Wal-Mart resists pressure from AFA over Brokeback Mountain

[Initech]

April 10, 2006
Wal-Mart Resists Pressure in 'Brokeback' DVD Sales
By JULIE BOSMAN

The culture war surrounding "Brokeback Mountain" may be nearing an end, but as the film was released on DVD last week, it found an unusual ally: Wal-Mart Stores.

On Tuesday, the retailer began selling "Brokeback Mountain" on DVD, over the objection of the American Family Association, a conservative religious organization based in Tupelo, Miss.

Wal-Mart had previously agreed not to stock CD's bearing parental warning stickers and to cover up magazines like Cosmopolitan and Glamour with blinders.

Randy Sharp, the director of special projects for the American Family Association, is leading the charge against "Brokeback Mountain" with an e-mail petition urging Wal-Mart customers to shun the store in protest.

The association says it is not opposed to Wal-Mart offering "Brokeback Mountain" for sale. What it does mind is that Wal-Mart has promoted the movie by placing posters of its stars, Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal, in the front of the store "where children can see them," Mr. Sharp said.

If "Brokeback" were a blockbuster, he said, promoting it would be understandable. But since it has not cracked the $100 million mark in domestic box office sales, Wal-Mart must be trying to "normalize" homosexuality, Mr. Sharp said.

Full article:
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/04/10/business/media/10walmart.html

Guess this is the first time I'll actually take Wal-Mart's side over something!

[TallahasseeGrannie]

1. Money Talks

T-Grannie

[stepnw1f]

2. Hey Fuck Head!

Homosexuality is normal. Get over it!

[madeline_con]

3. "where children can see them,"

Oh, horrors! A pic of two guys in hats! What message is that sending to the children? (GASP!)

Get a grip, morans! No one's forcing little Jimmy to watch.

[marmar]

4. "A pic of two guys in hats!"

LOL! :rofl:

In the end, even a company that supports the Reich Wing is only interested in one thing: $$$.

[Initech]

5. Yup, the AFA's bigotry knows no bounds, right?

[pepperbear]

6. Hey , correct me if I am wrong, but....

don't Target and Kmart stock it as well? Funny how Walmart is singled out...like that narrow-minded constituency has a patent on it. :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad:

[jmowreader]

7. I know why Wal-Mart is being singled out

It's because Wal-Mart is Where America's Fundies Shop.

Go to a Wal-Mart and look in the book section. At least half of it is given over to Christian tomes.

They also have low prices--very important when you have seven or eight children all spaced ten months apart, and a bun in the oven.

Going after Target wouldn't be worth their while; the choir they preach to doesn't shop there.

[smtpgirl]

8. why is wal-mart selling that movie anyway?

PROFIT

More money in Indie films