Posted on 08/29/2006 10:02:50 AM PDT by NYer
(CNSNews.com) - After months of criticism from union-backed groups over its employee pay and health care practices, Wal-Mart now faces a potential "rollback" of support from conservatives because of the retail giant's partnership with a homosexual business coalition.
"I don't think this is something that will sell on Main Street America, where most Wal-Mart stores are located," said Tony Perkins, president of the conservative Family Research Council (FRC). "I don't think cheap prices on goods from China will be enough to stop a rollback in their customer base if they choose to go down this aisle."
Joining the FRC in criticizing Wal-Mart's new alliance with the National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC) is Americans for Truth, which describes itself as "the only national organization devoted exclusively to exposing and countering the homosexual activist agenda."
"Wal-Mart has always been a favorite of God-fearing Middle American customers who hold traditional family values," said Peter LaBarbera, the group's founder and president. "I'm very surprised that Wal-Mart would now bite the hand that feeds it and thumb its nose at those very customers.
"It seems to me that Wal-Mart should reconsider its unsavory alliance with these extremist homosexual activists in today's heated and polarizing culture war," LaBarbera added.
However, Bob McAdam, vice president of corporate affairs with Wal-Mart, told Cybercast News Service that the world's largest retail company joined the NGLCC "just like we have joined a number of other groups representing all parts of the spectrum of our customers" - including women's organizations and minority groups.
The conflict began on Aug. 21, when the NGLCC issued a news release announcing "a partnership with Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., as part of the company's ongoing commitment to advancing diversity among all of its associate, supplier and customer bases."
As part of that agreement, Wal-Mart will pay $25,000 to NGLCC - "the largest LGBT [Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender] business development and economic advocacy organization in the world" - and has agreed to sponsor two of NGLCC's annual conferences.
"We are honored to have Wal-Mart's support of the NGLCC," said the group's co-founder and president, Justin Nelson. "Our partnership will not only provide more opportunities for the Chamber, but the business community as a whole."
When asked by reporters why Wal-Mart had not issued a statement on the new partnership, Nelson said that it's "normal procedure" for the NGLCC to handle such announcements.
Since then, conservative organizations have become increasingly vocal in their criticism of the new partnership.
Robert Knight, director of the Culture and Family Institute at Concerned Women for America, said that by joining forces with the NGLCC, Wal-Mart is "validating the idea that homosexual activists have the right to shake down corporations out of fear of being called bigots."
Perkins called the alliance "an odd new domestic partnership." He's asking FRC's supporters to download a flyer from the group's website that asks why the retail chain is supporting homosexual activism and place a copy of it at the customer service desk of the nearest Wal-Mart.
As Cybercast News Service previously reported, the retail giant has been no stranger to controversy over the past year when union-sponsored groups such as WakeUpWal-Mart.com and Wal-Mart Watch have charged the corporation with needing to meet "higher expectations" and being unsafe for shoppers.
McAdam said he expects the popularity of the company - which has about 3,900 outlets in the United States alone - will trump any criticism from either side of the political aisle, just as when Wal-Mart added homosexuals to its non-discrimination policy two years ago.
"I think our attraction to Americans in general speaks for itself, and that's why comments from either side of the political spectrum or whatever philosophical debate are less important than the daily approval we see from our customers," McAdam said.
"Wal-Mart continues to serve the vast majority of Americans regardless of their political persuasion or their personal beliefs," McAdam noted. "Last year, about 85 percent of Americans bought something at Wal-Mart. We have more than 138 million customers a week at Wal-Mart.
"With numbers of that size, we're dealing with just about everybody, and to that extent, we want to be as welcoming as we can to every part of the spectrum, and we will continue to be broad in our outreach," he added. "We welcome people of all persuasions and all philosophies."
Not all homosexual activists are pleased with the new arrangement, though.
"Our community is a smart community, and we can see a shameless marketing opportunity when it comes," Jeremy Bishop, program director of the "Pride at Work" subsidiary of the AFL-CIO, told Cox Newspapers.
"For us, it's a matter of social and economic justice," Bishop added, "and Wal-Mart has a long record of not treating its employees - gay or straight - with equity and dignity."
Your number 5 is a rude comment.
As to the others.......I don't know about the electronics, as I don't buy them in discount retailers - but on everything else my experience in Target has been the complete opposite.
I will not dress my 8 year old in clothing that makes her look like a streetwalker, and that is the "style" of any girls clothing I have ever found in Target. That and the rude attitudes of the staff are the reasons I stopped shopping there several years ago.
I will defend them against attacks such as that which is being leveled at WM here, for the same reasons I defend WM, but I won't shop there.
LOL! That makes 2 of us.
I have my own reasons to avoid Sh*t-Mart like the plague, and their catering to sissy-boys isn't even on the list!
Hey, I'm your average male, straight suburbanite slob, and even I wouldn't be caught dead wearing Sh*t-Mart's trailer park fashions! LOL
Ten seconds after Brad Pitt or Harrison Ford starting wearing bright yellow $1.99 t-shirts with a cartoon bulldog and the word "Tough Stuff" emblazoned on it, every average make straight suburbanite's wife would buy them a dozen.
Oh you'd wear it and like it!
Be that as it may....it matters not in the least to me.
Until the first one openned in Dover, DE about 10 years or so ago, I dont think I knew anything about WalMart. And believe me, had that store been my only experience with WM, I would not support them now........that store was just plain miserable. I changed my mind about WM in general when a friend asked for company to go to one in another town. Local management make all the difference in the world.
That's all well and good - insulting those of us who do shop there is uncalled for and reflective of the type people you claim do shop there.
Lucky you. Is this the same chain we're talking about here? LOL ;-D
Every single one in my area is a reeking pig-stye staffed by just-dumped-here illegals whose only response to any question is "Que?"
LOL LOL LOL! Good one!
Local management is the key. I've been shopping in this one for a bit over 3 years...there is very little staff turnover at all and everone seems to enjoy their jobs.
I don't go that often (I hate shopping) but I see all the same faces everytime I go - which is especially helpful in areas such as the garden center and paint department.
The cities are gonna be wal-mart's Waterloo. They don't know how to "market" to the urban customer.
Compare the adds of wal-mart talking about price with those of Target with Todd Oldham talking about how his grandmother taught him to sew or ads with Michael Graves. A very light touch for a discount retailer. Kinda brilliant, actually.
LOL Gorillas in the Mist, eh? I can relate that to my Wal-Mart. You and the Sunday ads have sold me. My next shopping trip will be to Target. I recently discovered a Lowe's I didn't know about too so no more Homo Depot either.
I had previously contacted Walmart (Ford as well - I'm one of those 'EVILLL Christians"). Ain't no way I'm buying anything else Ford sells.
I can see your point. I'm only going by personal experience. And having been around Indy a lot more lately, I can see the whole city is going down the crapper, not just my little corner of town.
BTW, I meant no offense. One of the hats I wear is as a comedy writer, and sometimes I get carried away.
Funny you should mention that. I was in Home Depot yesterday picking up some odds and ends to finish a job, and it was a DUMP.
LOL LOL LOL! Good one!
I have witnessed horrors, my friend. I have seen men die the slow death of manhood in public parks and crowded backyards when they are forced to wear "clever" matching husband & wife shirts.
I'm not so sure. I don't believe they will be as successful, unless the "upscale" plans they are going for in those markets works.....but only time will tell.
I've never seen any of the Target ads you mention, in fact I don't even remember the last time I saw a Target ad (or a WM ad).
I haven't been in a Target in more than 4 years. I did not like the one that was near me and only went in because it was a convenient place to pick up paper towels and toilet paper for a reasonable price........and now the nearest one to me is 50 miles away.
You can't make it in large cities catering to price alone. This is particularly true for someplace like NYC.
I can accept that.....but understand that outside of a comedy club the stereotype of WalMart shoppers gets down right offensive to professional folks that do shop there. Just because we live in rural areas where WMs proliferate doesn't mean we are stupid, poorly educated, or low class.
The irony here is that the Lowe's is ten miles closer than the HD whereas the Target is in the town the HD is in and the Wal-Mart is a block from Lowe's. One way or the other I'm going to have to drive the extra ten. =8-(
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