Question:
Wal-Mart Sells 'Brokeback' Amid Conservative Protest
Christian group accuses the retailer of 'pushing an agenda' by featuring the gay-themed film.
By Claire Hoffman
Times Staff Writer
April 4, 2006
Wal-Mart to the producers of Brokeback Mountain: We won't quit you.
Today, the largest retailer in the U.S. starts selling DVDs of the film about a gay love affair between two ranchers, despite protests from a national Christian organization.
The 3-million-member American Family Assn. initiated a campaign last week encouraging Wal-Mart customers to ask the company to refuse to stock the Universal film, whose director won an Academy Award last month, in its 3,900 stores.
The Tupelo, Miss.-based group began its campaign last week, after Wal-Mart placed ads with images of the film's stars, Jake Gyllenhaal and Heath Ledger, at the front of stores to promote the DVD release.
It wasn't even a blockbuster movie, so if Wal-Mart isn't trying to push an agenda, why would they put it at the front door? said Randy Sharp, director of special projects for the association, which calls itself an organization for people who are tired of cursing the darkness and who are ready to light a bonfire.
Sharp said Wal-Mart was trying to help normalize homosexuality in society. But how many copies are they going to have to sell to recruit the losses of customers who they've offended and will no longer shop at Wal-Mart?
A Wal-Mart spokeswoman said the company didn't advocate specific lifestyles and stocked films based on consumer demand. Brokeback Mountain has grossed $83 million in domestic ticket sales.
The fact that we are offering the movie is not an endorsement of the content of the movie or any specific belief, said the spokeswoman, Jolanda Stewart. We simply offer the latest titles that consumers want.
Still, Wal-Mart Stores Inc. has a history of bowing to pressure from the American Family Assn. and other organizations on issues of decency.
After customer complaints in 2002, the store pulled a pregnant version of one of Barbie's friends, Midge, even though the doll wore a prominent wedding ring.
And in 2003, the family association led the charge to persuade Wal-Mart and other retailers to stop carrying magazines it considered crude. As a result, Wal-Mart discontinued FHM, Maxim and Stuff and placed plastic shields over Cosmopolitan, Glamour and others.
The Bentonville, Ark.-based retailer is one of the nation's largest sellers of DVDs, with thousands of movie titles. Although Wal-Mart has long sold amended versions of popular recordings, it has not edited the films it sells. The company carries DVDs of R-rated movies, Stewart said, which are encoded to prompt cashiers to ask for identification. It does not sell films rated NC-17.
http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-walm...a-home-business
Answer:
Gosh, it's a business, can't these people give them a break?
Answer:
Wal-mart's going to hell now
Answer:
Wouldn't the reverse be true if they did not stock this film and sell it? Wouldn't the gay community protest saying Wal-Mart is pushing a christian agenda that doesn't tolerate gays in the community?
The fact that we are offering the movie is not an endorsement of the content of the movie or any specific belief, said the spokeswoman, Jolanda Stewart. We simply offer the latest titles that consumers want.
Answer:
Wal-mart's only agenda is to make $.
As a big-box store it should be zoned out of existence.
Answer:
The fact that we are offering the movie is not an endorsement of the content of the movie or any specific belief, said the spokeswoman, Jolanda Stewart. We simply offer the latest titles that consumers want.
Then why get rid of Maxim and FHM? They've already succumbed to fundamentalists once, now it's time to do the rest of the people a favor.
The more interesting fact is: Brokeback is already coming out on DVD? I remember waiting over a year for VHS to come out after its inital box office release!
Answer:
Wal-mart's only agenda is to make $.
As a big-box store it should be zoned out of existence.
I think every business' agenda is money.
Wouldn't the reverse be true if they did not stock this film and sell it? Wouldn't the gay community protest saying Wal-Mart is pushing a christian agenda that doesn't tolerate gays in the community?
The fact that we are offering the movie is not an endorsement of the content of the movie or any specific belief, said the spokeswoman, Jolanda Stewart. We simply offer the latest titles that consumers want.
I think the gay community can get it at Target or other business stores that have it. Which means Wal-mart will lose money for not selling it.
If it's a business, it's up for competition. Nowadays, I highly doubt people would sell certain things because of their moral beliefs. Then again, just my personal perspective.
Answer:
Sounds like the only one with an agenda is the this american family association..judging from their track record
Answer:
Oh jeez. It wasnt a blockbuster? I thought it was quite popular. It was a good movie, GO WAL MART!
Answer:
I seriously hate the AFA, but I also hate Wal-Mart. They deserve each other.
Answer:
WHAT? 0_0
idiots making a big fuss over tiny biny bs
Answer:
They should just get a life. If consumers can't buy what they want, they just move on to other stores.
Answer:
AFA reallly need to back off..their protests can't change everything..
Answer:
they're so retarded
Answer:
stoopid afa
Answer:
It wasn't even a blockbuster movie, so if Wal-Mart isn't trying to push an agenda, why would they put it at the front door? said Randy Sharp, director of special projects for the association, which calls itself an organization for people who are tired of cursing the darkness and who are ready to light a bonfire.
As if his stupidity and ignorance wasn't apparent enough with him protesting Brokeback Mountain, now the comment above makes him look even more idiotic. Brokeback Mountain may not be a 'blockbuster' by traditional standards, given it was a smaller film, but for goodness sake, it grossed almost $100 mil at the box office and was without question the most talked about film of last year. You just couldn't escape the gay cowboy jokes. The workers at Wal-Mart are just trying to make money; and this is a good way of doing so. It's not rocket science and these people know it. They're just trying to make even more excuses of not wanting Wal-Mart to sell Brokeback Mountain DVD's without actually having to admit to their homophobia.
Answer:
If they wanna boycott the gay theme so badly, why don't they try stopping the distribution of Sir Elton John's (whom i think is a really great singer) albums as well? It's about choices. If people really want the dvd, they'll just go elsowhere to get it. Big fuss outta nothing. Besides, it's not like watching the show will turn people gay. Why don't they spend their time thinking of more condusive things, like how so many poor people are suffering out there and what they can do about it...
Answer:
The AFA's acting like your average bunch of homophobic kids. Let Wal-Mart sell what they want, the customers want it, AFA's just afraid. Geez.
Answer:
geez some Christians....
Answer:
If they wanna boycott the gay theme so badly, why don't they try stopping the distribution of Sir Elton John's (whom i think is a really great singer) albums as well? It's about choices. If people really want the dvd, they'll just go elsowhere to get it. Big fuss outta nothing. Besides, it's not like watching the show will turn people gay. Why don't they spend their time thinking of more condusive things, like how so many poor people are suffering out there and what they can do about it...
They don't seem to care much about that. Their main focus has always been to tell people how they should live their lives. They don't want gay parents for adoptive kids, either--among a million other things.
