[strandinthewind]

They certainly are not.

Also, from a purely theoretical point of view, on some level all businesses no matter what size that seek profit are guilty of the same thing. For example, if we conclude it is not okay for Walmart execs to get rich off of the backs of their workers, then shouldn't the same standard apply to the mom and pop operations that get comparatively rich off of the backs of their workers (assuming they have them - they probably pay less than WalMart or at least the same) or off of the backs of the cheap labor that assumedly made the products or supplied the material that was used to make the products both stores sell. Is it that WalMart does it on a larger scale and they are seen as a foreign entity intruding on local soil? Moreover, who am I to say who can and who cannot open a store in my area. I mean what if mom and pop open a second store - is that too much? What about a third or fourth store? At what point will they be taking business from other local mom and pop operations?

I am not defending WalMart. In fact, although they do bring lots of business (construction, wages, etc.) to an area, I think they appear to throw their considerable weight around in a horrible way and I really never go to WalMart. I am just being philosophical, if not Socratic, I guess before I judge them too harshly for doing on a much larger scale mostly the same thing as anyone in business does.