatever floats the boat.

    What goes around comes around. If it’s their own ass they put any time into helping and saving, they can only get isolation in return. WE will speak together. WE will fight together. WE will love together. WE will fall together. And most importantly, WE will listen together.. and give every voice a chance.. and take all information into consideration. The truth will set us free.

  • Ryan L.

    CMU student? hahaha Pinko? really? If I said things like that I would be embarrassed to have my identity revealed too.

  • John

    As for “MPFLASH” and even more so “CMU student”. I don’t know who you are but I would bet that neither of you have ever come to any of our meetings, discussed political beliefs with anybody who was at the protest, or even met any of us. To slander our name without knowing who we are or what we stand for is foolish and discredits your name and argument. Im guessing that’s why you aren’t using your real names. Your argument holds no water and I encourage you to be more like Michelle if you oppose what we do. My name is John Skrbina and I stand by my arguments. To call me a communist is such an utter joke that I am seriously laughing right now and I’m sure anybody that knows me is too. I find your comments incorrect, distasteful, childish, and disrespectful to myself, our organization, our school, and even yourself.

  • Rachael

    it takes a long time to drive from Wal-Mart to Target/Kroger? It is a block away!

  • Patriot1776

    I agree with Dean. People who sit back in their dorm rooms can take shots all they want. People as in the Third Party Movement are getting their voice out there regardless. Having the courage to stand up for what you believe in gives the person who does it and amazing feeling knowing they have made a difference in someones life.

  • Zamil

    Ron Paul Revolution 2012!

  • Guy

    I buy all my meat from the local butcher, but as for other groceries, of course Im going to shop at Wal-Mart. It’s way cheaper, and being a poor college student, I can’t understand how anyone else could legitimately say they would rather pay higher prices.

    Knowing half the people mentioned in the article, I find it hard to believe that this was even serious and not just an idea to get some attention.

    I don’t see what you guys were trying to prove here other than pissing people off and trying to get hit by cars running through traffic at an intersection that seems to always have accidents as it is, without crazed college students blocking traffic.

    Now pardon me while I go make a full meal that only cost $5 to make.

  • John

    First: Gas is way too complex of an issue to bring up in this online forum.

    Second: You completely lose your gas argument when I remind you that buying locally means local shipping. AKA way way less gas than importing everything from the opposite side of the globe then trucking it across our country.

  • Andrew H.

    I know a few of the protesters personally, I respect all of them to the fullest, and I respect their supporters as well. They’re exercising their first amendment rights; rights which many people take for granted. For all those who disagree with their statements, please, for your own sake, use your first amendment rights to make a valid counterpoint. This act was meant to establish discussion about the topic, and the printing of this story helped lead the way for that discussion. (Again, another source of our first amendment rights being used: Central Michigan Life) For those that support Wal-Mart, find out why some people don’t and tell us why you do. For those that do not support Wal-Mart, find out why some people do and tell us why you don’t. This is how progress is made in any society. Using words like “misguided”, “ignorant”, “communist”, “disgruntled”, or anything with a negative connotation to your opponent just shows how ignorant and flawed your argument is. Their protest had a reason, to spread knowledge, and they have. I personally have been boycotting Wal-Mart for a few years, and my boycott continues knowing people have my back and I have theirs. I charge anyone to try shopping elsewhere for a month; log how much gas, money, and time you spend shopping at Wal-Mart, and then say Kroger, Target, Meijer (which holds almost as much as Wal-Mart does) or anywhere else. Closed mindedness is destroying our country, please open your minds and better yourself.

  • Kim

    I think its truly awesome that you guys stood up for what you believed in! It takes a lot of courage to actually get out and try to get your message across rather then just sitting at home talking about it. It’s people like you that inspire others and create change. Keep it up!! :)

  • Ben

    Hey great job you guys, standing up for what you belive in, love it.

  • http://www.facebook.com king

    Yes We Can !

    guys did well in this 1st movement.

  • Pat

    Communist? Please. Smoking bongs? Definitely not. These guys just have the courage to open their third eye and see the world for what it is. But not only see it, but comment upon it and try to get their views shared. In a world of facebooks and twitters, very few people verbally say what they feel in public, but these guys are speaking for small business owners. And I applaud them. Cheers.

  • Joe

    I’m all for standing up for what you believe in, granted your not hurting anyone in the process, but America is a capitalistic nation. At some point way back when, Walmart was a small business and over time it grew to be one the largest companies of the fortune 500. They can offer lower prices than anyone else and quite frankly, as a poor, starving college student, well… it’s all I can really afford. There is a reason these super-corporations are at the top. They simply do it better than the others and have the means to do so.

    Starting a small business is incredibly hard and I can understand your sympathy for them. Adult male lions will sometimes kill male cubs in their same pack, especially if the seasons are hard. Go protest that… It’s all about competition and the creme always rises to the top.

  • talisha.

    Way to go, fellow Third Party Movement members! I wish I could have been there, but i was working… at Kroger =) Ideas and visions are worthless unless they are acted upon. All of you put yourselves out there and took a stand for change. And it is people such as yourselves that keep me believing in a world not entirely lost.

    hope. hope. hope. An important feeling to have.

  • Shane

    If you want to know where all of the jobs in this country went, why don’t you ask Wal-Mart? They’ve all been shipped to the far east thanks to companies of this type.

    Ignorance is a bliss. If it’s worth the few cents you save by going to Wal-Mart, then please continue to do so. But don’t complain about the lack of jobs once they’ve been shipped overseas. The general public in this country is full of uneducated, brain washed idiots to be quite frank with you. I’m a patriot to the fullest, and it shames me to see what has happened to our nation.

    If you guys have a facebook group, please post it. I’ll recommend it to everyone I know.

  • Ryan L.

    Well… for the ‘saving money’ argument… I will pay a little more for better product that is not created by starving developing world people. I want to weaken this global bully.. even, if it’s just one customer at a time. I don’t just think about spending as little on food as possible in order to afford party supplies on the weekends. I would certainly rather eat the cost to weaken the flame.

  • Rachael

    what is your facebook group? When are your meetings?

  • Zamil

    yeah talisha come next time

  • king’s brother ;)

    great job :) i’m absolutely supporting u guys

  • Isaac

    Jack Buck is a crazy, opinionated, and often disgruntled young man who may need some serious work with both a therapist and a barber. However, he is also one of my best friends and I’d just like to point out that even though you may not agree with a thing that he says or does (and often I don’t.) That isn’t the point, because you are all talking. Good, bad, or indifferent you are taking the time to read an article and get informed to make a decision that coincides with your beliefs as an American citizen. They don’t want everybody in the world to join their group, then it wouldn’t be a movement, all they are asking for is that you read, analyze, fact-check, and decide. And guess what the second you decided to write on this comment board, even if you thought you were being hateful and clever, Jack won.

    BTW – I shop at Meijer because my dad has worked there for over 30 years and the produce really does taste better, not to mention the clientele isn’t nearly as frightening.

  • http://www.purevolume.com/salteenkrackerz Quinn

    I agree that Walmart takes away from local business, but with the economy in the shape that its in it does help people out to be able to save money there. Its a tough arguement but I have no problem with these guys expressing their opinions in the way they have.

  • Zamil

    Wal-Mart the greatest store in the world

  • puhleese

    lol you can definitely tell who’s a townie in this argument.
    I applaud that you took time out of your daily schedule of doing meth beating your wife, and watching Nascar (I know, driving in a big circle is a sport and should be respected like football *snicker) and praising GAWD while wearing a tshirt that has a confederate flag on it, to write out a well thought arguments for Wally World.

  • Jack C. Buck

    Thank you for the comments

    please come to our meetings at Kaya Coffee Shop every Sunday evening at 6pm.

    FACEBOOK GROUP: RSO: Third Party Movement

    email: thirdpartymovement@gmail.com

  • steve

    if you want to close down walmart, what will happen to the 1.4 million workers who have jobs? i don’t think this will turn around our economy. and people choose to work at walmart, they are not forced to. you talk about how bad the employees are treated, yet people still work there.

    ok, so the average full time employee makes under 20k a year while the poverty level for a FAMILY OF FOUR is 21k. you are asssuming every full time worker has a family of four which is absurd and that only one of those family members works. the math doesn’t add up with you look further in depth.

    so your beef is that walmart makes too much money? i will totally SUPPORT the plan of say, a government controlling how much money walmart pays their employees and how much profit they can make ONLY WHEN you let the government control how much money you make and what you spend your money on. I can GUARANTEE that you are living well above your means as a college student in mt. p and you should donate some of your resources to help out the less fortunate of america like the homeless and inner city schools. why stop there, lets increase tax to prevent aids in africa, give universal health care to every individual in the world and help out the country of darfur.

    the third party movement aims to change walmart’s business strategy, but like walmart i value a free trade society.

  • anonymous poster

    if you eliminate Wal-Mart yes you would lose jobs. But the counter-argument is that a huge amount of small local grocery stores would come into play. You would see small mom and pop stores popping up left and right allowing a job increase, obviously they would need to hire staff, am I right?

  • Dacey

    I respect your opinion Steve, however, were not advocating a immediate shutdown of Wal-Mart were advocating, stop building so many of them taking away from local businesses, ie. (meijer, kroger, and ma and pa vegetable stands). People chose to work there, yes. However they are treated with unmanageable wages to support their family, and given many hours that cannot work at times.

    shane:so your beef is that walmart makes too much money? i will totally SUPPORT the plan of say, a government controlling how much money walmart pays their employees and how much profit they can make ONLY WHEN you let the government control how much money you make and what you spend your money on.

    Walmart indeed does make too much money. The government does control what we spend, and Wal-Mart is making off a profit of goods they initially do not pay a dime for.

    Wal-mart has so much power, they pay back the people (CHINA) they get their goods from, and make more a profit on them then initially stated.

    I respect your opinion Steve, and not only you, but all. Thanks to all contributing on this monopolizing issue.

  • zac

    good old fashion raging

  • ittihadi

    YEAH
    Well done guys with the first one.

  • Ryan L.

    Something is finally happening. All it takes is a spark.

  • Dick Head

    HAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHA!!!! I missed this i wanted to run them over!!!!

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