Monday's Walmart Demonstrations in Waco bring Partial Pullback on Pornography Sales

From John Pisciotta, Director
Pro-Life Waco

Before I describe what happened, I make TWO URGENT ACTION REQUESTS.

• Action request #1. Call Waco Walmart Stores (254-751-0464 & 254-666-9021) and Walmart headquarters (800-WALMART). Ask to speak to managers in Waco and express your solidarity with our demand for complete elimination of sales of the 50 Shades of Grey deplorable movie.

• Action request #2. Make some signs and deliver an “outreach” at a Walmart near you. We cannot advance the battle for our children if we do not engage in battles.

Our 1-2 punch against Walmart in Waco began at 8 a.m. by setting up our signs and positions at the main vehicle entrance to Walmart on Franklin Avenue. Thank you Mike, Fred, Frank, Laura, Ellen, Janie, Nick, Joe, Vincent, Sil, and Carroll for participating. By 9 a.m., we had our limited victory. 

The store manager walked out to take a look at what was going on. I engaged him in conversation. The exchange was quite civil and we discussed what he could and could not do as manager. Our non-negotiable demand is the end to pornographic 50 Shades of Grey video sales at the store. He said he could not end sales but would remove all 50 Shades DVDs from checkout lanes. This would limit pornography sales to the video section of the store. I confirmed at 7 p.m. this evening that the checkout lanes were clear of 50 Shades of Grey. Beyond signs, I also want to note that we were quite successful in distributing a page of information about the 50 Shades movie.

By 11 a.m., we moved the demonstration to the Walmart store on Hewitt Drive. The opportunity to engage people was even greater at this store. Additionally, we had plenty of opportunity to engage the management. I thought it would be a good idea to hand out flyers at the walk-in entrance to the store. Customers were quite receptive. However, the managers found this objectionable. Two managers came out to discuss the situation. I complied with their request to leave the area. Shortly after I returned to the demonstration area, police officers arrived on the scene. They were very helpful in setting the legal ground rules for the demonstration. We had to move three signs back a few feet and also remove our cars from their parking lot. The next flare up came when one of our young demonstrators named Fred went into the Walmart store to use the restroom. He was told that he could not enter in the store because he was wearing our pro-life t-shirt. Fred and I went back into the store for clarification with the store manager. I asked why he was offended by a pro-life t-shirt but willing to sell pornography. I objected to the violation of first amendment rights. The manager did not like our being in the store. We departed the store and wrapped up the demonstration by 1 p.m. –with a sincere promise to return.

With your help, this battle with Walmart will continue—with some new signs. I welcome your suggestions for sign wording. I am considering these two:

--Walmart is disgracing the memory of Sam Walton.
--Walmart is selling a pornographic DVD: 50 Shades of Grey.

I close by stating again TWO ACTION REQUESTS: 

1. Call and complain to Walmart managers.
2.  Demonstrate against Walmart in your community.

SILENCE IS SURRENDER

Demonstrations at Waco Walmarts this Monday (June 1) over 50 Shades of Grey Video Promotion

From John Pisciotta
Director of Pro-Life Waco

The time for searching and planning is over. It is time for action from the daring. Pro-Life Waco seeks broad support for demonstrations this Monday, June 1, at Walmarts in the Waco area.

You and I can be at the Franklin Ave. Walmart (New Road vehicle entrance/exit) from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. During the 10-11 hour, we will transition over to the Hewitt Walmart (Hewitt Drive entrance) for a demonstration that will last until 1 p.m. We will NOT hit the Bellmead Walmart since their 50 Shades video sales do not spread across the store to customer checkout stands. I have revised the signs we used in the Battle of Target, replacing the Target name with Walmart. Come and hold one of these signs or make one of your own. In reality, the most important “sign” is YOUR physical presence. Each person who comes out will have a more powerful impact than one sign staked to the ground.

Those who participate—hopefully dozens—will be heeding the Gospel call to defend and shield the hearts and souls of precious children. Will we succeed? In some ways, I am sure we will succeed. Our comfortable silence while Walmart markets 50 Shades of Gray will be replaced by visual, vocal, and PERSONAL opposition. We will send messages to marketers at Walmart and to our Christian neighbors.

When we step into the public arena we are sometimes criticize by others—even our Christian friends and relatives and pastors. Let us be encouraged by those who deride us for daring to take action. I dedicate this Monday’s Walmart outreach to a special group of Protestant pastors in Waco. In the early fall of 2005, Hooters restaurant sought City of Waco permits to build a sexually oriented restaurant in our city. These pastors did not shrug and go with the flow. They appealed to city officials in a public stand for virtue and for rejection of Hooters permits. They raised money and placed full-page ads seeking public support for their cause. Unfortunately, the permits were granted and the restaurant opened in January of 2006, I do not see their efforts as a defeat by any means. They stood for what was right and appealed to other to join their cause. 

I appeal to pastors, staff, and laity of Christian churches in the Central Texas area to join Monday anytime between 8 a.m. and 1 p.m. to say to Walmart management and the Waco community that we are not going to wave “a white flag” with continued silence.

I close with a quote from over 100 years ago from Theodore Roosevelt about the significance of action for a great cause:

“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly.”