Ford Motors tells gay leaders it's not antigay

[davidinalameda]

http://www.advocate.com/news_detail_ektid23316.aspGay and lesbian organizations asked Ford Motor Co. on Monday to reinstate advertising for its luxury Jaguar and Land Rover brands in gay publications and to distance itself from an antigay group that had threatened to boycott the automaker's vehicles. Ford officials met with leaders of the Human Rights Campaign, National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, and other organizations in Washington, D.C., after the automaker said last week its luxury brands would no longer advertise in gay publications.

The move came nearly a week after the Tupelo, Miss.–based American Family Association withdrew its threat of a boycott of Ford vehicles, which it made in May amid criticism that the nation's number 2 automaker was too gay-friendly. Ford told the gay rights groups that the company is still gay-friendly and that its sponsorships of gay events and causes would continue at the same level, although the ad cutback announcement stands.

Ford has said it did not make the decision because of the boycott or pressure from conservative Christian groups. It said Jaguar and Land Rover, part of Ford's Premier Automotive Group, cut back on its marketing across the board because of difficult market conditions. The Premier Automotive Group posted a pretax loss of $108 million in the third quarter.



all together now boys and girls----BULLSHIT!

[bammertheblue]

1. If you cave to AFA

you're anti-gay. Period.
Ooh, I made a rhyme!
Seriously, I'll never buy a Ford- not that I'll be buying any kind of car.

[yellowcanine]

5. Oh I don't know. It wouldn't be beneath AFA to have knowedge that Ford

was going to end that particular ad campaign and then make its boycott threat so they could take credit. I seriously doubt that Ford pays any attention to AFA. Ford IS having a lot of financial difficulties and it makes sense that they have to start cutting losses. Getting rid of ad campaigns that aren't paying off is a logical start. Who is going to buy a Jag or a Land Rover when gas is bouncing between $2.25 and $3.00 a gallon?

[kansasblue]

2. Ford: Ok.. we'll say this to this group and that to the other group.

'they don't talk to each other do they?'

[Maven]

3. As I said in another thread...

The Pinto is reason enough not to buy cars from Ford. Any company that let people burn to death horrifically just to cut costs is despicable.

This move doesn't surprise me at all.

[ronnykmarshall]

7. You said it, Hedy!

[sui generis]

4. yeah well, the economic reality

is that most of us homos don't drive jags OR Land Rovers, and they know it.

We prefer Mercedes, BMWs, cute little Japareanese imports and pickup trucks anyway, and they know it. So the economic reality is that a boycott would REALLY be in name only, and they know it.

There is nothing any big company does that has an "external facing" impact that hasn't been prequalified through two hundred different risk analyses, and there is no economic impact to Ford no matter what we do. Finally, they continue to give money to our causes, black tie dinners, charity events, etc.

This is not good news - but we need to treat it like darwin instead of flouncing our outrage back at them. We can't hurt ford.

But we can hurt the AFA, and that's where we should focus our time and attention.

[ronnykmarshall]

8. Since they stopped making the new T-Bird ...

they have nothing I'd want to buy anyway.

I feel bad for this one local dealer in Beverly Hills. He was very pro-gay and advertised in the local gay mags and had several gay guys as salesmen. His point was to make buying a car a gay-friendly place for gay and lesbian couples.

[justin899]

12. Most AFA Members Don't Either

yeah well, the economic reality is that most of us homos don't drive jags OR Land Rovers, and they know it.

Most Christo-Fascists don't either.

There is nothing any big company does that has an "external facing" impact that hasn't been prequalified through two hundred different risk analyses, and there is no economic impact to Ford no matter what we do. Finally, they continue to give money to our causes, black tie dinners, charity events, etc.

That's not at all true. They clearly weren't prepared for the backlash once this made the news which is why they're outright lying and trying to convince GLBT groups that the ad pull was already planned. The first interview they gave proved they did cave to AFA demands. And it is possible to have an impact on large companies. Just look at Microsoft finally came around earlier this year.

This is not good news - but we need to treat it like darwin instead of flouncing our outrage back at them. We can't hurt ford.

Yes we CAN hurt Ford. Picketing and boycotting the Volvo brand can absolutely have an impact. Ignoring corporate capitulation to bigots only allows other companies to cave without fear of reprisal.

But we can hurt the AFA, and that's where we should focus our time and attention.

Nope. You've got it backwards. There is not a damn thing you can do to the AFA. The AFA is a bigoted homophobic hate group and the types of people who belong to that group hate gays. Pointing out the bigotry of the AFA only helps recruit like minded bigots. Everyone knows what the AFA stands for the same way everyone knows what the KKK stands for. You can't shame bigots out of existence. You can, however, make corporations that pander to them pay dearly by exposing their capitulation.

[sui generis]

14. well maybe a little from column A and B

We can hurt the AFA but we're just too damn lazy to do it. I'm not talking about anything as flouncy and passive aggressive as shaming, to clear that up.

I'm talking about a direct legal assault. If we truly don't believe that it's a coincidence then we need to get off our asses and prove it and furthermore, take them to court.

This IS the equivalent of the KKK getting Bank of America not to write mortgages to blacks. I don't give a crap how many bigots feel shame or not. I would much rather they felt legal pain.

Your assertion about "not at all true": while I appreciate your point it is combative or else poorly worded. It is most certainly true as any corporate BA, QA or financial analyst can tell you, as I am telling you.

Justin, it's not black OR white. They are certainly prepared for backlash, because nothing is done in business without considering financial impact, both short and long term. I'm not saying to just give up, I worded my original poorly too, but I do think we need to be realistic. And What If our "backlash" doesn't have an effect? What then? Do we have a Plan B? Have a louder hissy fit? (sorry I know I'm being inflammatory, not towards you).

We really need to look at this as if we were commercial pilots or lumberjacks or doctors or miners or soldiers that the AFA did this to, not some abstract cultural boogieman, because the fact is we ARE soldiers and cops and firemen and CEO's FIRST. That's the correct attitude; nobody is going to feel sorry for gays, and we may even be being manipulated into doing something to make us look flouncy and ineffective as gays, but as ordinary Americans being persecuted for some abstract idea. Being persecuted for being gay is as absurd as being persecuted for being asexual or heterosexual. It's all just absurd. So we need to deflect it rather than be victimized by it.

[Burma Jones]

6. Oh, OK, I hereby tell Brunettes I am not Blonde

I had a Ford a long time ago - never again - this shit just reinforces my opinion of Ford as a shit pile of humanity.

[sui generis]

10. or as Other Mr. Sui says "Found On Road Dead"

do not do NOT bring up pontiac - and don't ask either.

:hide:

[closeupready]

9. Yeah, I can see how it's hard to believe that.

end of message

[im10ashus]

11. BULLSHIT!

I don't care what they call it. Not that I am in the market for a car (I live in Manhattan and don't need one), but when I rent a car for travels I will make sure it's NOT a Ford. They can kiss my gay ass.

[justin899]

13. "Under Pressure From KKK, Ford Pulls Ads From Black Media"

<snip>
Forty years ago, at the height of the civil rights struggle, the KKK had about the same economic influence, popular support and moral authority the American Family Association enjoys today. It’s hard to imagine that Ford then would have negotiated with the Klan, far less given it an excuse to claim victory. The company’s surrender to the AFA tells you all you need to know about the quality of leadership at Ford today.

http://www.holmesreport.com/holmestemp/story.cfm?edit_id=5051&typeid=2