Right-Wing Group Urges McDonald's Boycott Over Support of Gays

The American Family Association called on its members to boycott McDonald's over the company's support for the National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce.

According to the conservative Christian organization's website, the boycott "is not about hiring homosexuals .... It is not about homosexuals eating at McDonald's .... It is not about how homosexual employees are treated.

"It is about McDonald's, as a corporation, refusing to remain neutral in the culture wars. McDonald's has chosen not to remain neutral but to give the full weight of their corporation to promoting the homosexual agenda, including homosexual marriage," the site went on to say.

McDonald's recently gave a donation to the chamber and was invited to have a company representative sit on the organization's board. It stands by its support of the chamber.

"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," McDonald's global chief diversity officer, Pat Harris, said in a press release.

AFA has perviously boycotted Disney, Ford, Proctor & Gamble, and Kraft Foods and a threatened boycott of Wal-Mart. (The Advocate)

Reader Comments

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Name: Larry Smith
Date posted: 2008-07-25 5:23 PM
Hometown: Somonauk, Illinois

Comment:

I'm curious, why is that many of you on this posting think it's just fine for a corporation (or an individual for that matter) to promote a cultural position that has nothing to do with the core business, but when another group (many of them customers) disagree with that position you immediately revert to name calling? The AFA simply asked McDonalds not to support a lobbying organization that has actively worked against the historical and traditional definitiion of marriage. They explicitly said it's not about employment discrimination or anything else. It's simply a bit of common sense. If you promote your business and image as "Family" business and "Kid Friendly", why would you financially support an organization that is attempting to redefine the definition of a term and a tradition that is an underpinning of culture since the beginning of recorded history?

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