NAACP trying to bully Variety Wholesalers/Art Pope because they don't agree with his politics | Eastern North Carolina Now

    Publisher's Note: This article originally appeared in the Beaufort Observer.

This left-wing bullying is wrong and all people of good will should go out of their way to support Variety Wholesalers

    State Budget Director Art Pope responded Monday (12-9-13) to the announced boycott of his family's businesses the NC NAACP, Democracy NC and the Institute of Southern Studies. You can read his letter by clicking here. Mr. Pope's letter speaks for itself.

    What we would like to offer is what Mr. Pope did not say, but only implied, and then modestly.

    Variety Wholesalers, Inc. is a remarkable success story in any honest person's view. It is a "homegrown" industry that has saved thousands of jobs in towns and communities where the loss of those jobs would have been devastating to small communities. Variety Wholesalers fits a special niche in the retail store industry in this state. It not only locates its stores in rural and small communities, but it also markets merchandise that provides exceptional value to customers  -  yes, specifically low income people.

    But beyond providing goods to people a lower relative costs and providing jobs in job-scarce communities, Variety Wholesalers, Inc. keeps money here in North Carolina, rather than seeing it sucked out of our state and its communities and sent to Arkansas or other such places. And Variety has a long track record of buying from local vendors more so than many of the "Big Box" stores do. You figure who we're talking about.

    And as Jon Sanders recently reported, the Pope Foundation gives more money to charitable causes, including food banks, relatively than almost anyone else. Compare their community contributions to some of the Big Banks that operate in the state.

    Frankly, we are disgusted by William Barber, and his cronies', tactics. We would like to hear his response to the moral/ethical point Mr. Pope makes. To these boycotters we would ask: Would it be wrong for Mr. Pope to use his position in the McCrory Administration to benefit his family's business? Certainly. But if that would be wrong, why is it not just as wrong of Mr. Barber to seek to punish Mr. Pope's businesses simply because of political issues. Talk to us about "morals" Reverend Barber.

    We wonder what Barber's response would be if conservative groups (vis-à-vis the TEA Party) launched a campaign against the members of Mr. Barber's church because they disagree with his politics. Imagine the TEA Party picketing a business that hires the members of the governing board of Mr. Barber's church.

    We don't know that the Reverend Barber has done so but we do know that a number of civil rights leaders have used threats of such boycotts against businesses who do not "behave" the way they think those businesses should. And amazingly, a number of such business have become huge donors to the organizations that pay many of these "leaders" huge salaries.

    Let us make it perfectly clear. We are not suggesting that the TEA Party or any group should attack individuals or groups that support Reverend Barber and those allied with him. We think it their inalienable right to support whomever they choose. Likewise, what we ARE suggesting is that those people who disdain such bullying tactics as Reverend Barber is known for, should make a special effort to support Variety Wholesalers every chance they get, and to make a special effort to find chances to do so.

    Variety Wholesalers operates: Roses Store, Waxway, Bargain Town, Value Mart, Super Saver, Super 10, Bill's Dollar Stores, Super Dollar stores.

    Click here to go to www.vwstores.com to learn more. You can look up the locations of the stores at this website by entering the zip code in the search box at the top of the home page..