Have You Driven A Ford Gayly?

[komodo]

Wow, getting in trouble for being too focused on gay rights.... that's unusual. haha

American Family Association boycotting Ford Motor Co. over gay issues
May 31, 2005, 4:40 PM


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-sex 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.

Laymon added that other automakers -- including General Motors Corp. and Chrysler Corp. -- provide benefits for same-sex partners and market their vehicles to the gay community.

"It is one of the things that makes us proud to be part of the auto industry," Laymon said.

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 wide 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-sex 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.

[witeshark]

These kinds of issues always seem to go a bit too far and get way past reasonable actions and discussions. By comparison, travel if matched would easily out cruise the galaxy and anywhere the Star Wars ships have ever gone

[jrhaile]

Henry Ford would is probably turning in his grave right now... giving homosexual groups money, wondeful...

[DEATH2000]

its not like its gonna hurt sales...... who would buy a Ford to begin with?

[witeshark]

Originally Posted by DEATH2000

its not like its gonna hurt sales...... who would buy a Ford to begin with?

Umm Mazda! Oh, wait a minute Jaguar! Oh, wait

[komodo]

I think stangs are the only thing ford has.... haha

[DEATH2000]

Originally Posted by komodo

I think stangs are the only thing ford has.... haha

V8 stangs are the only thing actually worth giving a damn at ford. My mom knows the owner of the largest Jag dealership in the city, and when me and a friend were there looking around we noticed that ALL of the Jags in the showroom didnt have CD players, thats right, NO CD players. im not paying $90,000 for something without a CD player.

[witeshark]

The Stangs are cool, live axle and all

[Turbodefrost]

someoen tried to tell me a while ago that ford bought BMW (just in US). i said NO WAY. not possible. anyone else hear about this?

[xsperf]

no guys, not just the v8 stangs, Ford trucks are amazing, b/c they last a lot longer than any other truck, i dont own one, im just saying thats one thing the american engineers DID master. and everything else, they suck, except for lincoln, even though there are millions of electrical problems w/those

and about the gay rights, seroiusly wtf, just dont get invovled, and if you dont get invovled, there are no problems, and youd save yourself a ton of $

[jrhaile]

No... Ford owns Ferrari though

[witeshark]

Originally Posted by Turbodefrost

someoen tried to tell me a while ago that ford bought BMW (just in US). i said NO WAY. not possible. anyone else hear about this?

No. And, oddly enough, BMW owns British Rolls Royce

[Turbodefrost]

k that's what i thought. just making sure. when i heard it i was like NO..NOOOOOOO!

[witeshark]

I could understand that!

[komodo]

Originally Posted by jrhaile

No... Ford owns Ferrari though

Wait, are you serious??