Wal-Mart, eBay, Amazon and Sears say they will ban the sale of Confederate flags and similarly theme

(23 Jun 2015) VOICE-OVER: CONTROVERSY SURROUNDING THE DISPLAY OF THE CONFEDERATE FLAG HAS NATIONAL RETAILERS reviewing THEIR OFFERINGS. WAL-MART, EBAY, AMAZON AND SEARS HAVE ALL ANNOUNCED THAT ITEMS CONTAINING IMAGERY OF THE FLAG AND SIMILARLY THEMED MERCHANDISE Will BE REMOVED FROM STORE SHELVES AND WEBSITES. THOUSANDS OF ITEMS ARE LISTED ON RETAILERS SITES, SUGGESTING THAT IT COULD TAKE TIME TO REMOVE ALL goods IN QUESTION. SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH) JOE PISANI, ASSOCIATED PRESS BUSINESS WRITER: ".. ... ... ... " THE RED-WHITE-AND-BLUE CONFEDERATE BATTLE FLAG REPRESENTS RACISM TO MANY, AND SOUTHERN HERITAGE TO OTHERS. PUTTING RETAILERS IN AN AWKWARD POSITION. A debate playing out on the national stage. SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH) Josh Earnest, White House Press Secretary "Obviously this is a decision individual businesses have to take. We welcome Wal-mart's decision but it's a decision for individual businesses." THE controversy OVER THE flag was re-ignited AFTER THE SHOOTING DEATHS OF NINE BLACK CHURCH MEMBERS IN SOUTH CAROLINA. THE STATE'S GOVERNOR, NIKKI HALEY SAID THIS WEEK THAT THE FLAG SHOULD BE REMOVED FROM THE STATEHOUSE GROUNDS. WARREN LEVINSON - ASSOCIATED PRESS Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter:   / ap_archive   Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​ Instagram:   / apnews   You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...