Issues@Hand

AFA initiatives, Christian activism, news briefs

February 1999 – Disregarding a verbal agreement made with pro-family leaders last spring, American Airlines has continued sponsoring at least one radical gay rights group and actively promoting the homosexual agenda.

“Pro-family groups will obviously be displeased. American Airlines as a company looked us right in the eyes and promised to remain neutral on the issue of the gay agenda,” said AFA Director of Public Relations Allen Wildmon. “It has become quite clear now that American had no intention of working with us.”

Following a year-long campaign by AFA and other Christian groups, American agreed last March to stop its sponsorship of homosexual parties, and refrain from open advocacy or endorsement of organizations with active political agendas.

Suspicions were soon raised, however, when American Airlines sent a letter to its own gay employee group repudiating the agreement. In the letter, then-Chairman Robert Crandall said, “American does not intend to sever relations with the gay community or the organizations which represent it.”

It is now apparent that the letter – and not the verbal agreement with pro-family groups – more accurately revealed the airline’s intention. For example, American donated $25,000 for the annual dinner held by the homosexual activist group Human Rights Campaign (HRC) in November. HRC is the largest homosexual organization in America, and maintains a radical agenda, including efforts to legalize same-sex marriage, help homosexuals adopt children, and grant special minority rights protection to homosexuals in employment and housing. The organization refers to groups like AFA as “religious political extremists” who promote “dangerous bigotry and intolerance.”

Robert Knight, Director of Cultural Studies for the Family Research Council (FRC), one of the pro-family groups involved in the negotiations with the airline, said, “The thing that is most objectionable is that American is funding homosexual political activism by donating to HRC, when Robert Crandall specifically agreed not to fund political activism.” Knight said Crandall had previously agreed that political activism was “crossing the line.”

Knight said he thinks the airline is taking a calculated gamble. “I think [American’s] motive is two-fold. It’s to cultivate a small but rich niche-market. And to pacify homosexual activists within American Airlines, who can be very noisy,” he said. “And if nobody notices, then its a shrewd decision. But if it will cost them, that’s when it’s not a very smart decision.”

While a group like HRC boasts that it has 200,000 active members, Knight points out that the pro-family groups that met with Crandall collectively represent 25 to 30 million, reaching more than that in their many broadcasting and media contacts. Other ministries represented at the meeting with American Airlines were Coral Ridge Ministries, Southern Baptist Convention, Focus on the Family and Concerned Women for America.

“If they want to just market to homosexuals, they’re welcome to that market. It’s a free country, they can choose to favor that market over others if they want,” Knight said. “But we’re free to fly another airline.”  

Address: Chrm. Donald J. Carty, American Airlines
MD 2400
P.O. Box 619612
DFW Airport, TX 75261-9612
Phone 817-967-2000.