Fargo Forum - Wal-Mart wanted input about its proposed south Fargo supercenter.

What it got was an earful of opposition.

About 300 people packed the Centennial Elementary School gymnasium Tuesday for a community meeting with the world’s largest retailer, and the message was clear.

“I don’t want a nightmare in my backyard,” said Janel Simonson, who lives in Frontier just south of the proposed site. . . .

Opinions flared even before the meeting was opened up for comments and questions.

Jim Johnson, who lives in the Timberline subdivision northeast of the Hector land, said point-blank to Darcy Winter, the Minneapolis real estate broker representing Wal-Mart, “We don’t want you here.”

Johnson later said he would rather see upscale retail shops in the neighborhood.

“We’ve got a beautifully quiet neighborhood,” he said. “Why would we want, of all corporations, Wal-Mart? I can’t imagine a worse hell.”

“I don’t think anyone opposes Wal-Mart coming into the community,” said Johnson’s wife, Kristi. “We just oppose them coming into a residential area.”

Mike Neustel, who also lives in Timberline, handed out fliers promoting the upcoming movie, “Wal-Mart: The High Cost of Low Price,” a documentary critical of the company’s public relations.

First of all, some of these people need to get a grip. A nightmare? Hell? These people need to get some perspective.

Second, I think that Wal-Mart is often the victim of a very vocal minority amplified by the media who is always interested in stirring up controversy. The majority of Americans, and North Dakotans in this instance, vote with their feet. Wal-Mart does an incredible about of business both in North Dakota and nationally. Thus the corporation's rapid and wide-spread expansion. People like shopping at the store. They appreciate the low prices and the positive economic impact the store brings to the community.

And there is a positive economic impact. When the original Wal-Mart was built in my hometown a decade or so ago it brought a lot of additional shopping traffic into town from the surrounding communities and businesses around the store flourished. Now that we're getting a new Wal-Mart Supercenter the same thing is happening. Other businesses are moving in around the store as well and jobs are being created.

I think opposition to Wal-Mart stores has more to do with a condescending sort of elitism toward the lifestyle and culture the store represents than any real concerns over the economic impact it has.