Gays not welcome at local Wal-Mart

by Robin Dorner
Editor in Chief

When a local man walked into Wal-Mart in the small town of Chickasha (OK), he wasn’t expecting to be confronted about his sexual orientation. Certainly not from the Wal-Mart janitor, of all people.  

22 year old Jonathan Pacheco of Chickasha said he went to his local Wal-Mart on Wednesday to “just to get some cookies” when a man with a mop in his hands approached him and began a conversation about homosexuality.

Pacheco was shopping with his boyfriend but insists they weren’t ‘acting gay.’  

“He [boyfriend] had the shopping cart and we weren’t holding hands or kissing, or calling each endearing names. I mean, we are in Chickasha after all.”

The janitor approached Pacheco and said, “Did you hear about what happened in Anadarko with those two men that got married?” Pacheco said, “Oh, that’s cool.” He hadn’t heard the story so the man continued, including much criticism of homosexuality.

“Then this janitor just looked at me and said that inhis Bible, ‘it’s Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve,’” Pacheco added. “Then he asked me to leave the store and I was told I wasn’t welcome there because I’m gay.

“I have no idea how he knew I was gay. I don’t even ‘act gay’ and I don’t know what I did to deserve this type of judgment from a Wal-Mart janitor.”

“And I have no clue on what authority this guy spoke to me this way,” Pacheco added. “I laugh about it because then I finished my shopping and I was a little shocked. I’m still trying to figure out what really happened.”

Pacheco said even in the small town of Chickasha he has never seen this man other than there in the local Wal-Mart.

Later, Pacheco updated his Facebook status stating what had happened. Soon after, he got a call from James Bright, Editor in Chief ofThe Express Star, the Chickasha newspaper.

“I guess he [Bright] saw my status update and called me. That’s how this story is getting out there.”

Wal-Mart spokesperson was unavailable for comment at the time of this writing. However, according to The Express Star, Wal-Mart spokesperson Kayla Whaling confirmed the company is investigating the incident.