Issues@Hand
AFA initiatives, Christian activism, news briefs
May 2006 – Nineteen pro-family organizations have called for a one-year boycott of Ford Motor Company because of Ford’s financial support of homosexual groups which promote same-sex marriage.
The boycott was called after Ford reneged on an agreement with AFA to end such funding. The company had also promised to stop advertising in homosexual publications and to cease sponsoring gay pride events.
The boycott includes all Ford brands, including Mercury, Lincoln, Volvo, Land Rover, Mazda and Jaguar.
Pro-Family organizations endorsing the boycott of Ford include the Center for Reclaiming America, CatholicVote.org, Citizens for Community Values, Liberty Counsel, Faith2Action and others. A full list of groups participating, as well as more information on the boycott, is available on AFA’s Web site, www.boycottford.com.
In a related development, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) denied a formal request by Ford to keep a shareholder resolution pertaining to homosexuality off the agenda at their upcoming shareholders meeting in May.
The resolution requests “that Ford Motor Company amend its written equal employment opportunity policy to exclude any reference to privacy issues related to sexual interests, activities or orientation.” The resolution, which Ford opposes, would force Ford to stop promotion of homosexual marriage and other activities.
AFA asked Ford in January to remain neutral in the cultural battle involving homosexual marriage, but Ford refused and sided with groups promoting homosexual marriage.
“All we have asked Ford to do at this point is to remain neutral on the contentious issue of homosexuality and same-sex marriage,” said AFA chairman Don Wildmon.
One of the reasons cited by Ford in its request to the SEC was that it did not want to face a possible boycott by gay groups.
“Ford is saying that it is concerned that the resolution would anger homosexual groups who might then boycott the company. But apparently Ford does not fear a boycott by pro-family groups,” said Wildmon.
The largest gay rights organization in the U.S., the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), has applauded Ford for its support of the homosexual agenda and criticized the AFA-led boycott.
HRC spokesman Brad Luna told Forbes magazine that “clear trends towards fairness, nondiscrimination, inclusion and acceptance of gays in corporate America are unstoppable.”
Wildmon said that’s why people need to support the boycott. “The gay agenda is unstoppable if people do nothing to stand up to corporations that are choosing sides in the culture war,” he said. 
