Gangs: The Wal-Mart solution

Since we poked fun of Ewing Mayor Jack Ball's comment that building a new Wal-Mart could solve the area's gang problem, he's been mercilessly skewered by Trentonian Back Talk callers.

Today, Back Talk printed his response.

Wal-Mart and gangs ... huh?

The 2007 award for most obscure parallel between two completely unrelated political issues goes to ... Ewing Mayor Jack Ball.

In commenting for today's Trentonian story about the proposed Wal-Mart in Lawrence, the mayor listed one possible benefit of Wal-Mart's arrival as, get this, fighting gangs.

What's Wal-Mart's connection to gangs, other than providing another outlet for the purchase of cheap firearms?

Mayor Ball sees Wal-Mart bringing more jobs to the community, and if there are more jobs available, maybe young people will be less likely to join gangs.

Hey, it makes sense. What prospective gang-banging, bling-flashing drug dealer wouldn't exchange that lifestyle for a $7 an hour job greeting Wal-Mart customers?

Gangs: The Wal-Mart solution

Since we poked fun of Ewing Mayor Jack Ball's comment that building a new Wal-Mart could solve the area's gang problem, he's been mercilessly skewered by Trentonian Back Talk callers.

Today, Back Talk printed his response.

Wal-Mart and gangs ... huh?

The 2007 award for most obscure parallel between two completely unrelated political issues goes to ... Ewing Mayor Jack Ball.

In commenting for today's Trentonian story about the proposed Wal-Mart in Lawrence, the mayor listed one possible benefit of Wal-Mart's arrival as, get this, fighting gangs.

What's Wal-Mart's connection to gangs, other than providing another outlet for the purchase of cheap firearms?

Mayor Ball sees Wal-Mart bringing more jobs to the community, and if there are more jobs available, maybe young people will be less likely to join gangs.

Hey, it makes sense. What prospective gang-banging, bling-flashing drug dealer wouldn't exchange that lifestyle for a $7 an hour job greeting Wal-Mart customers?