The letter, “It’s the Season to Support Local Business,” by Larry Penner (Nov. 30) is well intentioned, but the author ignores reality and is tunnel-visioned. Is it really necessary for the author to give a detailed summary of every commercial strip with small businesses local to him?
Times were hard even before COVID. Some people supporting young children could barely afford food, much less eating out. I am happy for the author’s sake he can afford to tip more than the “mandatory” 15 percent, but not everyone can afford to do so. Likewise for paying a few dollars extra at local stores.
The pure and simple fact of the matter is technology, progress, and demographics have – for better or worse – changed our lives profoundly. Television changed radio. Cable changed television. The VCR, the DVD, and cable all combined to transform the neighborhood movie theatre into houses of worship, 99 cent stores, and furniture stores. Big conglomerates have put the butcher, the baker, the small pharmacist on the endangered list. The Internet put print newspapers on the endangered list, as Kindle did with in print books.
I personally prefer print books and newspapers, but I’m in the minority. My father once made the following argument, which I see as very valid when using Walmart: “I have to look out for me.”
Time and time again the author has taken decidedly Libertarian positions on various issues. The author will not – through his various opinion pieces – be able to change the reality that the free market decides. The free market has decided against the neighborhood store and in favor of the Big Box store.
Nat Weiner
Bronx
