FORD negotiates end to gay support with American "Family" Association

[kevinbgoode]

We need support here -

Six months ago, wacko extraordinaire and self-appointed censorship/spiritual guru Don Wildmon threatened Ford with a boycott if they didn't immediately stop supporting the "radical homosexual agenda."

Ford announced they were halting advertisements in "advocacy" publications, one of the key demands made by the American Family Association. After cozy meetings with Ford execs, where they discussed the relationship Ford has with the gay community, the AFA made an announcement that they were pleased with the positive steps Ford was taking to "act" on their concerns. Those concerns were all about the GLBT community.

More about this on http://www.americablog.org

When the gay newsmagazine interviewed a Ford spokesperson, he referred them to the AFA web site - that was the first any GLBT organization learned of the "agreement." Ford is trying to claim this was just a dialogue, not negotiations, but their announcement to end advertising came right after their meetings with the AFA, and the AFA is taking credit for doing this. Ford, so far, has not denied their statement.

This article appeared about the meetings between the religious Right and Ford:

{snip)

Ford Motor Co. has averted a boycott scheduled for Dec. 1 by the American Family Assn. (AFA), Ward’s has learned.

The proposed boycott, which was halted in June, a few weeks after its start, was in protest of what the AFA calls an “enthusiastic” support of the gay rights agenda.

In averting the AFA boycott, Ford may have made some concessions in its policy of advertising and support of gay publications and community activities, but neither side will comment on the details of the truce.

In a Nov. 29 meeting at AFA headquarters in Tupelo, MS, David Leitch, general counsel and vice president for Ford, and Ziad Ojakli, group vice president-Corporate Affairs, along with Dallas-area Ford dealer Jerry Reynolds, hammered out a deal.

“We are ending the boycott of Ford,” said Donald E. Wildmon, Chairman of AFA. “While we still have a few differences with Ford, we feel that our concerns are being addressed in good faith and will continue to be addressed in the future.”

A Ford spokesman says the two parties had a “broad discussion” and deferred to the AFA to announce the reconciliation details.

According to a list of demands on AFA’s website, the organization insisted Ford and all of its brands stop donating – whether with cash, vehicles or endorsements – to homosexual social activities.

http://wardsauto.com/ar/auto_ford_averts_potential/


In other words, Ford was engaging in meetings with a hate group whose only demands were that the company cease association with the gay community. Of course, the gay community wasn't included in these meetings.

As you can imagine, outrage is a mild word for the reaction building in our community.

But we may need to ask for your support...to email dealers in protest of this action and Ford. The company is supposed to issue a statement tomorrow in response to the reaction from LGBT organizations, which, for the first time in years, are UNITED in their concern about this situation.

[cap]

1. how about a reverse boycott...

two can play at the same game...

Also, mega publicity about the MEANNESS.

[Pushed To The Left]

2. Sickening

I thought Ford was supposed to be one of those "secular progressive" companies that O'Reilly and his ilk warned their followers about. Turns out they might not be so progressive after all. They need to grow a spine!

[kevinbgoode]

10. Two of the negotiator/executives from Ford

who flew to Mississippi to meet with the AFA were former assistant counsels specializing in legislative and legal affairs with the Bush Administration. That is certainly clue number one about a change in direction.

One of the others, who is a former chairman of the North Texas region of the Ford Dealers Council, arranged the six-month delay in the AFA boycott so dealers and Ford could arrange meetings with the AFA. When he was chairman, he represented some 370 dealers in the North Texas area. . .and he is quoted quite frequently in automotive industry magazines. . .which makes me think he had quite a few dealers on-board to negotiate away Ford's relationship with the GLBT community.

Ford, of course, is claiming this is solely a business decision, but after you read that story in the first post, it's rather obvious something more was going on. . .

[kevinbgoode]

11. According to their sources, the Company will be issuing

a response tomorrow - I'm not very optimistic. My opinion is that no company holds a dialogue with a third party over the right to market to someone else.

Frankly, if we suggested we threaten a boycott if they don't stop all support for the AFA, do you think we'd receive this kind of attention?

Does this mean if the KKK threatens a boycott, Ford will meet with them, let them issue a statement of agreement, and announce they are withdrawing advertising from Black or Jewish publications?

[FreedomAngel82]

20. This is Henry Ford of GM?

If so than he's a pure Nazi. He even recieved a medal from them.

[hvn_nbr_2]

3. Is it good business to kowtow to hate groups?

We need to make sure they don't think so. Well, they seem to think so now, but we need to change their minds.

[miles44]

4. The AFA is quite amazing.....

with only a few thousand phone callers they can change and alter corporate actions. Amazing isn't it. Maybe we should form our own counter "democrat AFA." Just an idea.....

[jayfish]

15. Wouldn't Really Matter.

Any communication campaign designed by folks of left-leaning persuasion is automatically dismissed as staged and given little merit. That being said, I have owned several Fords including the mini-van I own right now. I wouldn't think of buying another.

Jay

[Skittles]

5. well it's not like gay folk drive cars

oh wait.......

this is just pure hate and bigotry at its lowest form

[killbotfactory]

6. This?! From the same company that supported nazi's?!

Say it ain't so!

[michreject]

16. This is from the same company

That owns the Detroit Lions.:puke:

[driver8]

7. Fuck Ford! Let's flood them with letters and boycott their ass.

We can all write to them and tell them we will never purchase another piece of shit Ford product as long as they are kissing the ass of the American Nazi Assn.

This country is getting ridiculous. All men are created equal my ass-- fuck them.

[w13rd0]

8. And who among the AFA was subscribing to these...

..."gay publications" and gay-friendly venues that included these ads? It's not like Ford was running commercials on Fox Family with two queens going for a drive. They were running ads in GAY MARKETS. Oh, the HORROR. Why does the AFA hate our freedoms? Why do they so hate capitalism?

Highest per capita disposable income, highest per capita education level, highest per capita "media consumers". Ford is showing a remarkable LACK of business acumen in this decision, and they should be made to know it.

[NMMNG]

9. I am so sick and tired of businesses pandering to these hatemongers

Ford will definitely be hearing from me. :mad:

[...of J.Temperance]

12. Isn't this Donald Wildmon the SAME freak that was

Boasting last week about his boycott of Target over the stupid Christmas thing?

This mouthbreather...he terms himself a "moral crusader". Oh yeah, self styled "moral crusader's" USUALLY in private are fucking co-ed's, or fucking minors, or fucking animals...or SOMETIMES fucking ALL of them.

Look at him, weirdo grin and no damn neck!

[xchrom]

13. corporate manipulation of the ''virtuous citizen''.

who's manipulating who here?

afa -- i know them, they are an enemy i can quantify.

but i have some doubts that afa has all the control here -- corporations are in part behind the ''divide and conquer'' strategy we see in politics.

there's a lot going on in this agreement -- and i think it's ford who's making out better and has more control over what happened here than meets the eye.

[terrya]

14. From Americablog.com: here are some people you can call

To let them know what you think about Ford consorting with hate groups like the American Family Association. I'm tired of this bullshit, quite frankly. I've called some of the people on this list.

Contact: Rosemary Mariniello, Jaguar Land Rover North America, [phone]
Contact: Jim Cain, Ford Division, [phone]
Contact: Sara Tatchio, Lincoln and Mercury, [phone]
Contact: Roger Ormisher, Volvo Cars of North America, Inc., [phone]
Contact: George Pipas, Ford Motor Company, [phone]
Contact: Dan Bedore, Ford Division, [phone]

[NJmaverick]

17. BE SURE TO CONTACT THE AFA

and tell them what you think of their hate filled agenda.

http://www.afa.net/#

or click here to send them a personal message

http://www.afa.net/contact.asp

[kevinbgoode]

18. kick. . .

This situation is heating up by the hour. . .

[StefanX]

19. Ask Ford what they'd do if the KKK told them to pull ads from black media

Info on Ford's advertising directed at minorities -- and contact #s for Ford -- here:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x5523602