I have long been a huge fan of the Sam Walton family and the tremendous success story they made for themselves in corporate America. Not a huge fan of their clothing lines, but for tools, electronics, camping gear and other life essentials...well...suffice it to say I've spent my share of dollars on everything from batteries to gum.

I've known numbers of people who worked for the company and they've always confided that it is an amazing company by way of internal promotion. Someone can start out as a stock boy and within two years become a store manager.

There is something simple, familiar, inexpensive, and friendly at a Wal-Mart. During college basketball days when the team would be on the road, we never felt far from home if we could load up on CD's, Slim-Jims (the beef snack - not automobile door openers), and Mountain Dew, and zip through the smiley face check-out lane.

On nearly every occasion I've ever visited a Wal-Mart I've nearly always seen entire families shopping together, of every racial and ethnic background you could imagine. Newer than Sears, less expensive than Target, much more hip than K-Mart there quite possibly couldn't be a more family-friendly vendor in all of America.

Until this week...

Wal-Mart stores have now signed on to an agreement with the "National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce."

Leaving me to ask the question - WHY?

Wal-Mart never excluded anyone from being employed there based on their sexual preference. To them, and more importantly to the consumer - it didn't matter. Homosexuals got hired, fired, paid, and promoted in the exact same fashion everyone else did. In fact to be honest, unless the employee came in bragging about his conquests from the night before - the subject never came up.

And that's how it should be. It's not my business if you're shacking up with your girlfriend but you don't have the chutzpah to marry her. It's God's business - but not mine. If you're openly cheating on your married spouse - you are the one who will have to pay the price for that knowledge being public. But then again, who would benefit if you did? Whatever your appetite in sexual desire, men, women, pets, and blow-up dolls - in a civilized society - it should never be in good taste to discuss it publicly.

So why is Wal-Mart now spending resources in time, attention and money to promote same gender sexual behavior?

Why will a Wal-Mart Vice President now sit on the NGLCC task force?

Why will Wal-Mart spend monetary resources to help fund conferences that promote same gender sexual behavior? Would they do the same for adulterers? Pedophiles? Men who like sheep?

Why will Wal-Mart go out of its way to purchase products from businesses that profit from same gender sexual behavior?

And why did they have to change their policy on the extension of benefits for married to partners to now include same-sex domestic partners? Will they also extend the benefits to opposite-sex domestic partners? Why are they discriminating against heterosexuals?

Admittedly I haven't been in a Wal-Mart in about three years. New York City seems to have a chip on its shoulder about them and won't seem to let them come with arm's reach of Manhattan. Which brings about Wal-Mart's newest challenge. Continued...