The poorly-named American Family Association seems to announce a new boycott at least once a month. Usually the targeted company more or less ignores the silly little religious right group, nothing happens, and the AFA moves on to its next victim. Unfortunately, Ford seems confused about how this is supposed to go.
The AFA launched a nine-year boycott of Disney, for example, during which time none of the group's demands were met and the company enjoyed a surge in profits. The AFA also launched boycotts against Crest toothpaste, Volkswagen, Tide detergent, Clorox bleach, Pampers, MTV, Abercrombie & Fitch, K-Mart, Burger King, the Carl's Jr. hamburger chain, Kraft Foods, Mary Kay Cosmetics, Old Navy stores, NutriSystem, and American Airlines. Late last year, the AFA went after the movie "Shark Tale," because the group believed the movie was designed to brainwash children into accepting gay rights. Then, it was American Girl dolls. Then it was Target for its lack of the word "Christmas" in its advertising. The whole thing is pretty embarrassing, but the AFA just keeps doing it.
Some of the AFA's most recent targets are: "[T]he Carl’s Jr. hamburger chain (to protest its racy new ad featuring Paris Hilton), Kraft Foods (for its sponsorship of the 2006 Gay Games), Mary Kay Cosmetics and Old Navy stores (for advertising on ABC’s prime-time soap opera “Desperate Housewives”) and NutriSystem Inc., the weight-loss company (for airing its own salacious TV ad)."
Meanwhile the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force is planning to have a little talk with the foolish Ford Motor Co. Pity the poor folks at Ford; obviously they do not know what they have wrought.
John at Americablog has lots more, including all the info you need for some email action. He has the contact info for the Ford dealership near you. Here's the Ford page for Tennessee. Tell them to tell Ford headquarters that you called and will be shopping elsewhere unless or until they come to their senses.
On a related note, see this post for some evidence that the threatened boycott of American Girl, by the AFA and other extremist groups, may have actually increased sales. But then, American Girl did not surrender to the crazies.
Gay Rights Equality Civil Rights Homophobia Radical Right Gay Boycott
