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Loading ...McDonald’s Caves In To Anti-Gay Group Demands
10.10.2008 1:05pm EDT
(New York City) The American Family Association is calling off a boycott of McDonald’s after the fast-food giant agreed to end its support for the National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce.
In addition, a company employee appointed to the chamber’s board of directors has resigned.McDonald’s incurred the wrath of the AFA after it made a $20,000 donation to the chamber, and Richard Ellis, who until last month was vice president of communications for the chain, was named to the chamber’s
board of directors.
The company at first resisted AFA’s demands that it sever ties with the chamber. In a July response to the conservative group that fights LGBT issues nationwide, McDonald’s Global Chief Diversity Officer Pat Harris said: "We have a well-established and proud heritage of associating with individuals and organizations that share our belief that every person has the right to live and work in their community free of discrimination."
But now in an e-mailed memo to franchise holders, the company said it has dropped ties with the chamber.
"It is our policy to not be involved in political and social issues. McDonald’s remains neutral on same-sex marriage or any ‘homosexual agenda’ as defined by the American Family Association."
Richard Ellis is no longer with corporate headquarters. He is now with the company’s Canadian operation.
The e-mail said that Ellis stepped down from the chamber’s board "voluntarily."
"We appreciate the decision by McDonald’s to no longer support political activity by homosexual activist organizations," the AFA said in a statement to its members calling off the boycott.
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 boycotts resulted in little impact on the companies.
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.
It’s extremely sad that the AFA (Americans For Acrimony) promulgates such hate and spreads lies about the GLBT community ALL IN THE NAME OF THEIR GOD. My God is a loving God that loves all his/her children the same. We are all created in His image. No conditions for His love and acceptance.
Why do you even need a god? his image? get over it. You people sounds pathetic when you talk like that. It makes me want to boycott being gay.
What self-respecting gay/lesbian person eats that garbage anyway? All the gay/lesbian folks I know look fantastic (inclusing myself)!
Now if this was Whole Foods, GNC or LA Fitness, Houston might have a problem!
What self-respecting gay/lesbian person eats that garbage anyway? Just thinking about putting that trash in my body makes me sick.
Now if this was Whole Foods, Lettuce Surprise You, GNC or a major gym chain, Houston there is a problem.
the best way we can make our voices heard is either–economics,(boyctt Mcdonalds), and–Vote against such hate-biased misinformed miscreats-your ideas and freedoms –COUNT!!!
*** Response
Hello Trace:
Thank you for contacting McDonald’s. We appreciate this opportunity to share some information with you.
As we’ve said all along, McDonald’s stands by and supports our people. Diversity and inclusion are integral components of our brand and our heritage.
We continue to have strong employee networks throughout our company and will continue to align our brand with individuals and organizations that share our belief in supporting our people and the communities we serve.
Regarding Richard Ellis, he made a personal decision to step down from the Board of the National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce after he accepted a new position earlier this year with McDonald’s Restaurants of Canada, Limited.
At McDonald’s, we continue to value and respect everyone.
Thank you for sharing your personal point of view on this topic with us.
Jennifer
McDonald’s Customer Response Center
ref#:5493425
McDonald’s Caves In To Anti-Gay Group Demands…
I just tried to use the “contact us” on the McDonald’s website – however, it is either overloaded or not working… Guess it’s time to send snail mail. (BTW- I once heard that at the White House, many want to read every handwritten letter… wonder if that would work here too?)
As for boycotting on the grounds that McDonalds made a financial decision to step away from a relationship it appears to have had a good history with, and communicate it will no longer provide financial support in the future – because it was pressured by the AFA – definitely appears to have stated that they are taking a stand – one against the other. Where they spends their profits, to help others, is truly no business of any organization such as the AFA. Maybe by LGBT boycotts, McDonalds will see that they will be boycotted in either direction and just take a stand that “we shall contribute our money wherever we wish” and stand firm.
::shakes head in disgust:: Time to return to tofu and homemade salads!
I don’t eat there anyway. Their food is very unhealthy…and too expensive.
I also received McDonald’s BS response form letter after posting a complaint.
For everyone. Here is where you can POST an email letter to McDonalds:
http://www.mcdonalds.com/contact/contact_us.html
Please use the McDonald’s Corporate Responsibility link to the email form.
And here is my reply back to their response. Remember this; Not every gay is a body builder. A lot of us actually eat (ate) at McDonalds. Stop wasting energy on the ‘crap food argument’. This is about the Corporate Sponsoring of GLBT Genocide by Lobby Groups.
“…Recently I placed an email regarding your cowardly break with the Gay and Lesbian Chamber Of Commerce due to pressure by a recognized hate-group: The AFA.
Your press release indicates that you broke with GLCC because you do not support politcal or social groups. Of course on your own website you list all the political and social groups (like MECHLA)that you do support.
Ironically, the Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce is NOT a Political Organization, nor a Social Organization, but a Business Organization. However McDonald’s is now supporting the Political and Social Organiztion: The American Family Association.
Ultimately the message you have sent to millions of Gays and Lesbians in this country is that McDonalds supports the hateful prejudice and dangerous agenda of the AFA – more than the lives and families of our nations Gays and Lesbians. How many more gays and lesbians have to be bashed, or killed, untill companies like you get the point:
This ‘Moral Battle’ was waged on LGBT’s – Not the other way around. The AFA made LGBTs the enemy. They exist for no other reason than to derail the equal rights struggle we face daily.
I guess that makes 300 million Gays and Lesbians world wide, McDonalds’ enemies too.
‘All that’s neccesary for Evil to prevail is that good men do nothing’
Thanks for doing your part in the ongoing purge of Gays and Lesbians around the world!
We bet you’re lovin’ it!
We are spreading the word and a new boycott is on!”
Carry on, Bois and Gurlz.
Roger,
I tried your link twice but it was not working. Can you repost it? Thanks.
The mouth of Pope is full of blood.
This would be good time for me to break my love for Mcdees,sorry grandma, McDees got to go. It was fun going there and trying to keep in touch of my memories with my now deceased grandma who loved taking us(the grandkids) there. At this point I am going cold turkey on MCDees. It wasn’t like I was eating there daiy anyway.
Such a chame. Bring Boy/girlcotts on!
I think that Burger King and Wendy’s just
gained untold millions in customers.
What a gang of mutts.
Well I needed to lose weight anyway. I’ll miss those gloppy dripping buns full of a pound of lettuce and dehydrated onions and boy oh boy that thousand island dressing on a sesame seed bun. And the micro burgers themselves. Who else out there thought Ronald McDonald was gay? But Burger King with that scary commercial king has to go too. Money talks folks. By the way, do you realize that walmart is even more antigay, except for wanting everyones money? The list goes on and on…Peace
So I have to wonder when did we as a society allow an organization to have so much control over our corporations. So what if McDonald’s wants to contribute money to an organization, or even put an employee on the board of that organization. These groups are no better than lobbyists we allow to control our elected officials. Just because you believe in God, the Bible, and any other religious affliation doesn’t mean everyone else does. Why do we continue to let these uneducated people control us? It is time to step up and take back what is ours….BASIC AMERICAN RIGHTS