Clear Channel vs. Grass Roots America

Last month I blogged about Clear Channel's refusal to post a billboard critical of Wal-Mart near the retailer's Bentonville, Arkansas, headquarters. It was being funded by money raised through the organization Campaign for America's Future. My husband and I made a small donation and sent a letter of protest to Clear Channel. Apparently Clear Channel didn't back down, but I think the grass roots alternative CAF came up with is even better. Here's part of a letter they sent me:

Dear Kathy,

Last month, Clear Channel refused to allow us to post the slogan that you selected for the billboard we had reserved at Wal-Mart headquarters in Bentonville, Arkansas. To curry favor with Wal-Mart, Clear Channel censored our billboard -- despite the reality that our slogan, "Wal-Mart: Killing Small Businesses One Main Street at a Time," is true. A newly released Campaign for America’s Future study concludes that Wal-Mart sucked more than $20 billion out of local economies across America this holiday season alone. [1]

Clear Channel controls its billboard, but it can’t control us. And we won’t let it stop us from exposing Wal-Mart’s devastating effects on American Main Streets. Since Clear Channel blocked our use of one billboard, we’ve created 10,000.

We’ve printed 10,000 bumper stickers that mimic the billboard’s design and message. Because of your generosity, we’ve been able to deliver most of these mini-billboards, free of charge, to community organizers across America who are leading active fights to stop Wal-Mart from building new supercenters. These organizers are already distributing the bumper stickers far and wide in their communities to help build opposition to Wal-Mart exactly where supercenters pose an immediate threat to Main Street. Wal-Mart will regret Clear Channel’s decision to censor you in Bentonville.

In addition to getting these 10,000 mini-billboards in front of the eyes that need to see them most, we’ve made them available for anyone to purchase. Please join us in challenging Wal-Mart’s Main Street destruction by displaying a bumper sticker of your own. We’ve also created a flyer that you can download, print out and post for free. Get your bumper sticker and free flyer today.

http://www.fixwalmart.com/

I think this is a great alternative. Instead of ONE billboard near Wal-Mart headquarters, THOUSANDS of bumper stickers and mini-billboards will be seen across the country. The Beast of Bentonville and their allies persevered, but they couldn't silence the voices of grass roots America.