Be neighborly in wake of blaze

(My Eastern New Mexico News column for September 10, 2023)

I saw firsthand the fear and confusion some employees of the Clovis Walmart felt after their store burned. These are our friends, family, and neighbors just trying to earn money to pay their bills; suddenly the rug was pulled out from under them through no fault of their own.

The company has stepped up, under difficult circumstances, to do what they can for the employees. This is appreciated.

My family, like so many others in the area, has been directly affected by this fire. Most people around here will eventually be affected one way or another. A few local businesses will probably benefit, as will Amazon.com.

It's popular to criticize corporations. I do it, too, though for a different reason than most.

I consider corporations either a branch of government or a too-willing lever government uses against individual liberty. Still, I would never wish destruction on any business I can choose to either patronize or avoid. As long as I am not coerced into using and paying for their services, the way government forces all its "services" on everyone, I don't consider them the enemy.

Some people criticize corporations like Walmart as a drain on the local economy, but this is short-sighted. The employees earn money which ends up being spent at businesses all around town and beyond. Without those jobs, there would be less money available to spend at all the small local businesses. It's a net positive. Businesses that understand what a store such as Walmart can and can't do can thrive even in its shadow.

I know this because I've worked for those businesses much of my life. We would send customers to Walmart for the things we couldn't compete with on price, and we focused on meeting the niche needs Walmart couldn't or wouldn't serve. It doesn't have to be a war; there are ways to coexist. In the future, understanding this will become even more crucial.

For now, be grateful that no one was physically hurt in the fire. Think of the displaced employees. Take a moment to appreciate the convenience we took for granted before it was lost. Finally, as is thoughtful, considerate, and neighborly even if there had been no fire, see if anyone you know needs you to pick something up from the store when you're heading that way.

I look forward to the store rising from the ashes as soon as possible.

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