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Loading ...Gay foes blast Hallmark same-sex wedding cards
08.25.2008 12:50pm EDT
(New York City) A conservative Christian group is urging its members to write to Hallmark Greeting Cards to complain about the company’s new same-sex wedding cards.
Hallmark unveiled the cards last week after California joined Massachusetts as the only U.S. states with legal gay marriage. A handful of other states have recognized same-sex civil unions.The cards featured two tuxedos, overlapping hearts or intertwined flowers, with best wishes inside. “Two hearts. One promise,” one says.
The language inside the cards is neutral, with no mention of wedding or marriage, making them also suitable for a commitment ceremony. Hallmark said the move is a response to consumer demand, not any political pressure.
But the American Family Association is urging its thousands of members to “take action.”
“We’ve all given or received Hallmark Cards – remember their slogan – ‘when you care enough to send the very best.’ But promoting same-sex marriage for profit is not the very best for families or our nation,” the AFA said in a mass mailing to its members.
“Hallmark is a private company obviously driven by greed. Let them know you do not appreciate Hallmark promoting a lifestyle which is illegal in 48 states.”
AFA also reminds its members that American Greeting Cards, Hallmark’s competitor, does not offer same-sex marriage cards.
In July the AFA launched a boycott of McDonald’s over the company’s support for the National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce.
Previous AFA boycotts have involved Disney, Ford, Proctor and Gamble and Kraft Foods and a threatened boycott of Wal-Mart. Financial analysts have said the boycotts had little effect.
Hallmark has not said how many complaints it has received over the wedding cards.
McDonald’s remained firm in resisting AFA demands that it sever ties with the LGBT Chamber of Commerce.
The AFA previously boycotted Disney for several year’s over its support for Gay Days at Disney World, although the company was not an official sponsor of the event.
It boycotted Cincinnati-based Proctor and Gamble over the company’s support for the repeal of a city charter amendment that prevented Cincinnati city council from enacting any laws that would recognize gays and lesbians.
The group boycotted Kraft for its support of the Chicago Gay Games and threatened to boycott Wal-Mart over its involvement with the National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce.
The AFA boycott of Ford was heralded as a success by the organization which noted that it had resulted in a drop in sales and share value. But most financial analysts said that Ford’s problems were really the result of vehicle designs that failed to impress the public.
The conservative Christian group launched a nationwide boycott of Ford in 2005 over the automaker’s support for LGBT issues, briefly put it on hold and then reinstated it.
The AFA claimed victory when Ford began pulling its ads from LGBT publications, but industry observers and the company said the ad pullout was part of a downsizing of expenses.
If marriage is for children, then we MUST disolve all marriages when a woman starts menopause.
If you don’t like same-sex unions then don’t have one. Good grief! If you don’t want to buy a same-sex union card..then don’t! What is so hard about that?
Why is there a big (greater than 15 minute delay) on seeing our posts appear?
You know the old saying “Money talks and b*llshit walks,” so let’s put our money where our mouth is and support Hallmark by buying a card.
It’s about time large companies like Hallmark understand GLBT people are just like everyone else! We’re NOT going away because we’re not doing anything wrong, immoral or criminal! Thank you Hallmark! Susan in Boston
I too took the time, and encourage others to take a moment to write a letter of thanks to Hallmark Donald Hall at sgronb3@hallmark.com
Dear Chairman Hall:
My partner and I, along with our families appreciate the opportunity to be able to find a card that speaks to us, that being your new line geared towards homosexuals. I know that some, including the American Family Association, will be filling your mail boxes with letters of hatred and disgust toward you and Hallmark. This is why I wanted to take a moment to say “thanks”!
I know that doing the right thing is not always the easiest. I’m confident that their boycott will work as well as their boycott of Disney and other companies, that is not at all. And until that proves to be the case, thank you for not giving into the religious fringe of society and leaving a whole community out of your store.
Sincere thanks,
I agree with all the above. But since the AFA’s boycotts had no effect, why do we think that our boycotts on homophobic companies will have an effect?
Always remember that we constantly need to re-evaluate our strategy to stay ahead of our opponents.
We should start showing the world how much the afa is not in tuned with what the bible says. its just a small bunch of narrow minded people with big mouths. Oh and yes i’m gay and proud of it!
What the heck is wrong with this American Family Association. Do they think by their so called “do gooder” actions that they are going to save the whole of humanity from a life of purgatory in hell. Do they not have enough other more important issues to take up the cause of, then whether a major company chooses to be inclusive and provide products reflecting all walks of life. If they keep up with these tirades (not unlike the Fred and Shirley Phelps gang of so called religious zealots), I would not be in the very least surprised that the general population will grow weary and tire of all the nonsense. And I say to Hallmark, don’t listen to them and Congratulations on making a fair and positive move in providing your products to ALL people of ALL walks of life!!!
Oh no!! What can they possibly do now??
Too bad they dont take into account the fact that there are closeted gays in their own churches.
Have they even proposed a legitimate reason why same sex marriage will ‘destroy’ the image of what it means to be a family??
9The cards look equally as normal as any other wedding cards..)
Actually McDonald stock was up almost every day of the boycott. Lots of us ate there…even if it was only the iced caramel coffee (great by the way) or sundae.
What bigots! I’ve forwarded an email directly to Hallmark’s Donald J. Hall (sgronb3@hallmark.com) thanking the company for including greetings for same sex couples.
What a bunch of whiners! Hallmark has had uber-Christian cards in their line for decades, and no one has ever suggested a boycott for promoting the Christian “lifestyle”. Let the AFA take a page from our book — buy the cards you like, don’t buy the cards you don’t like. What are they afraid of — that they’ll accidentally read a gay-themed card and turn gay? If they have such a tenuous hold on their family values that they need the support of privately-held, for-profit companies to maintain them, maybe they should start their own greeting card company.
To all so called conservative christians: Roses are red, Violets are blue. I’d rather be gay, than a bigot like you…..
It’s interesting that more and more companies are ignoring the (Christian) right on GLBT issues. Maybe these wedge issue, control-reak, busybodies will finally become irrelevant.