But it seems to me that Wal-Mart is simply saying that it won't take part in the continuing debasement of our popular culture. No store is morally or legally bound to sell products it considers harmful or degrading. The more stores take social responsibility for the things they sell, the healthier the society will be. This is all to the good. Spare us the argument that Petty's lone F-word was of crucial artistic importance.
Nobody believes that.
It was put in for commercial reasons, and it will come out for commercial reasons as well. The cry of censorship is a tiresome reaction to decisions like the one made by Wal-Mart. It's a form of pressure intended to coerce someone to remain part of the problem. Wal-Mart is not blocking free expression here. Besides, in a free-enterprise system, everything is supposed to respond to market forces.