The latest Walgreens closure in Democrat Rep. Ayanna Pressley’s state of Massachusetts — namely, on Warren Street in Roxbury — is the result of racial discrimination, she claimed on the House floor.
“Mr. Speaker, Walgreens is planning to close yet another pharmacy in the Massachusetts Seventh — this time on Warren Street in Roxbury, a community that is 85 percent black and Latino,” she began, explaining that this closure is “part of a larger trend of abandoning low-income communities,” citing previous closures in her district.
“When a Walgreens leaves a neighborhood, they disrupt the entire community, and they take with them baby formula, diapers, asthma inhalers, life-saving medications, and, of course, jobs,” she continued, explaining her belief that these closures are “not arbitrary, and they are not innocent.”
“They are life-threatening acts of racial and economic discrimination. That is why I joined with Sen. Markey and Warren to demand answers from Walgreens’ CEO,” she continued, asking why there was no community input on the matter.
“No adequate notice to customers and no transition resources to prevent gaps in health care? Shame on you, Walgreens. Having a website with talking points about health equity and underserved communities is not enough,” Pressley continued.
“Walgreens is a multibillion-dollar corporation that needs to put their money where their mouth is,” she continued:
Rep. Ayanna Pressley accuses Walgreens of racial discrimination for closing stores in neighborhoods overrun by theft pic.twitter.com/GClRbuY4nI
— End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) January 31, 2024
According to WCVB, “It’s the latest Walgreens to shut its doors in recent years, one of approximately 200 store closings the company said would be coming in 2024.”
While this move appears to be due just to downsizing as previously planned, Pressley failed to bring attention to the wider trend of not just Walgreens but other popular retailers— including Walmart, Target, and Best Buy — being forced to shut down stores throughout the entire United States due to the trend of rising crime and theft.
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“You are welcome to move to West Baltimore to see the issue personally @AyannaPressley,” former Republican Congressional candidate Kimberly Klacik remarked as others piled on, wondering if there was more to this Walgreens closure than explicitly stated.
You are welcome to move to West Baltimore to see the issue personally @AyannaPressley.
— Kimberly Klacik (@kimKBaltimore) February 1, 2024
“It’s called ‘natural consequences.’ If you steal or loot too much, stores close. Ayanna Pressley’s sense of entitlement is breathtaking,” one X user remarked.
“Maybe if the local resident didn’t loot and steal, the store wouldn’t close,” another said. “It’s called cause and effect.”
“It’s racist to not want your stuff stolen,” another commented.
“They’re still trying to use the race card; everyone knows what’s going on by now,” another observed.
Walgreens closures — whether for downsizing purposes or crime — are not new.
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“Walgreens closed as many as five stores in San Francisco due to an uptick in organized shoplifting in 2021,” Breitbart News reported, noting that the company also closed locations in Illinois, Texas, and Florida for similar reasons.
According to WBUR, the community affected by the closure in Pressley’s district will not be left hanging completely, as the pharmacy “will automatically transfer Warren Street customers’ prescriptions to the nearest store at 1890 Columbus Ave.”
“They’ll also offer free same-day delivery of prescriptions and other products for 90 days,” according to the outlet.
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