Conservative Christian Group Ends 9-Year Disney Boycott

[speck76]

Conservative Christian Group Ends 9-Year Disney Boycott


DOW JONES NEWSWIRES
May 24, 2005 1:54 p.m.

TUPELO, Miss. (AP)--A conservative Christian group has ended its boycott of the Walt Disney Co. (DIS), launched nine years ago in response to what leaders perceived as the erosion of the company's squeaky-clean image.

"There are so many other issues we need to move on to and deal with that are taking our time and energy," American Family Association President Tim Wildmon wrote in a letter published Monday on the group's Web site.

"If you're going to call for a boycott of a company - if something has become that serious - you need to have all your resources behind it."

The boycott had a limited impact. Disney has reported higher earnings, citing increased attendance at its theme parks and strong performance from its film studio and ABC television network.

The Tupelo-based Christian group has protested Disney's extension of benefits to domestic partners of gay employees, promotion of gay-related events at its theme parks and violent and ______-filled content of movies made by its Miramax subsidiary.

The group blamed longtime Disney Chief Executive Michael Eisner, and said some of the problems had been resolved by Eisner's upcoming retirement and the company's break with Miramax founders Bob and Harvey Weinstein.

Wildmon said the announcement isn't an endorsement of Disney, just an end to the boycott "as a ministry agenda item."

On the Internet:

http://www.afa.net/

http://disney.go.com/

 

[dxwwf3]

It's about time that it is OFFICIALLY over.

Nobody at our church took it seriously.

 

[DarkMeasures]

So apparently being good is bad. Well according to that group.

 

[FutureCEO]

i dont understand people like that

 

[Christina]

Well thank god THAT'S over! I guess I can get back to watching Disney movies now that the CHURCH says I can...

 

[Wilt Dasney]

Well thank god THAT'S over! I guess I can get back to watching Disney movies now that the CHURCH says I can...

Why bother commenting if you don't take it seriously? I think the whole thing was silly, but nobody was forcing anybody else to recognize the boycott. You don't need anybody's permission to watch a movie. (Yes, I recognize sarcasm, but still...)

On another note: I notice they said some of their concerns had been addressed, so they can claim a partial victory, at least. What concerns would those be? Disney is just as, if not more, gay-friendly as ever, and they haven't severed any ties with Touchstone or Miramax, to my knowledge.

 

[cherrynegra]

Regardless of whether you agreed with them or not, they had every right to take whatever actions they felt necessary to protect whatever values they believed in. Just as they have a right to call for a boycott, people also have the right to ignore it. Part of the beauty of living in a free society.

 

[Wilt Dasney]

Regardless of whether you agreed with them or not, they had every right to take whatever actions they felt necessary to protect whatever values they believed in. Just as they have a right to call for a boycott, people also have the right to ignore it. Part of the beauty of living in a free society.

Hear hear. Lots of fake rep on its way to you.

 

[speck76]

they dropped Disney to take on Ford

May 31, 6:21 PM EDT

American Family Association boycotting Ford Motor Co. over gay issues

By DEE-ANN DURBIN
AP Auto Writer

DETROIT (AP) -- A conservative Christian group launched a boycott against Ford Motor Co. Tuesday, saying the second-largest U.S. automaker has given thousands of dollars to gay rights groups, offers benefits to same-______ couples and actively recruits gay employees.

"From redefining family to include homosexual marriage, to giving hundreds of thousands of dollars to support homosexual groups and their agenda, to forcing managers to attend diversity training on how to promote the acceptance of homosexuality ... Ford leads the way," American Family Association chairman Donald Wildmon said in a statement.

Ford responded that it respects its customers and employees.

"Ford values all people, regardless of their race, religion, gender, sexual orientation and cultural or physical differences," Ford vice president of human resources Joe Laymon said.

General Motors Corp. and Chrysler Corp. also provide benefits for same-______ partners.

Tupelo, Miss.-based AFA said it e-mailed an announcement about the Ford boycott to 2.2 million supporters. AFA special projects director Randy Sharp said nearly 55,000 people had signed a pledge supporting the boycott by Tuesday afternoon.

Ford was the only automaker among the 56 companies that got the highest rating last year from the Human Rights Campaign, a gay rights group. Companies are rated on several factors, including whether they offer benefits to gay partners, donate to gay rights groups and market their products to gays.

Sharp is upset by Ford's marketing tactics in gay-oriented publications, including offering to donate $1,000 to the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation for every Jaguar or Land Rover sold.

"Ford is willing to do something they have refused to do for any other group," Sharp said.

Ford spokesman Oscar Suris said the company donated $77.9 million to a variety of groups last year. The majority - $39.6 million - went to education, he said. A much smaller percentage went to community organizations for gays, Hispanics, blacks, Asians and other groups.

The AFA recently ended a nine-year boycott of The Walt Disney Co. over Disney's decision to extend benefits to same-______ couples and promote gay-related events at its theme parks. The boycott appeared to have little effect, since Disney reported higher earnings and increased theme park attendance during that time.

---

On the Net:

American Family Association's Boycott Ford site: http://www.boycottford.com

Ford Motor Co.: http://www.ford.com

 

[Wilt Dasney]

Well, let's be honest.

Few things are gayer than a big ole gas-guzzling pickup truck.

 

[cherrynegra]

Hmph...I would boycott Ford for producing crappy vehicles!!


**runs out into the street to avoid angry mob** :lol:

 

[speck76]

Hmph...I would boycott Ford for producing crappy vehicles!!


**runs out into the street to avoid angry mob** :lol:

I agree.....born and raised in Metro Detroit, I won't own an American car.

 

[KevinPage]

AFA = 4 morons who have access to some letterhead and a computer. :brick:

I have newfound respect for FORD by not bowing down to any pressure from nutjob groups like this.