Homophobes boycott Wal-Mart

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An anti-gay group is calling for a boycott of worldwide retailer Wal-Mart after accusing the store of promoting homosexuality.

Self proclaimed family values group the American Family Association (AFA) has targeted the chain ever since it joined the National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce in August, but now the AFA has launched a petition against the company claiming it deliberately stocks over a thousand items promoting gay values such as same sex marriage.

The AFA opposes the promotion of books and other items relating to homosexuality, similar to a campaign earlier this year when the organisation tried to stop gay cowboy movie Brokeback Mountain being sold on DVD.

At the time a Wal-Mart spokesman defended selling ‘gay’ items, “The only thing we take into consideration when we decide to sell something is whether we think there’s demand among our customers, We’re a retailer. We want to sell things our customers will buy.”

Wal-Mart joined the NGLCC last year stressing its commitment to working on diversity issues.

The store joins other brands such as the Ford Motor Company on a hitlist of so called ‘gay lifestyle promoters’ targeted by the AFA for working with the LGBT community.