Ed Brayton is a journalist, commentator and speaker. He is the co-founder and president of 
According to the Worldnutdaily, Walmart has reached an agreement with the American Family Association that it will no longer make "corporate contributions to support or oppose highly controversial issues unless they directly relate to our ability to serve our customers." Read: we'll stop supporting any gay rights groups. The AFA has now called off their boycott of the company. I'm certainly not surprised. The only reason they joined the Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce in the first place was for purely business concerns. They hoped to gain a little market share. So anything that spooks them into thinking it might cost them business will get that decision overturned.
Update: Apparently, this may mean a lot less than it seems. The AP report goes into a good deal more detail:
"I don't see it as backpedaling by Wal-Mart," Solmonese said. "I think the AFA failed, and thought to themselves, "Let's declare victory and hope nobody notices."Wal-Mart's statement "is a confusing contortion of words that make it completely unclear whether Wal-Mart still supports equal rights for the (gay and lesbian) community or not, and worse, raises real questions as to whether they caved to the pressure from the religious right," said Chris Kofinis of WakeUpWalMart.com.
Wal-Mart spokeswoman Mona Williams said the company would continue working with the National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce and other gay-rights groups on specific issues such as workplace equality. She indicated, however, that the company would henceforth avoid unrestricted donations that might be used for causes Wal-Mart did not endorse.
If that's true, it looks more like it was the AFA that caved.
Comments
That's funny, John Avavosis on AmericaBlog is reporting the same story and draws the exact opposite conclusion.
"Religious Right Caves, as Usual"
http://americablog.blogspot.com/2006/11/religious-right-caves-as-usual.html
Posted by: John | November 22, 2006 1:33 PM
This is quite dissapointing to me. In this and their ridiculous boycott of Ford, I doubt that the AFA has really convinced many people to atually stop buying Fords or shopping at Wal Mart.
Posted by: DuWayne | November 22, 2006 1:39 PM
This sounds to me like the AFA declaring a nonexistent victory. I see nothing in the story where Walmart does anything other than counter the previous distortions of the AFA:
Posted by: Alan B. | November 22, 2006 2:19 PM
And you'll still be able to buy the homosexuality-related books on the Wal-Mart website that the AFA was so upset about, right?
I'm kind of impressed with how Wal-Mart's handled this whole thing.
Posted by: Coin | November 22, 2006 2:26 PM
There's also been some misinformation in this whole fiasco on the part of the AFA, whether on purpose or not.
They sent out a huge mailing claiming that a percentage of all online sales at Wally World went straight to a gay rights org. Imagine that...millions. A bunch of dumb suckers bought it, including a fundie friend of mine who emailed it to me.
Posted by: Daniel Morgan | November 22, 2006 3:07 PM
Zero is a percentage.
Posted by: Davis | November 22, 2006 3:15 PM
Daniel,
I'm assuming that you are talking about this.
Posted by: Alan B. | November 22, 2006 3:25 PM
Do you think the dopes that quit will want their jobs back, now?
Posted by: bourgeois_rage | November 22, 2006 3:44 PM
It just amazes me how blinded by hate for gays Wildmon and his gang are that they actually devote time and money and resources to this kind of activity. I wonder, if you asked each of them, "Would you kill a gay man if you knew you wouldn't face any legal reprisals?", what percentage of them would say yes, or even "I might."
Posted by: Martin Wagner | November 22, 2006 8:41 PM