Fundies React to Ford Flip-Flop
Published March 15, 2006
The right-wing's complaint isn't that Ford cars are deficient in any way. It isn't griping about bad treatment of employees or accusing the company of fleecing its customers. It certainly isn't complaining about Ford's documented support of faith-based groups and efforts. No, according to many conservative Christians and Catholics, the problem is that Ford also shows respect for its GLBT customers and workers. The auto giant, as part of a huge advertising strategy, runs ads in gay media. Ford offers family benefits to its partnered GLBT employees. It sponsors gay philanthropic organizations and events.
Now, the AFA would have you believe that it is calling on Ford to be "neutral." This is a crock: Being neutral is supporting or not supporting both religious groups and gay groups. Ford supports both. What the fundies would have us believe is that a "neutral" position is one that supports the "anti" position. It benefits anti-gay conservatives if Ford ignores queer concerns and, in nixing GLBT-media advertising, pretends that a certain type of customer does not exist. "Neutral"? Consider this: The fundies are demanding, "Don't recognize gays." Are the gays demanding a cessation of Christian-friendly activities or a halt to donations to faith-based groups? Of course not. Who's calling for discrimination? Anti-GLBT Christians.
The AFA and its conservative cronies want their view upheld and obeyed in every avenue of life. They support that their view is inscribed in law, a set of regulations that is supposed to be separate from church. Now they are insisting that corporations must operate - at least publicly - according to their beliefs. Get this: Initially, the fundies called on Ford to stop offering domestic-partner benefits. Now, the beef is only about the advertising and sponsorship. If this were about principle, would the AFA have relented on family benefits? Of course not. But this isn't about principle: It's about demanding obedience, maintaining control and threatening punishment. I'm all for efforts for groups demanding respect, but this is an effort demanding disrespect for another group. That's anti-American, in my opinion, and it's anti-Christian too.
How do justice-seekers respond to this fundie foolishness? If you're inclined and can afford it, buy a Ford. Contact Ford management: Thank them for doing the right thing and encourage them to remain on the side of tolerance and equality. As for the AFA and its compatriots, all you can do is pray for them - and marshal your own troops to voice opposition.
- Fundies React to Ford Flip-Flop
- Published: March 15, 2006
- Type: News
- Section: Culture
- Filed Under: Politics: U.S., Culture: Society
- Writer: Natalie Davis
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Comments
Voting with the pocketbook (a tactic used by any number of groups over the years) does not seem tantamount to hate to me.
No, but what they're voting FOR is tantamount to hate.
Ford knows what it's doing. Most right-wing fundamentalists in this Bush economy are barely hanging on by their economic fingernails anyway, so are unlikely to buy a new car(unless they've gotten rich off them like Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertons)-and since they think everyone else is in the same condition, they figure they can smuggly take credit for a sales slump that would've occured any way.
On the other hand, most gay singles and couples aren't saddled with kids, and family expenses and mortgages/college loans, so have a more liquid and accessible monetary resource, and so they're not only likely to buy new cars more often, but to support Ford in this fight.
It'll either balance out, or come out in Ford's favor. Maybe the born-agains are just pissed that Ford's not throwing their advertisement dollars their way, instead of the lucrative Gay media.
Hmmmmmmmmmmm?
Ms. Davis,
I'm sorry if I seem a bit cynical. Or should I say, a bit more cynical than you?
The ultimate winner in these food fights over who gets to hawk their corporate wares is not the Fundie groups in the States - nor is it the GLBT groups - it is Ford and other corporations carefully watching the back and forth. The members of the oil and banking establishment that have been robbing you Americans - and everyone else - blind for the last 7 decades.
Nota bene - you just plugged Ford's products for nothing! You didn't get paid one dime.
Hmmm I had put Ford a couple of spots down on my list of who to buy my next vehicle from...now maybe I'll give them another shot.
Dave
BTW, I do wish you wouldn't keep referring to this as a 'right-wing' campaign against Ford. It's just the religious right, not those of us who believe in basic American values including personal privacy.
Dave
Both politically and financially the religous right not only OWNs the right wing, They ARE in fact the right wing! With training camps run by both Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson, the majority of both houses of Congress owe their financial backing for every election to the religious right. If you doubt this, see how long an elected member of congress lasts if they go against the Southern Baptist's agenda.
Come on Dave-wake up and smell the coffee!
The Republican Party is at this moment shaking in its collective boots, because now that South Dakota will send Rowe vs Wade to a "Bush stacked" supreme court, and once it's overturned, the religious zealots will have no further use for them.
I've been thinking of buying a Chrysler 300; now I think I'll try something different, and wonder how much a Ford Flip Flop is, and what's the gas mileage and if it comes in a convertible?
My friend Reuven, you have a perspective I treasure. You're absolutely right, of course.
Mr. Jet in Columbus: The Ford Flip Flop gets a lot of mileage. Its standard model is a convertible - it changes with the weather.
It never ceases to amaze me how everyone wants to bash everyone else. It is Ford's RIGHT to advertise to whomever they choose. It is also anyone's RIGHT to buy or boycott a product/manufacturer. Any decision is not popular with everyone.
To everyone bashing the "right wing" for intolerance: Aren't you doing the same thing, just to a different organization? I just see it as either bashing conservatives and/or Christians... Which I don't understand that either, because most religions do not approve of homosexuality either. This always drives me further away from the "left".
I am really getting sick and tired of the left trying to push their gay rights on everyone. If you want to be gay, be gay. Who cares? If you don't believe in God, Heaven or hell, you certainly would never believe in any sins anyway. But, I do have a problem when you start pushing it on me or my children, or preaching that this is normal behavior.
Why are you so caught up in trying to evangelize to everyone that conservatives are so wrong? The left keeps yelling that conservatives are trying to push their morals on the left. But the left is doing the same.
Don't believe me? If homosexuals are less than 2% of the population (10% if you believe the lies), why spend so much advertising to them? Do homosexuals not read any other magazines? Do they not watch non-gay TV? Do they not listen to non-gay radio? This is either the most idiotic marketing campaign of all times, or an agenda. ...Hypocrites.
_________________________________________________
To the Christian right-wing hypocrites: While I do agree that Ford is wrong, homosexuality is just one sin. Adultery is certainly more wide-spread than homosexuality. Let's deal with that. Or better yet, putting nothing before God.
If someone does not understand the Saving Grace of Jesus, what do you expect from them? They don't know God's Love, they form whatever opinions/preferences/morals they want from wherever they want. Let's start cleaning up ourselves... that is truly the best witness. Gays are like any sinner, we must love them first, just as Jesus did for us "while we were yet sinners".
I'm pretty sure the left isn't trying to push gay rights for anyone except gays.
Just as you have your right to worship god the way you want and live the way you want, they should have the right to live the way that they want.
Would you like the state to say you can't have Christian prayer meetings anymore, or prohibit preaching about how gays are evil?
Dave
Is it alright for Ford to fund Child Molesters too?
It's getting soooo old, trying to tie being Gay with being child molesters. There are a hundred more times heterosexual child molesters than gays and you know it Allen.
And by the way-sick of it all-just because you say it's a lie that the average is only 10% of the population is gay, doesn't make it so, because every study contradicts your statement. And if we are only 2%-what's got you so upset and scared of us????
And by the way, "Sick of it all", who is so ashamed of his bigoted fundy opinions that he/she/it won't put their names to it, I find it's necessary to again cut and paste this quote...
If all the Sick of it All's get their way, this will be our national anthem soon...
First They had them come for the Jews, but I wasn't Jewish so I didn't speak out
Then They had them come for the Catholics, but I wasn't Catholic so I didn't care
Then They had them come for the gays, but I wasn't gay so I didn't complain
Then They had them come for the Buddhists, but I wasn't one, so I didn't protest
After the Catholics and gays and Jews were marched off to the gas chambers and death houses-because the Bible (Leviticus in particular) teaches that they must be put to death for their sins, they began looking for anyone else who didn't believe in their unyielding "fundamentalist" beliefs, and rounded them up to be retaught to their way of thinking, and since I didn't agree with them, I was taken too, but there was no one left to speak for me.
Jet Rendrag-Columbus Ohio
Right on Jet, it's just another attempt by the unChristian right to show us how pawerful they are with God behind them, and just how dillusional that is


Natalie Davis is an award-winning journalist, progressive- and GLBT-issues activist, musician and broadcaster. Davis' 

I must have read the bible at least 20 times in my youth and I missed the part where it says hating anyone is good or Christ like.