Christian right boycotts Wal Mart

Wal-Mart Gay Opposition Grows by 365Gay.com Newscenter Staff
November 4, 2006 - 11:00 am ET
(New York City) Opposition is growing among conservative Christian groups to Wal-Mart's decision to strengthen its ties to the LGBT community.
Operation Rescue/Operation Save America, which has long been involved in fighting gay communities throughout the South announced Friday that it is mounting a boycott against the giant retailer.
Wal-Mart earlier this year expanded its LGBT diversity program in a deal with the National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce. (story)
Earlier this week the Missouri Baptist Convention warned Wal-Mart to drop its ties with the LGBT business group or face a boycott.
Operation Save America director Rev. Flip Benham said his group's boycott would begin the day after Thanksgiving - traditionally the biggest day of the year for retailers.
In 2003 Benham and his organization disrupted gay pride celebrations in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Yelling through a bullhorn, Benham berated the crowd. "A woman can't marry a woman! I don't care what these people tell you!" shouted Benham.
The Missouri Baptist Convention warning to Wal-Mart was approved this week at the the group's annual convention after a heated debate in which many delegates demanded an immediate boycott.
There are 600,000 Southern Baptists in Missouri. Leaders of the national Southern Baptist Convention said the Missouri Baptists were the first to threaten Wal-Mart.
Last week a small Tennessee church became the first to officially boycott the retailer. (story) Trinity Family Church's 150 members voted to take their business elsewhere.
Last month the American Family Association told its members to avoid shopping at Wal-Mart but stopped short of calling for a full boycott. (story)
In an email alert to its members this week the AFA says that the company is retailing hundreds of products with "pro-homosexual leanings".
The AFA email called "on Christian consumers to spend their dollars elsewhere as a sign of their displeasure with Wal-Mart's pro-homosexual leanings."
A Wal-Mart spokesman says the retailer is "reaching out to a number of groups" and will "welcome and serve all customers with respect and without discrimination."
The AFA already is involved in a boycott of Ford Motor Company over the automaker's support for LGBT causes. (story) The AFA said it has collected 500,000 Internet pledges to boycott Ford vehicles.
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