Thursday, June 02, 2005

I'll never look at a Jag or Landrover the same again

According to BoycottFord.com, the Ford Motor Corporation, which owns Jaguar and Land Rover, will donate up to $1,000 to GLAAD (The Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation) for every Jag or Land Rover they sell. GLAAD confirms this on their site.

The BoycottFord site has considerably more to share regarding Ford Motor Company--much of which leaves me feeling the need for a shower. Ford has merged with several foreign companies, and now sells Mazda, Jaguar, Land Rover, and Volvo in addition to the Mercury, Lincoln, and Ford brands. Along with the special favors granted to homosexual employees in the form of spousal benefits for domestic partners and sponsorship of gay and lesbian pride celebrations, Ford also has begun marketing initiatives directed toward the homosexual community. Many of their adds are distinctly homoerotic.

Now, I'm quite sure that none of this was the idea of the suits in Detroit. Rather, I suspect it has to do with relationships with the unions and with the European communities in which this multinational outfit does business. Nevertheless, Ford has chosen which side it is taking in the culture wars and now has to deal with it.

I suspect that if BoycottFord wins this battle, it won't be because members of OneMillionDads refuse to buy any Ford brands, but because people in general will stop buying Jags and Land Rovers after those vehicles become stereotyped.

"I don't want to buy that. People will think I'm gay!"

BoycottFord.com is an initiative by One Million Dads.com, itself a project of the American Family Association. The boycott initiative is being circulated aggressively. I received an e-mail about it yesterday and heard about it on the radio this morning. I am quite sure the Homosexual community will respond just as strongly.

As for me, I quit buying Fords after they sold me my second lemon twenty years ago.

There's going to be fireworks this summer, and not just on the Fourth of July.