During the war in Vietnam, my favorite grad school prof, the late David Houston, led a group of antiwar activistsinto the Duquesne Club, a place where Pittsburgh's elite hung out. It was quite an event, with the rich members spittingon the protesters, arrests, lots of press coverage, etc. Then David and friends locked the University's Chancellor (a formercolonel and CIA operative) into an elevator. I am sure that the groups involved discussed these things in detail before decidingto take action. I have been in many WalMarts, from Pascagoula, Mississippi to Cody, Wyoming. I don't know if an occupy Walmart is a good idea or not.But Carrol's points are good ones. Why dismiss these out of hand? Why keep talking about his living in the cornfields. People live everywhere.What does this have to do with anything? And remember that the S. African working class supported the boycotts against S. Africa, boycotss that had the potential to hurt the workers. Carrol says that in the right moment, parts of that 40% might support WalMart actions. Why is this so stupid?
I have participated in union organizing efforts. I learned that you never dismiss ideas or people out of hand. Surprises are always in storefor you, and you take these and learn from them. When you fuck up, you reevaluate and try to address the damage you have done.