Ford Motor Co: Run by Fags?

http://www.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2007/3/29/91410.shtml?s=us

Ford's Head-On Collision with Gay Rights

NewsMax.com Wires Thursday, March 29, 2007

Beleaguered Ford Motor Co., struggling to get back into the black by 2009,

could be the first corporate victim of the so-called "culture wars" due to a

boycott led by Christian-centered conservative groups.

Ford lost $12.7 billion last year, the largest single-year loss in its

103-year history. Last December, the No. 2 American automaker mortgaged all

of its U.S. assets to acquire $23 billion to finance a dramatic turnaround

plan.

Ford has a lot more than likes of Toyota and Honda to worry about, however:

it is facing a boycott of its products spearheaded by the American Family

Association (AFA) and more than two dozen other conservative groups.

Not Just 'Ford'

The boycott asks Christians not to buy cars from Ford or its seven other

brands: Lincoln, Mercury, Volvo, Jaguar, Land Rover, Aston Martin, and

Mazda. The reason: Ford's sponsorship of "gay pride" events, its financial

support of organizations such as the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against

Defamation (GLAAD), and its advertising in gay magazines and television

programs.

Although the boycott, which began in March 2006, comes at a bad time for

Ford, company executives aren't saying if it has had a major negative

impact. But others are more certain.

AFA spokesman Randy Sharp says the boycott has clearly contributed to Ford's

financial problems. Sharp emphasizes that 650,000 people have signed an

online BoycottFord.com petition.

Donald E. Wildmon, the AFA's chairman, also claims a scratch is evident in

Ford's corporate armor, pointing to the fact that the company appears to be

quietly dropping its advertising from homosexual magazines.

Wildmon notes that Ford has run full-page ads monthly in The Advocate, a

publication geared to homosexuals, for years. However, he says, Ford has not

advertised in the magazine since December.

Impact

"Ford has felt the impact of the boycott, and this is their way out to save

face. Ford has elected to drop support for the homosexual publications and

remain silent about it," he says.

When asked by NewsMax to comment on what appears to be at least a softening

of Ford's strong gay support, Marc McCarthy, director of communications for

GLAAD, replies: "This is a question best directed to Ford."

For now, Ford is neither touting nor commenting about its apparent

throttling back of the ads. In fact, Ford and one of its major retailers,

Group 1 Automotive Inc., are not even mentioning the boycott as a player in

the dynamics of the marketplace.

Earl Hesterberg, chief executive of Group 1, recently noted that the

retailer had a 113-day supply of Ford vehicles at the end of the fourth

quarter - far higher than General Motors' 97-day supply of vehicles or the

68-day supply of DaimlerChrysler AG's Chrysler Group vehicles.

Without any reference to the boycott, Hesterberg noted that Ford inventories

climbed after a 36 percent decline in F-Series pickup truck sales.

Reasons for a Decline

Ford executives blame a weakening in new-home construction for the lag in

sales of its full-size pickups. Also, Toyota launched its redesigned Tundra

in February and is calling its introduction the most important in the

history of the company, because U.S. auto dealers still dominate domestic

truck sales.

But Sharp maintains that Ford is just being coy about the effects of the

boycott.

He points to last summer, when more than 75 Texas Ford dealers signed a

letter urging then-Ford CEO Bill Ford to "cease" advertising in homosexual

"media and events." The dealers told Ford the boycott was "affecting our

business."

Dealers have reacted to the boycott in a way Ford itself has not. In May

2005, when the AFA first mulled a boycott of Ford products, a dealer in the

Dallas/Fort Worth area approached the organization, setting up a meeting

between AFA representatives and several Ford dealers.

The dealers asked the AFA to delay the boycott for six months to give them

time to see what they could do alleviate the AFA's concerns. The AFA agreed.

The dealers then went to work lobbying Ford, which soon appeared ready to

give in to their demands.

Promises, Promises

It promised it would not renew current promotions, or create incentive

programs that give cash donations to homosexual organizations based on the

purchase of a vehicle.

The car company also pledged that it would not make corporate donations to

homosexual organizations that, as part of their activities, engage in

political or social campaigns to promote civil unions or same-sex marriage.

Finally, Ford said it would stop giving cash and vehicle donations, or

endorsements, to homosexual social activities, such as "gay pride" parades.

However, just as the AFA was ready to celebrate victory, a consortium of gay

groups slammed the brakes on the deal. They declared that the agreement

between Ford and the AFA was unacceptable.

At that point, Bill Ford announced that all Ford brands would support gay

media with advertising, and the boycott battle began in earnest.

Now, after a full year of boycott, the AFA is considering whether to extend

it.

"At this time we continue to monitor Ford's activities," Sharp says. "Ford

has continued advertising in homosexual magazines ... [W]e may extend that

boycott to a continuance of a longer period of time."

No Worries

Ford executives don't appear very concerned about the boycott, and one

reason may be the negligible impact a similar boycott had on media and

entertainment giant Walt Disney Co.

In 1995, a Disney boycott was organized by the Catholic League to protest

Priest, a movie released by Disney-owned Miramax Co. about a Catholic priest

involved in a gay relationship.

The following year, the Southern Baptist Convention threatened a boycott

over Disney extending spousal benefits to employees' same-sex partners.

Later that year, the Assemblies of God started a separate boycott over the

same issue. Although other groups joined in, the boycotts were terminated in

2005 and Disney emerged more or less unscathed.

Another reason Ford has had nothing more to say about the boycott, or the

threat of it continuing, is perhaps because it's facing a truckload of

problems.

Missing Goals

In mid-February, the Detroit News published some nuggets from an internal

Ford report card. The take on its North American operations, in a word, is

grim.

The report, which doesn't address the boycott, notes that Ford was projected

to miss retail sales targets in the first quarter by over 10,000 vehicles.

Also making a failing grade: material cost-reduction goals missed in January

would also not be met in February or March, the report states.

No one at Ford is acknowledging publicly that the boycott is aggravating the

company's difficulties.

"We began aggressive actions in 2006 to restructure our automotive business

so we can operate profitably at lower volumes with a product mix that better

reflects consumer demand for smaller, more fuel-efficient vehicles," says

Alan Mulally, president and chief executive officer. "We fully recognize our

business reality and are dealing with it. We have a plan and are on track to

deliver."

That "business reality" is, however, perceived differently by the AFA.

Sharp says the embargo has taken on a vigorous life of its own.

The AFA's e-mail distribution list has grown from 2 million to nearly 3.5

million since the boycott began, he says.

"We continue to see the number of people grow who are becoming newly aware

of Ford's support for homosexuality," Sharp says.

"Patriot Games" <Crazy_Bastard@Yahoo.com> wrote in message

news:DaVOh.10126$yo3.4177@trnddc04...

> http://www.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2007/3/29/91410.shtml?s=us

>

> Ford's Head-On Collision with Gay Rights

> NewsMax.com Wires Thursday, March 29, 2007

>

> Beleaguered Ford Motor Co., struggling to get back into the black by 2009,

> could be the first corporate victim of the so-called "culture wars" due to

> a boycott led by Christian-centered conservative groups.

>

> Ford lost $12.7 billion last year, the largest single-year loss in its

> 103-year history. Last December, the No. 2 American automaker mortgaged

> all of its U.S. assets to acquire $23 billion to finance a dramatic

> turnaround plan.

>

> Ford has a lot more than likes of Toyota and Honda to worry about,

> however: it is facing a boycott of its products spearheaded by the

> American Family Association (AFA) and more than two dozen other

> conservative groups.

>

> Not Just 'Ford'

>

> The boycott asks Christians not to buy cars from Ford or its seven other

> brands: Lincoln, Mercury, Volvo, Jaguar, Land Rover, Aston Martin, and

> Mazda. The reason: Ford's sponsorship of "gay pride" events, its financial

> support of organizations such as the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against

> Defamation (GLAAD), and its advertising in gay magazines and television

> programs.

>

> Although the boycott, which began in March 2006, comes at a bad time for

> Ford, company executives aren't saying if it has had a major negative

> impact. But others are more certain.

>

> AFA spokesman Randy Sharp says the boycott has clearly contributed to

> Ford's financial problems. Sharp emphasizes that 650,000 people have

> signed an online BoycottFord.com petition.

>

> Donald E. Wildmon, the AFA's chairman, also claims a scratch is evident in

> Ford's corporate armor, pointing to the fact that the company appears to

> be quietly dropping its advertising from homosexual magazines.

>

> Wildmon notes that Ford has run full-page ads monthly in The Advocate, a

> publication geared to homosexuals, for years. However, he says, Ford has

> not advertised in the magazine since December.

>

> Impact

>

> "Ford has felt the impact of the boycott, and this is their way out to

> save face. Ford has elected to drop support for the homosexual

> publications and remain silent about it," he says.

>

> When asked by NewsMax to comment on what appears to be at least a

> softening of Ford's strong gay support, Marc McCarthy, director of

> communications for GLAAD, replies: "This is a question best directed to

> Ford."

>

> For now, Ford is neither touting nor commenting about its apparent

> throttling back of the ads. In fact, Ford and one of its major retailers,

> Group 1 Automotive Inc., are not even mentioning the boycott as a player

> in the dynamics of the marketplace.

>

> Earl Hesterberg, chief executive of Group 1, recently noted that the

> retailer had a 113-day supply of Ford vehicles at the end of the fourth

> quarter - far higher than General Motors' 97-day supply of vehicles or the

> 68-day supply of DaimlerChrysler AG's Chrysler Group vehicles.

>

> Without any reference to the boycott, Hesterberg noted that Ford

> inventories climbed after a 36 percent decline in F-Series pickup truck

> sales.

>

> Reasons for a Decline

>

> Ford executives blame a weakening in new-home construction for the lag in

> sales of its full-size pickups. Also, Toyota launched its redesigned

> Tundra in February and is calling its introduction the most important in

> the history of the company, because U.S. auto dealers still dominate

> domestic truck sales.

>

> But Sharp maintains that Ford is just being coy about the effects of the

> boycott.

>

> He points to last summer, when more than 75 Texas Ford dealers signed a

> letter urging then-Ford CEO Bill Ford to "cease" advertising in homosexual

> "media and events." The dealers told Ford the boycott was "affecting our

> business."

>

> Dealers have reacted to the boycott in a way Ford itself has not. In May

> 2005, when the AFA first mulled a boycott of Ford products, a dealer in

> the Dallas/Fort Worth area approached the organization, setting up a

> meeting between AFA representatives and several Ford dealers.

>

> The dealers asked the AFA to delay the boycott for six months to give them

> time to see what they could do alleviate the AFA's concerns. The AFA

> agreed.

>

> The dealers then went to work lobbying Ford, which soon appeared ready to

> give in to their demands.

>

> Promises, Promises

>

> It promised it would not renew current promotions, or create incentive

> programs that give cash donations to homosexual organizations based on the

> purchase of a vehicle.

>

> The car company also pledged that it would not make corporate donations to

> homosexual organizations that, as part of their activities, engage in

> political or social campaigns to promote civil unions or same-sex

> marriage.

>

> Finally, Ford said it would stop giving cash and vehicle donations, or

> endorsements, to homosexual social activities, such as "gay pride"

> parades.

>

> However, just as the AFA was ready to celebrate victory, a consortium of

> gay groups slammed the brakes on the deal. They declared that the

> agreement between Ford and the AFA was unacceptable.

>

> At that point, Bill Ford announced that all Ford brands would support gay

> media with advertising, and the boycott battle began in earnest.

>

> Now, after a full year of boycott, the AFA is considering whether to

> extend it.

>

> "At this time we continue to monitor Ford's activities," Sharp says. "Ford

> has continued advertising in homosexual magazines ... [W]e may extend that

> boycott to a continuance of a longer period of time."

>

> No Worries

>

> Ford executives don't appear very concerned about the boycott, and one

> reason may be the negligible impact a similar boycott had on media and

> entertainment giant Walt Disney Co.

>

> In 1995, a Disney boycott was organized by the Catholic League to protest

> Priest, a movie released by Disney-owned Miramax Co. about a Catholic

> priest involved in a gay relationship.

>

> The following year, the Southern Baptist Convention threatened a boycott

> over Disney extending spousal benefits to employees' same-sex partners.

>

> Later that year, the Assemblies of God started a separate boycott over the

> same issue. Although other groups joined in, the boycotts were terminated

> in 2005 and Disney emerged more or less unscathed.

>

> Another reason Ford has had nothing more to say about the boycott, or the

> threat of it continuing, is perhaps because it's facing a truckload of

> problems.

>

> Missing Goals

>

> In mid-February, the Detroit News published some nuggets from an internal

> Ford report card. The take on its North American operations, in a word, is

> grim.

>

> The report, which doesn't address the boycott, notes that Ford was

> projected to miss retail sales targets in the first quarter by over 10,000

> vehicles.

>

> Also making a failing grade: material cost-reduction goals missed in

> January would also not be met in February or March, the report states.

>

> No one at Ford is acknowledging publicly that the boycott is aggravating

> the company's difficulties.

>

> "We began aggressive actions in 2006 to restructure our automotive

> business so we can operate profitably at lower volumes with a product mix

> that better reflects consumer demand for smaller, more fuel-efficient

> vehicles," says Alan Mulally, president and chief executive officer. "We

> fully recognize our business reality and are dealing with it. We have a

> plan and are on track to deliver."

>

> That "business reality" is, however, perceived differently by the AFA.

>

> Sharp says the embargo has taken on a vigorous life of its own.

>

> The AFA's e-mail distribution list has grown from 2 million to nearly 3.5

> million since the boycott began, he says.

>

> "We continue to see the number of people grow who are becoming newly aware

> of Ford's support for homosexuality," Sharp says.

>

>

>

So -- I guess I must be hallucinating when I drive by the local holyroller

churches and see big-ass F-250's, Expeditions, Explorers, and brand new

Rangers, 500's, Escorts, and the like??

AFA = bullshit.

"Joe S." <no_one@nowhere.net> wrote in message

news:he2dnXm8Ae6Nr5HbnZ2dnUVZ_o-knZ2d@comcast.com...

> "Patriot Games" <Crazy_Bastard@Yahoo.com> wrote in message

> news:DaVOh.10126$yo3.4177@trnddc04...

>> http://www.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2007/3/29/91410.shtml?s=us

>> Ford's Head-On Collision with Gay Rights

>> NewsMax.com Wires Thursday, March 29, 2007

> So -- I guess I must be hallucinating when I drive by the local holyroller

> churches and see big-ass F-250's, Expeditions, Explorers, and brand new

> Rangers, 500's, Escorts, and the like??

Purchased before the boycott.

> AFA = bullshit.

How many different IDs are you going to post with today?

Why don't you have an entire conversation using only your multiple IDs?