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After Anheuser Bush's disastrous rollout of their transgender "Bud-Light" beer campaign, you would think some corporate minds would take note.
After two homosexuals proudly announced their “Gay Pride” merchandise is coming to a Walmart store near you, a business watchdog says the business deal Walmart signed to promote “Pride Month” demonstrates something more troubling than grassroots activism the public has witnessed for years and years.
Why are they doing this?
Be informed, not misled.
The product line “Gay Pride Apparel” is designed by Sergio Aragon and Jesus Gutierrez. According to a story by The Arizona Republic, their small New York City-based company is one of four businesses rolling out “pride” merchandise for Walmart stores in June.
As you likely know, Walmart was started by Arkansas businessman Sam Walton. Walton was a Christian with Christian values.
Walmart has emerged as the world’s largest retailer and private employer with 5,300-plus stores in the U.S. Those stores brought in $572 billion in sales in 2022, with the stock currently trading at $149 a share.
So, why would they be inclined to sell out to the homosexual agenda?
The quick answer would be to suggest they think there are a lot of LGBTQ people in the marketplace, and they want their business. And perhaps they, as Anheuser Bush, have not considered the possible consequences.
That may be a part of the reason, but here's what drives their decision.
Speaking for National Center for Public Policy Research, Ethan Peck tells American Family Association that the fact that Walmart has embraced “Pride Month” in its stores demonstrates the corporation has been “captured” by the culture. What he means by that, he explains, is that corporate offices are not concerned anymore about pleasing customers or even making money for shareholders.
“They are interested in serving the asset managers like BlackRock, Vanguard, and State Street,” Peck warns, “who have taken them over.”
Wokesters are not calling the shots.
New York City-based BlackRock is a multi-trillion dollar investment behemoth. It made headlines in the past year for gobbling up whole neighborhoods to turn them into rental properties. The company also has its corporate claws in Walmart and has emerged as one of its top corporate investors along with Vanguard Group.
Peck's view of corporate America comes from first-hand experience after he and a National Center campaign called the Free Enterprise Project have crisscrossed the country to confront corporate CEOs about their left-wing activism in front of fellow shareholders. Owning shares gives National Center a seat at those shareholder meetings and an opportunity to speak. Still, Peck is witnessing that a Fortune 500 company seemingly motivated by left-wing Diversity-Equity-Inclusion activism is not setting the woke agenda in the corporate boardroom.
He says, “Sure, there are genuine wokesters at the corporation and there is an element of trying to appease the woke mob,” Peck explains. “But I think it's appeasing BlackRock, Vanguard, State Street, and Human Rights Campaign, and groups like that, that causes them to do this.”
Ironically my son and I had a conversation only a couple of weeks ago, and he was describing the same thing. He is in upper management with a top-50 U.S. corporation. You would know the company and its products.
He often shares with me the struggles he faces as a deeply committed Christian in this environment. But feels God has put him there for a purpose greater than making money.
Peck notes, "Back in 2018, for example, after the tragic shooting at Parkland High School, BlackRock announced it was offering its clients investment opportunities that didn’t include firearms, such as retailer stores and gun manufacturers. At the same time, Walmart announced it was removing AR-15-style rifles from its stores and was raising the age to purchase a shotgun or rifle to age 21."
He includes the Human Rights Campaign in his criticism because that national group, a homosexual lobbying firm, maintains a "Corporate Equality Index." Just as it sounds, the group watches to see how much major corporations embrace and promote LGBT activism in their HR policies, donations, hiring and promotions, and marketing campaigns. Walmart currently has a score of 100.
This is a link to BlackRock's back-patting congratulations for pleasing HRC and other left-wing groups.
These mega-corporations, like Walmart, use corporations like BlackRock, Vanguard, State Street, and others to fund expansion, manage funds, etc. Clearly, that is more important to them than the young kids that are destroyed in the process,
Takeaway
Meanwhile, the “Gay Pride Apparel” designers told The Arizona Republic the cooperation from Walmart surprised and delighted them because the business owners recognize the reach and influence of Walmart stores.
They're right; Walmart casts a very wide footprint of influence.
“This is, like, the biggest thing that Gay Pride Apparel has done — ever,” one of the business owners said.
“It's going to be so refreshing for a 13-year-old, a 14-year-old, someone younger than that,” one of them said, “to walk into a Walmart and see items that reflect their identity.”
"Refreshing" is not the word that comes to my mind.
These people are in denial.
The New York Post has written a great deal about the cruelty associated with the LGBTQ movement, particularly the "trans" movement.
Reading the article linked above is helpful, especially if this plague has touched your family or someone you love.
I would also recommend a book by Abigail Shrier that lays out what is happening in her seminal 2021 book “Irreversible Damage: The Transgender Craze Seducing Our Daughters.”
Pray for our country. Pray for our kids. Both are under demonic assault.
Be Informed. Be Discerning. Be Vigilant. Be Engaged. Be Bold. Be Prayerful.