Posted on 11/09/2006 10:10:32 AM PST by Froufrou
Wal-Mart, long pummeled by the political left, is taking additional flak from the right.
A conservative activist group is trying to recruit one million families who will refuse to shop at Wal-Mart or Sam's Club on the Friday and Saturday after Thanksgiving, traditionally two of the busiest shopping days of the year.
The American Family Association is furious with Wal-Mart for reaching out to homosexual advocacy groups that support same-sex marriage.
The criticism began when Wal-Mart announced it would join the National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce. And now Wal-Mart has made a deal with the Washington DC Center for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender People, agreeing to donate 5 percent of the sales made through the group's website to the Center.
"Every purchase made online for books, music, videos, clothing and accessories, children's clothing and toys, and electronics at the site will automatically send 5% of the sales to the CCBLBT People," the AFA said in a message to its supporters.
"The agreement is an indication that Wal-Mart is totally committed to supporting the homosexual movement," the AFA said.
The conservative advocacy group complains that Wal-Mart also gave a "generous cash donation" to the Northwest Arkansas Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender Community Center, helping to provide a place where homosexuals can come together to "socialize."
The AFA says Wal-Mart should have remained neutral in the cultural battle over homosexual marriage.
It says Wal-Mart made an "ideological" decision, not a business decision.
If somebody throws a hubcap into the air and snaps a photo of it the hubcap is "obviously" a UFO to some people. But it is still a hubcap. Walmart is just making a buck for their stockholders regardless of what is "obvious" to some people.
There is an ongoing boycott of Ford products.
However, if the AFA is going to encourage a boycott of Walmart for the donation to the gay group, then they should include all the other businesses who are doing the same thing:
Click. Shop. Donate.
Now you can shop at your favorite online stores and have a portion of each sale donated directly to The Center. The donation is made automatically when you shop from the store links listed below. The percentage of each sale donated to the Center is indicated next to each store.
Tip! Bookmark this page and start all of your online shopping here.
Recreation
Please Dance With Me [33%]
Books, Music, & Video
Lambda Rising [5.5%]
Amazon.com [5%]
Barnesandnoble.com [5%]
NetFlix [$9]
Buy.com [5%]
CDNow [6%]
Wal-Mart [5%]
Clothing & Accessories
Universal Gear [7%]
GAP [5%]
jcrew.com [5%]
Bluefly.com [5%]
Fogdog Sports [10%]
REI.com [5%]
Wal-Mart [5%]
Accessories
Shoebuy.com [10%]
Ashford.com [5%]
JewelryWeb.com [5%]<>
WatchZone [5%]<>
Health & Beauty
Drugstore.com [15%]
Avon.com [8%]
Sephora.com [5%]
FragranceNet.com [8%]<>
Children's Clothing & Toys
Toys "R" Us / Amazon.com [5%]
SmarterKids.com [6%]<>
DisneyStore.com [5%]
Babystyle! [10%]
Wal-Mart [5%]
Office & Supplies
Staples.com [3%]
OfficeMax.com [4%]<>
Register.com Domains[25%]
Stamps.com [$10-$20 per sign up]
Computer Hardware & Software
Dell Home Systems [1%]<>
Amazon.com Software [5%]
J&R Computer and Music World [3%]
Microwarehouse [2-5%]
Chumbo.com [5%]
Online Services
Verizon Online DSL [$40]
MSN Internet Access[$15]
Electronics
Buy.com [3%]
Amazon.com Electronics [5%]
J&R Computer and Music World [5%]
The Sharper Image [10%]<>
Wal-Mart [5%]
Flowers & Gifts
1-800-FLOWERS.COM [6%]<>
FTD [6%]<>
Florist.com [15%]<>
Hallmark.com [12%]
Red Envelope [6%]
Travel & Leisure
Travelocity [$1 per ticket]
Orbitz [$1-$3]
Expedia.com [$3 per ticket]
Priceline.com [$1 per offer]
eBags [7%]
Camera & Photos
Shutterfly [$6 per new customer]
Ritzcamera.com [5%]
Finance & Credit Cards
Amex Blue Card [30]
Amex Delta SkyMiles [$30]
Amex Small Business [$45]
Chase Platinum Credit Card [$25]
Continental Airlines Platinum [$25]
I can have the same shopping experience at a mexican flea-market, without the annoyance of seeing lots of double-chinned fatass people in stretch pants.
I assume you refer to the medical and food stamps.
I work full time at Wal Mart. My pay is above minimum wage here. Decent for this rural area. I would like more, but I get by.
I have Blue Cross, $350 deductible, $20 co-pay, long and short term disability, AFLAC, dental, etc. I pay less than $100 per month for myself.
Are there others at our store on the free public ride? You betcha there is!
OPPS wait!! They have large families by their choice!
Insurance companies increase premiums with each added family member to cover....hmmmmm
Yep... it must be Wal Marts fault they chose the cheaper insurance coverage for their familes.
You are a rare case. I was thinking of someone who may be trying to work there and raise a family, like most anyone would think possible at such a large company. Sure it's their choice, and a bad one, but I would be ashamed if I owned the largest company in the world and the majority of people working for me would qualify for food stamps if they worked for me and tried to support their families.
I'm as pro-capitalism as they come. I'm just going on morality here.
Good to know.
I love Wal mart. Although I usually DON'T shop the day after Thanskgiving, I just might do so at Wal Mart this year.
If your understanding of "obvious" is anything like your understanding of "Truth", I can see where you may have some difficulty.
Now, I can see by this thread that many think the AFA has been less than honest in their presentation of this issue, and as such, should not be trusted in the matter.
On the other hand, Wal-Mart has been above board and honest in their position on the issue. They want to make money. The best way to do that is to risk alienating 98% of your consumers to garner 2% of the market. That ought to please the stockholders, right?
If you think that, then you must believe that the stories of Sodom and Gomorrah are just for entertainment purposes.
I understand people have a difficult time supporting something that will cause them to sacrifice or do without. I don't begrudge them that. But when they have to pretzel the "truth" to justify their "belief", its as reprehensible as the opposed agenda.
I hope it doesn't fall flat on its face.
Why should 5% of sales go to gay advocacy?
Give me one good reason.
I have had no problem shopping at WalMart through the years and I like the way you are treated the moment you walk through the doors. With that said I do check where things are made. And if it says made in China, it goes back on the shelf. Its hard not to buy any foreign products but I do make an effort to keep it down to a minimum. Christmas decoration made in China really gets to me, considering ALL the religious freedoms China has. (Sarcasim implied)
I agree! I really don't like going when everyone else is going.....
I also try to avoid foreign made products and ever since I bought a GE mixer and didn't realize it was made in China until after the fact, I am even more particular.
As for Christmas decorations, other than lights, I buy very few and the majority of the ones I do buy, I purchase from local crafters. I pretty much stopped buying tree ornaments the year after our daughter was born (she's now 8) because all of mine are clear glass and crystal. The only additions to the tree in the past few years are all homemade.
I guess it boils down to me finding this entire boycott idea a bit silly. How about promoting less consumeristic ideals for Christmas? Instead of battling crowds at retailers Thanksgiving weekend (something I never do) plan family time. My hsuband, daughter and I will be in the woods that weekend gathering bine boughs, pinecones and holly for making wreaths and garlands for decorations. We bring homemade cookies and candies to the local Volunteer Fire companies.
I think there are far better ways to be promoting family values than calling for boycotting of retailers, but that's just me.
"I thought they socialized in rest stop bathroom stalls."
That's just George Michael, as far as I know.
AND, to make it even worse, I've not lost a pound!!!
ARGH! Oh, the humanity...please ping me with prayer...
It wouldn't hurt me a bit to shop Target instead of Wal-Mart. I don't approve of the side dishes that go with a homosexual lifestyle - everything from pedophilia [sic NAMBLA] to polygamy. I hate to be a prude, but promiscuity spreads disease.
I NEVER shop at Wal-Mart. NEVER!!!! And I'm a card-carrying social conservative.
Wal-Mart is, and has been for a long time, intrinsically New World Order/Global Union. Think about it--it's almost obvious. The "Wal-Mart issue" seems to have a lot of traction in sucking conservatives into a NWO ethos. We can be taken in, too, not just clinton-loving Democrats!!!!
Wal-Mart's subscription to the "gay" agenda is part and parcel of being NWO, since the NWO uses that agenda as part of its program to destroy localities, nation-states, cultures, and faiths (especially the orthodox/Orthodox Christian faith) to get all the world's people ready for assimilation (of the Borg type).
Let's shop as locally as we can for the coming Nativity/Christmass season. And, more importantly, let's refocus on the TRUE celebration of Nativity, and emphasize "Giftmass" a lot less!
I like your style! I have always cherished handmade gifts the most, or gifts that are not so much bountiful as well made.
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