Walmart has traditionally been one of the most agreeable locations to citizens doing things. They allowed people to do things in their parking lots many other stores do not like park or camp, until the homeless crisis in places made it too much for them. They allowed people to solicit for money or causes or other things in front of their stores. They also allowed open carry and other things.
Meanwhile many other retailers raced to restrict things.
The biggest things I could say bad about Walmart over the years is they put a lot of others out of business selling cheap Chinese products for less than the competition while driving a race to the bottom of hiring the cheapest employees possible, changing the landscape from mom and pop businesses run by people living a middle class lifestyle back in the day to giant retailers employeeing people barely getting by (and now face their own troubles against even less expensive to operate online retailers.)
As well as the fact that for some reason a portion of the customers of walmart often include the worst elements of society. If I want to feel like I am on Jerry Springer I could always walk through walmart.
Now they are not even banning guns, just saying we don't want people walking in with rifles slung over their back scaring people after a guy with a rifle came in and started shooting people in a well publicized attack because it scares the customers, creates a scene and reduces business.
I don't think open carry of handguns was on their radar but they created a policy that includes them now as well.
The real reason is probably because if you allow it but then some irresponsible ass comes into the store doing it you have nothing to ask them to leave over, while it causes problems. It then puts the employees choosing to confront them in an akward position, arguing with someone armed, and unsure if corporate will even back their decision to harass the customer or ask them to leave. Making it a policy simplifies all of that, the employees know the course of action allowed. This is a huge chain all over using the least expensive demographic for employees it does not want making policy decisions, not a mom and pop business that can pick and choose how to handle each person. A more impersonal giant corporation where the average employee is not even known to corporate and they need clear policies for people they do not trust the discretion of to act in accordance with.
Meanwhile many other retailers raced to restrict things.
The biggest things I could say bad about Walmart over the years is they put a lot of others out of business selling cheap Chinese products for less than the competition while driving a race to the bottom of hiring the cheapest employees possible, changing the landscape from mom and pop businesses run by people living a middle class lifestyle back in the day to giant retailers employeeing people barely getting by (and now face their own troubles against even less expensive to operate online retailers.)
As well as the fact that for some reason a portion of the customers of walmart often include the worst elements of society. If I want to feel like I am on Jerry Springer I could always walk through walmart.
Now they are not even banning guns, just saying we don't want people walking in with rifles slung over their back scaring people after a guy with a rifle came in and started shooting people in a well publicized attack because it scares the customers, creates a scene and reduces business.
I don't think open carry of handguns was on their radar but they created a policy that includes them now as well.
The real reason is probably because if you allow it but then some irresponsible ass comes into the store doing it you have nothing to ask them to leave over, while it causes problems. It then puts the employees choosing to confront them in an akward position, arguing with someone armed, and unsure if corporate will even back their decision to harass the customer or ask them to leave. Making it a policy simplifies all of that, the employees know the course of action allowed. This is a huge chain all over using the least expensive demographic for employees it does not want making policy decisions, not a mom and pop business that can pick and choose how to handle each person. A more impersonal giant corporation where the average employee is not even known to corporate and they need clear policies for people they do not trust the discretion of to act in accordance with.
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