The American Family Association scares the crap out of me.
(I’m not linking to their site. I don’t want to promote them. But if you’re curious, it’s not hard to find.)
Described in their mission statement as “a Christian organization promoting the biblical ethic of decency in American society with primary emphasis on TV and other media,” their main focuses seem to be to restore the word “Christmas” to it’s former place front-and-center of the holiday season, to hold up the “standard of traditional marriage,” as well as to criminalize homosexuality and eliminate pornography.
They like to boycott companies who are not in line with their values.
They like to boycott a lot.
Some of their past targeted companies include 7-Eleven, Abercrombie & Fitch, American Airlines, American Girl, Blockbuster Video, Burger King, Calvin Klein, Carl’s Jr., Clorox, Crest, Ford, Hallmark Cards, Kmart, Kraft Foods, S. C. Johnson & Son, Movie Gallery, Microsoft, MTV, Mary Kay, NutriSystem, Old Navy, IKEA, Sears, Pampers, Procter & Gamble, Target, Tide, Walt Disney Company, and PepsiCo. (PepsiCo was boycotted for controversy surrounding Madonna’s “Like a Prayer” video. You know, the one where she kisses the black Jesus and crosses burn?)
Oh, and they hate Marilyn Manson, too… but really, like that doesn’t have “duh” written all over it.
Currently, they’re after Tiger Woods. Tiger, watch your back. (And thanks for being yet another shining example of how much straight folks revere “the sanctity of marriage.”)
In 1989, AFA boycotted Waldenbooks for selling Playboy and Penthouse. In turn, Waldenbooks and some other companies sued the AFA for violating an act that allows businesses to conduct their business without harassment or threats. Go, Waldenbooks.
Some of my personal favorites (Thanks, Wikipedia!)
“In 2005 the AFA boycotted the company American Girl, seller of dolls and accessories, because the company supported the charity Girls, Inc., which the AFA called “a pro-abortion, pro-lesbian advocacy group.”
(Girls, Inc. - in case you’re curious.)
“In 2007 the AFA orchestrated a campaign to petition Congress to forbid the opening prayer of Congress from being given by Rajan Zed, an interfaith leader from Nevada. The AFA stated in electronic messages to members that “since Hindus worship multiple gods, the prayer will be completely outside the American paradigm, flying in the face of the American motto One Nation Under God.”
“On April 16, 2007, following the Virginia Tech Massacre, the AFA released a video titled The Day They Kicked God out of the Schools, in which “God” tells a student that students were killed in schools because God isn’t allowed in schools anymore. The video claims that the shootings at Virginia Tech, Columbine, and many other locations, are the result of, among other things, decreased discipline in schools; no prayer in schools; sex out of wedlock; rampant violence in TV, movies, and music; and abortions.”
“In December 2008, the AFA issued an “Action Alert” which called for members to protest about the Campbell Soup Company, which had purchased two 2-page advertisements in the December 2008 and January 2009 issues of LGBT magazine The Advocate. The Action Alert included the statement “(Campbell’s) …sent a message that homosexual parents constitute a family and are worthy of support.”
…And just in case they weren’t prejudiced enough - they might also be Anti-Semitic!
“Media Matters claimed an article in the March 2005 issue of AFA’s Journal insinuated that raising children as Jews would lead to criminal lifestyles, and that it required a conversion to Christianity in order to make them productive members of society.”
Oh, and it’s been admitted that on their news page, they change all appearances of the word “gay” to “homosexual,” which triggered this delightful cartoon.
Groups like this, scarily enough, wield influence over politicians.
*Shiver*
Stuff like this is actually happening in the world.
Just wanted to mention it.
Thanks for mentioning it! Groups like this make me sick. I sent a letter of support to Hallmark after they introduced a line of cards for gay and lesbian marriages or commitment ceremonies.
There are so many “real” threats to families – unemployment, poverty, lack of access to child care and health care, unsafe neighborhoods, lousy schools. Funny you never hear about groups like the AFA talking about them. But they’re more than happy to gang up on the gays because scapegoating a minority group, that’s soooo American. Ugh.