The Protest: Step 2

14 days after my meeting at school, and the 30 of us were ready for Wal-Mart. Everyone involved in the protest got together the other day to make signs and prepare speeches. Some of the signs included the phrase, PEOPLE BEFORE PROFIT, or an unhappy face. We then drove to the only Wal-Mart in Vancouver, just off of Grandview Highway, and set up some chairs and stands. At this point we wanted just to be noticed, which we were. A couple bystanders joined us, but most just awkwardly stared. The best part of all was that one of our protesters entered Wal-Mart and noticed that the employees were looking outside. He said he could hear them whispering about us, and that they looked intrigued. Three of the bigger volunteers and I entered Wal-Mart and made our way to an empty till. Over the P.A. system I started my speech. I was talking about how Wal-Mart is a very, very successful business, and where does the money go? It wasn’t going to them for sure. I also mentioned a boxing term: kill the body, and the head will die, which I explained means that Wal-Mart only survives because of the workers. Without them, Wal-Mart can’t be what they are. Lastly, I said that we only needed one worker because with one, the rest will come. Throughout the speech, no security guards were trying to stop us because they were listening to my speech. We left Wal-Mart with what I think was a touchdown. After five minutes of waiting, the first Wal-Mart employee walked out of the building, picked up a sign, and joined the protest. Slowly after him, the rest trickled out the doors. Success!!! Now the rest was up to Wal-Mart.