Why Hasn't Wal-Mart Dropped ALEC, Too?
Your Take: Time for nation's largest retailer to end ties to group behind "Stand your ground" law.
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Until a few weeks ago, many of us didn't know the name ALEC, the American Legislative Exchange Council. But the Trayvon Martin tragedy and debate around Florida's "Stand your ground" lawhas uncovered the nationwide, systematic work by ALEC to advance cookie-cutter legislation that disproportionately hurts communities of color. ALEC, with the support of corporations like Wal-Mart, has promoted and advanced this agenda.
Hearing the outrage from consumers, many corporate giants like Coca-Cola, Pepsi and Kraft Foods have withdrawn their support from ALEC. This week ALEC responded to the public pressure by disbanding its Public Safety and Elections Task Force, which had been the target of much of the criticism. This isn't enough. Both ALEC and members like Wal-Mart need to do much more to distance themselves from these attacks on our communities.
Right now the country's largest retailer and employer, Wal-Mart, and the Walton family, which largely controls the company, remain supporters of ALEC. Looking a little closer, we can see why. Encouraging gun
