First, let me say I am not a conspiracy buff. In fact, I believe that for every one hundred supposed conspiracy theories out there, 99 of them are not.
Also, let me get this out of the way right up front. I have only visited one WalMart, so I cannot honestly say if this is a local thing, a one-time deal, or that this is going on anywhere else.
This morning, after dropping Brittaney off at school (forth grade, Raechel is in fifth) I took my fifteen-month old to WalMart with me to pick up Michael Moore’s Fahrenheit 9/11.
Every week new movies come out, there is a huge display at the front of the store, right by the checkout lanes. This week, both Aladdin and Fahrenheit 9/11 were released. I expected to quickly find a copy of both at the front of the store. Only Aladdin was there.
Walking back to the video section of the store, going up all three isles, I could find no Fahrenheit 9/11! So I asked an employee, who said yes, they do have it. She went behind the employee counter, reached under (out of view) and produced a copy.
‘Why is this not out front, or on the New DVD shelf?’ I asked her. She replied with a shrug ‘I was told to keep it back here.’
After also grabbing a bottle of Baby Tylenol (Brooke, the fifteen month old has a nice bump on her forehead from slipping and bumping her head on a wooden kitchen chair yesterday, which about gave me a heart attack!) I made my way to the checkout lane.
I have purchased quite a few movies at WalMart. Yes, I know ALL ABOUT how bad a place WalMart can be, thank you. But still’¦ It is open when I need it to be, and the prices’¦
Anyway, upon running my Fahrenheit 9/11 DVD though, the cashier asks for my ID. ‘I’m sorry?’ I ask. ‘Why do you need to see my ID?’ She tells me that the computer (cash register) requires it to buy this movie. I tell her that I have purchased a ton of movies at WalMart, many, many of which are rated R, and that I have never been ‘carded’ before. I refuse, telling her I am clearly old enough to buy this movie. She looks at me, nods, and finishes ringing me up.
As I said, I am not one for conspiracies. I hate that term, actually. But man, this has got me thinking. Is WalMart intentionally trying not to sell this movie? If so, why? If not, why hide the movie from customers? If you hide it, why even carry it? Why is there no huge display, like the Aladdin video, or last weeks ‘Walking Tall’ display? Why are you asking people for their ID when they try and buy this movie? What is Walmart trying to pull here?
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