Anti-gay efforts target Ford, Wells Fargo

[Cheese]

Wells Fargo Bank and Ford Motor Co. are the latest targets in a war to punish firms for gay-friendly policies, and, in Ford's case, one right-wing group appears to claim victory

Last week, Focus on the Family withdrew its funds from Wells Fargo, citing "ongoing efforts to advance the radical homosexual agenda," according to a statement by Jim Daly, Focus's chief executive officer.

Dont support gay agendas!

Ford ends publications in Gay mags!

[Hakan]

To highlight just how different attitudes are over this issue between the U.S. and Canada, the Royal Bank is a chief sponsor of Pride Week here in Vancouver.

They have taken out full page colour ads in the Straight and Xtra West newspapers featuring same-sex couples. The captions go something like, "a bank that cares,' and asking gays and lesbians to apply for jobs.

I remember hearing that anti-gay bigots in the U.S. caught wind of this and were boycotting RBC insurance and banks down in the States. I'll look into this.

[ken0042]

OK, call me a redneck, but how does deciding not to advertise in certain magazines make somebody anti-gay?

What if Ford found that the advertising wasn't working in those magazines? Or not to the effect that they wanted?

[CaramonLS]

Originally Posted by ken0042

OK, call me a redneck, but how does deciding not to advertise in certain magazines make somebody anti-gay?

What if Ford found that the advertising wasn't working in those magazines? Or not to the effect that they wanted?

You would be completely right if they did do it specifically for business reasons, but as the article said, they were under pressure (although denying that it had any effect on their position).

Just seems rather fishy. Also making the broad agenda to pull out of all Gay publications is a little strange too, if it was a business decision you might want to consider taking it out of specific gay magazines as opposed to all of them.

Do I know the answers? Nope.

However, it makes for a nice coincidence.

Another company in the crosshairs of an anti-gay group is Ford, which was threatened with a boycott from the American Family Association last spring due to its pro-gay policies. The American Family Association suspended the boycott when Ford engaged the group in discussions in June, and last week lifted the boycott completely -- just after Ford decided not to renew advertising campaigns for its Jaguar and Land Rover brands in gay publications, including the Advocate and Out magazines.

[ken0042]

That makes a little more sense. I was reading it as they had pulled out of one publication; not all of them.

[Reaper]

"Wells Fargo firmly believes it is our responsibility to serve every segment of our community, and we view our support for the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community as part of our broader commitment to diversity," Wells spokeswoman Melissa Morey told PlanetOut Network.

Good for Wells Fargo for not buckling to pressure by "Focus on the Family."

[arsenal]

I could see Ford buckling more so than Wells Fargo.
Wells Fargo being a bank, can draw funds from a number of sources, they aren't relient on a certain group of people.
Now Ford, a group like "focus on the family", could potentially do more damage to Fords bottom line by boycotting the company. Since the majority of the religous right live in the middle and southern parts of the states, one could argue that a large segment of those people are buying pick-ups. If Ford looses the F series market, that could be a huge hit to their bottom line.

[RougeUnderoos]

That Focus on the Family bunch, they are great.

I saw the boss on TV once. The gist of it is that if we accept gay marriages and treat gay people like normal people, homo-ness will become normal and families will break up because people will turn gay because they won't be scared of the stigma. The negative connotation of being gay is keeping families together.

Obviously this is nonsense, but they have a lot of people who believe it.

[Maritime Q-Scout]

Originally Posted by Hakan

To highlight just how different attitudes are over this issue between the U.S. and Canada, the Royal Bank is a chief sponsor of Pride Week here in Vancouver.

They have taken out full page colour ads in the Straight and Xtra West newspapers featuring same-sex couples. The captions go something like, "a bank that cares,' and asking gays and lesbians to apply for jobs.

I remember hearing that anti-gay bigots in the U.S. caught wind of this and were boycotting RBC insurance and banks down in the States. I'll look into this.

I don't understand why they would want to be associate with such a group of people that the bible clearly is against, that are unpopular, and will burn in hell or all of eternity for being so unholy and unnatural?





Like seriously why would you associate yourself with a Bank?

[Cheese]

March 20, 2005

1997: Focus on the Family co-founder apologizes to gays

PRESS CONFERENCE
A statement to the press on August 15, 1997
at the Gay and Lesbian PrideCenter, 125 N. Parkside Drive
Colorado Springs, Colo., Offices of Ground Zero Colorado Springs
A Public Apology and Appeal
by Gil Alexander-Moegerle
Co-Founder of Focus on the Family
(909) 592-6660
Contact: Frank Whitworth or GMoegerle@AOL.COM
Julie Cooper 719-635-6086
Gary Boetchner 719-535-0320

I have come to issue just such an apology for certain actions and attitudes on the part of the Christian Right in general and James Dobson and Focus on the Family in particular:
First, I apologize to the women of America for the sexist attitudes all-too-often displayed by James Dobson and the organization I helped found.
I apologize to African Americans and other ethnic minorities who are concerned by the continuing vestiges of intolerance in the land and by the dangerous role James Dobson, a wealthy, powerful, white, heterosexual male, plays in promoting intolerance.
I apologize to lesbian and gay Americans who are demeaned and dehumanized on a regular basis by the false, irresponsible, and inflammatory rhetoric of James Dobson's anti-gay radio and print materials.

The whole apology

There is a lot of stuff written about FoF...and almost all of it is negative.

[troutman]

Homophobia:

http://www.theocracywatch.org/homophob.htm

[HOZ]

Originally Posted by Cheese

Dont support gay agendas!

Ford ends publications in Gay mags!

Looks more like two groups mole-hilling here. Fords more likely is focussing on groups that buy certain products.

DETROIT - Ford Motor Co. said on Tuesday that its luxury Jaguar and Land Rover brands will no longer advertise in gay publications, but denied that the nation's second largest automaker made the decision under pressure from conservative Christian groups. "The decisions with regard to advertising was a business decision," Ford spokesman Mike Moran said. He said Ford's Volvo brand would continue advertising in gay publications. Ford hasn't advertised its Ford, Lincoln and Mercury brands in those publications, Moran added.

So if I am a detergent salesman and I focus on women. Am I antimale or a chauvanist pig that thinks all women should wash closthes?

[RougeUnderoos]

Originally Posted by HOZ

Looks more like two groups mole-hilling here. Fords more likely is focussing on groups that buy certain products.

DETROIT - Ford Motor Co. said on Tuesday that its luxury Jaguar and Land Rover brands will no longer advertise in gay publications, but denied that the nation's second largest automaker made the decision under pressure from conservative Christian groups. "The decisions with regard to advertising was a business decision," Ford spokesman Mike Moran said. He said Ford's Volvo brand would continue advertising in gay publications. Ford hasn't advertised its Ford, Lincoln and Mercury brands in those publications, Moran added.

So if I am a detergent salesman and I focus on women. Am I antimale or a chauvanist pig that thinks all women should wash closthes?

What does "mole-hilling" mean? Does it mean "making mountains out of mole-hills"? If it does then I agree.

Considering they'll still be advertising Volvo in said magazines I don't think either side can cry victory or discrimination.

Those fools at Focus on the Family do have a fair amount of money and influence to throw around for sure, but it doesn't look like they got to Ford.