I was at the unwelcome party when Walmart opened. Like many people, I disapprove of human rights abuses. Workers deserve the right to unionize, payment for all work completed, and to have breaks, job security, basic health care, and a workplace free from discrimination. Cheap products are the result of taking advantage of miners, factory workers, truck drivers, and store employees, among others. Beyond the people working directly to provide the products, there are also people living in close proximity to toxic production processes who are not fairly compensated for their loss of access to a healthy environment.

However, at the unwelcome party I noticed my location. I remembered teaching English to immigrants just across the street; some were learning English to find work that would allow them to better care for their families. I realized that Walmart was placed in a neighborhood where it was needed – not only would there be cheaper prices for residents, but also there would be more jobs, including jobs with limited English requirements. I left the unwelcome party, unwilling to participate in a protest that would harm my fellow Boulderites.

People deserve livable wages, healthy products, and not to have other people’s suffering pay for their products. But as a priority, they deserve access to life’s necessities.

Read more at The Boulder Daily Camera.