Subscribe to Breaking NewsRuby-Sachs: Prop 8 Donors Scared of Boycotts?
I am amazed by a story run by the AP today in which supporters of Proposition 8 are asking for court relief from campaign finance laws. One complaint is that business who employ people who donated to Prop 8 are facing boycotts.
Now I don’t believe that businesses should be held accountable for the political views of mere employees, but I also believe that boycotts are perfectly legal, important tools for the promotion of social causes. In fact, the anti-gay lobby has been, perhaps, the most successful boycotter of all.
They consistently encourage businesses (like McDonalds) to pull funding for equality organizations, encourage television networks to pull shows with gay content and encourage individual organizations to tone down their pro-rights language.
How can they be complaining about boycotts?
This case will not be about the right to a secret ballot. It is about the right to funnel large amounts of money to certain political causes. This, thank goodness, has never been a privilege in the United States.
The truth is that, progressive and conservative donors risk exposure for their affiliations. Legally, the U.S. does not protect them from the fallout of their declaration. Instead, it is up to the people to avoid a similar situation to the kind of witch hunts for communist individuals during the McCarthy era.
So my suggestion to our community is to carefully craft an effective dissent strategy. Leave the individuals who donated to Prop 8 alone. Look to the bigger players, the CEO’s, the corporations, etc. Organize targeted boycotts that get the big players and forget about the employees at Home Depot.
And for God’s sake, stop sending white powder in envelopes. Not only is that illegal, but it is so 2001.
Don’t forget to keep your friends north of the border informed. After all these companies also carry on business up here, and companies like Home Depot, Walmart, Lowes, etc. are having big enough problems here already.
Glen — No need to worry about us up here. We are well aware of which companies have chosen to throw our brothers and sisters under the bus state side. We have and will continue to deal with those companies and individuals until all people are given the simple dignity that we are lucky to have here.
They are reaping what they have sown. No pity!
Is the list accessible now?
OK IM A TEENAGER AN I STILL DNT UNDERSTAND WHY PPL JUS HAVE TO BE SO CRUEL WHEN THEY SEE OTHER PEOPLE TRYIN TO LIVE THEIR LIVES HAPPY. AND THEY PART ABOUT HAVING TO CHANGE WHAT THE SCHOOLS TALK ABOUT (MARRIAGE WISE) THESE KIDS ALREADY KNOW ABOUT HOMOSEXUALITY THEIR AROUND IT EACH AND EVERYDAY TEACHERS STUDENTS AND THE FACUTLY. THE ONLY REASON WHY THESE PEOPLE ARE ACTING THIS WAY ABOUT THIS WHOLE SITUATION IS BECAUSE OF WHAT THEY WERE RAISE UP KNOWING WHEN YOUR PARENTS DONT LIKE SOMETHING THE CHILD USELY DOESNT NEITHER THATS WHY RACISM TOOK EFFECT. I FEEL THAT THESE PEOPLE ARE ONLY THINKING OF THEMSELVES IF A GAY COUPLE WANTS TO GET MARRIED THEN WHY SHOULD IT BE ANYBODY ELSES BUSINESS???
GAY PPL HAVE THE EXACT SAME RIGHTS AND PRIVILEDGES AS ANYBODY ELSE ONLY DIFFERENCE ABOUT THEM IS THAT THEY LIKE THEIR SAME SEX.. [[BIG DEAL]]
PPL THESE DAYS ARE SO WORRIED ABOUT OTHER PPL THAT THEY CANT WORRY ABOUT THE OTHER REAL SERIOUS SITUATIONS THAT ARE GOING IN SOCIETY… ITS VERY UNFAIR FOR ALL OF THEM.ITS NOT RIGHT. U CANT STAND THAT THE FACT THAT SOMEBODY IS ACTUALLY IS HAPPY. I DNT KNOW WHY ITS SUCH A BIG DEAL LOVE IS LOVE IT SHOULDNT MATTER WHO IT COMES FROM BECAUSE EVERYONE NEEDS IT. I DNT SEE ANY LAWS OUT HERE ABOUT THESE ANTI-CHRIST PPL. THESE PPL THAT CANT STAND GOD.. I DNT SEE ANYTHING ABOUT THAT IN THE HEADLINES…NOBODY’S DOING ANYTHING TO HELP PREVENT ALL THESE YOUNG TEENAGERS HAVING BABIES. I KNOW KIDS THAT ARE 12 AND 13 HAVING SEX AND HAVING BABIES!!!! AND NOBODY’S TRYING TO PURSUE THESE KIDS TO NOT DO. EVERYBODY IS DIFFERNT EVERYONE DOESNT LIKE THE SAME THING AND THATS IMPOSSIBLE FOR ANY OF US TO DO THAT. IM MY OWN INDIVIDUAL AND I LOVE MYSELF NO MATTER WHAT ANYBODY HAS TO SAY OR THINK ABOUT ME……
CONFUSION IN A SINGLE MINDED WORLD…
Thanks to the people in Canada who are helping out with the boycotts. Just to let you know, when given the opportunity I always buy Canadian. The produce is a lot more money than if I bought Californian but it feels better to support a country that sees me as an equal. The apples are great, also.