Wal-Mart partnership gets groups fired up (gay agenda)

Houston Chronicle ^ | August 24, 2006 | Marilyn Geewax

[balch3]

By MARILYN GEEWAX Cox News Service

WASHINGTON - Wal-Mart Stores is moving to attract gay shoppers as it expands its presence in urban centers.

By entering into a partnership with the National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce this week, the company "is making a very sincere effort to reach out to people who are a significant part of our customer base," Wal-Mart spokesman Bob McAdam said Wednesday.

But Wal-Mart did not issue a news release about the alliance, leaving the chamber to announce it. And as news trickles out, a backlash is taking shape among some conservatives.

"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 Family Research Council, a conservative public policy group in Washington. "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."

[Gabz]

Unlike other companies, Wal-Mart won't alienate other shoppers because most of their shoppers are low-income and minority folks who don't give a rip about the homosexual agenda.

Additionally, most WMs are in rural areas and homosexuals tend to live in urban areas, which is where WM is looking to expand. Business is business.

I'll be there first thing either tomorrow or Saturday morning for the annual bak-to-school shopping ritual.

[weegee]

Wasn't just specialty advertising, it was also financial contributions/donations. When a company is hurting for money, the charitable well should be drying up, but there are some within corporate America who work to push a political agenda and could care less about the bottom line.

It is bad for the employees and for shareholders.

For those who say such corporate policies make no difference, they do for the employees who must undergo political re-education under the guise of "diversity training".

You may not have to pull the lever the way the company leans but you do have to parrot back the "right" answers on internal training programs the HR department pushes on the employees.

[little jeremiah]

Exactly. This is a perfect example of homosexuals getting hired into an organization/government agency/company and then promoting their agenda. That's it in a nutshell.

[weegee]

Target celebrates gay pride month but does not honor Christmas.

There is only so much room under the tent for diversity tolerance.

[Gabz]

At 2% of the population? When a much larger part of the population are SOCIAL CONSERVATIVES??

Not in major urban areas.....which is the next market they are trying to get into. It's just a marketing decision and I don't see it getting any play in the rural areas which is where the WM major market is.

[Albion Wilde]

from the article:
"Over the next two years, it plans to build more than 50 stores in neighborhoods with high crime or unemployment rates, on sites that are environmentally contaminated, or in vacant buildings or malls in need of revitalization."

So, you're saying that gays have money, but they live in high unemployment or crime zones?
This entire thing stinks of the same political correctness that pushed Christmas out of Target: a few disgruntled Target employees in high places. Here is another quote from the article:

"Many liberal groups say the company fails to provide its 1.3 million U.S. workers with adequate wages and benefits."

Translation: WalMart doesn't offer gay live-in benefits?

[Gabz]

So, you're saying that gays have money, but they live in high unemployment or crime zones?

I said no such thing. WalMart is looking to move into urban centers, not all of which have high unemployment or are crime zones. In fact in many they are looking to change their image to one of a more upscale bent.......and that is where my comment originated from.

If you don't like a company's policy, don't shop there. As long as they're not planning on raising the prices in my local, rural, WM, I don't give a hoot.

Maryland is doing its tax-free back to school shopping days this week and since the nearest WM to me is in MD, I'll be there first thing tomorrow or Saturday morning..............and I guarantee this announcement is not going to make a particle of a difference in the size of the crowd there.

[Titan Magroyne]

I'm trying to figure out how this partnership manifests itself inside the stores. A "big-n-tall women's" clothing selection of sizes to accommodate a man's shoulders? Pants with buttpads stitched inside? Weiner socks and falsies among the delicates? What?

On second thought, I don't want to know.

[zendari]

Speaking of livein benefits, there's a suit where a hereto couple (they don't want to marry) is suing for them.

I wonder if in the future someone could declare their brother or grandma or friend or any random stranger who coughs up a few bucks as their "benefit recipient" if there's no marital rquirement.

[Azariah]

Walmart has the right to support who it wishes. I have the right to tell/encourage everyone that I know to boycott Walmart. Let Walmart's new urban strategy go forth, while I try my rural strategy..To starve the local Super-Walmart in Emporia,Kansas. Walmart has chosen to be a blue state company, now get the #$% out of my red state.