About Flagpole. (Athens, Ga.) 1987-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 13, 2000)
CONTACT US AT 0.0. BOX 1027, ATHENS, CA SOSOS OR MAiL@OLACOOLE.COM LETTERS MAY BE EDITED FOR STYLE, CLARITY AND SOACE CONSIDERATIONS DON'T BUY iT I've been living here a veai. My hometown of Clemson is currently embroiled in its own fight against Wal-Mart. We also had someone accusing the opposers as being a 'Vocal minority" (even though we had 2800 names on a petition, in a town of around 12,000 population). Usually the person who says it's just a vocal or fringe minority opposing ’-Mart has some financial interest in Wal-Mart coming to town. The important tiring for us as citizens to realize is that Wal-Mart does not create revenue, it moves existing revenue from small local busi nesses to one huge ugly-ass, sweat-shop- employing, low-wage paying, impersonal, coun ter feit-sneaker-setling, corporate, unsightly, grey building. And they will build o' .e across the street from an existiny one and leave the first one empty. Like the world needs more unused pavement. Additionally, because they always choose to build in residential areas, away from the center of town, there have to be water and power lines built to accommodate the big W. And who pays for these? WE, the TAXPAYERS. Not Wal-Mart. In Clemson, Wal-Mart's presence would require widening of the road, including an overpass, amounting to millions of taxpayer dollars. This takes it beyond just not creating revenue to actually taking it away. There are at least 333 empty Wal Marts in this country. At least 118 towns in this countiy have successfully fcught off The Beast. The way they fought them off, and nearly the only real chance you have of keeping Wal-Mart out of your backyard is zoning. Petitions, attending city council meetings and writing your coun- dlmen are all effective, especially when you communicate to them about the zoning and planning issues, /nning is really where it's at. Clemson has a citizens' group that does fund raisers, built a web site and email list to dis tribute info, distributes lawn signs, circulated a petition, bought an ad in the paper listing citi zens opposing the Wal-Mart, etc. Something has been working, because on the first vote, the dty council voted against re-zoning 5-2. The fight is not over, but I am encouraged. One of the lies by Wal-Mart is that they "will get what they want eventually, so you may as well give up now." Don't buy it! We can make a difference. Oh yeah, and shop somewhere else. Carla Ulbrich Athens BEND OVER In my 24 years, I have never seen something so disappointing as what I was witness to this past weekend in Athens. What I saw this weekend made me sick! On one of my normal cross-campus, beer-in-hand, good buzz-on treks from one tailgate spot to another, I came across eight cars that really stood out. Stood out like a damn Gator in Athens. Why? Well, these eight cars stood out so much because they were the ONLY cars parked in the Legion Pool parking lot, a mere three hours until game time. What the hell is up with this? The Dawgs are ranked better to start the season than they have been in years, not to mention it was an instate game! What's even worse, is that the announced crowd LETTERS POLICY Flagpole welcomes letters and prints them without tampering vrith the author's intent The editors correct grammar and spelling and occasionally have to cut long letters. of 84,000+ was the LARGEST ever to see a UGA home game. So obviously the lack of cars was not from a shortage of Bulldog faithful in Athens to support the team. Tell me something, does this not show how badly the UGA parking situation has FUBAR'ed the tailgating tradition at UGA? You've got a packed house, and yet one of the biggest and closest lots to Sanford Stadium remained nearly empty only a few hours before game time. Hmm....seems to me that I can remember many a night game from years before when that lot was full by noon, so don't tell me that the fans just had not showed up yet! This same scenario was played out again at the corner lot of Baxter and Lumpkin streets. THIS MSBIlfel WSIIil MORE PROPOSED DEBATE OPTIONS FROM THE BUSH CAMPAIGN AS LEAKED TO TOM TOMORROW l. ALL THREE DEBATES to be MODERATED BY A TRAINED CHIM PANZEE and Shown only on cable ACCESS IN BILLINGS, MONTANA. WHAT'S THAT, CHUCKLES? YOU THINK AL GORE SMELLS LIKE A MONKEY TOO? by TOM TOMORROW 2. AL GORE NOT ALLOWED TO AT TEND IN PERSON—INSTEAD TO BE REPRESENTED BY A LIFE-SIZED CARDBOARD CUTOUT. 3. GORE Attends, But IS^RE-' QUIRED TO WEAR ThA t SCARY FACE RESTRAINT FROM “SILENCE OF TmE LAMBS." H. INSTEAD OF DEBATING, CANDI DATES SPEND NINETY MINUTES PLAYING A GAME* OF PICTION- art:' 5. AL GORE MUST UNDERGO ROOT CANAL SURGERY DURING 'h£ DEBATES. Street • 353-1218 We Sell Futons AND Value! The largest selection in Athens with over 30 styles of frames and 1,OOOs of fabric choices. Lifetime warranties on all futons. For Home, Apartment & Dorm. SUPPORT LOCAL BUSINESSES! FflTIM •AARKET- INFORMATION IS OUR #1 PRODUCT Corner of Broad & Pulaski • Mon.-Sat. 9:30am-7pm Help Phoenix Celebrate the End of the Pulaski St. Blues! 10% OFF All Purchased I Bulk Foods | Lima 2lbs. each item. Exp. 9/27/00 II II I! JL 10% OFF Any Frozen Item Lima 3 per coupon Exp. 9/27/00 Road Rage Never 1hsted Better! PRESENTING THE LATEST IN HAIR REMOVAL TECHNOLOGY! I’ve always hated shaving! Now thanks to skinclinix I don’t have that daily shave for at least six months. HOW? I took advantage of their introductory hair removal special and had my under arm hair removed for only $195.00! Both arms! Next will be legs. Tammi Female skinclinix client / age 31! LIMITED TIME OFFER! rkmclmix * IOOO I—l^wtf'O'rne Ave. * Suite O * Atk enj, 3G6o6 * '277-2IH 5 ; D FLAGPOLE SEPTEMBER 13, 2000
