First off, my apologies for not having been around for a bit.  I’ve been dealing with some things with my company (trying to actually make money, heh), and it’s been tax time.  Now.  On to the entry.

It appears that the American Family Association is considering a boycott of Wal-Mart over the superstore’s selling of Brokeback Mountain.  This boycott is coming on the heals of AFA’s boycott of the Ford motor company, for some insane reason or another (I believe they were targetting homosexuals in their ads, or something equally amusing).

Hey, AFA.  New flash for you.  If your boycott of an already struggling mega corporation (Ford), failed, what makes you think that your boycott of the world retail leader, Wal-Mart will make a difference?  Trust me.  Wal-Mart will not even notice.  They will issue precisely one press release, and then let the matter drop.  You will make absolutely no difference, what-so-ever.  If you want to hurt someone for promoting those “evil” homosexuals (sarcasm), then for goodness sake,
go boycott some little mom and pop shop, or something.  Then again, mom and pop shops tend to be well supported by the local gay establishment, anyway.  After all, if they can turn a mom and pop shop, gay, imagine what they can do to your children.

All humor aside, let’s look at the track record for the AFA’s boycotts (Year - Company (reason for boycott)):

• Current - Ford Motor Company (advertising in LGBT media) = Negligible effect.
• 2004 - Proctor and Gamble (supported repeal of anti-gay law in Cincinnati) = P&G Ended most advertising in LGBT media.
• May 2005 - Kraft Foods [No full boycott] (Support of 2006 Gay Games in Chicago) = No Effect.
• 1996 - 2005 - Disney (Company sponsored “Gay Days” at Orlando theme park) = negligible effect (if any).

…I see a trend, here.  It appears that only one boycott had any major effect, and P&G’s removal of advertising in the LGBT media may have had less to do with the boycott, and more with demographics and advertising results.

The AFA is - in my opinion - one of many groups that do nothing but try to create waves whenever and wherever possible.  Their attempts to bring national attention to company’s that support homosexuals succeed.  Their attempts to cause problems with those companies, fail.

Overall, I am a little annoyed at all of the crap revolving around Brokeback Mountain.  It is just a movie, after all.