Two can play this game

John Aravosis does it again.

Would that the Democratic Party was this good at activism.

December 3: Americablog reports that the American Family Association had threatened Ford Motor Company with a boycott because the motor vehicle company was advertising in the gay press.

Suddenly in June the AFA called off their threatened boycott because local Ford dealers had contacted the national Ford office and, apparently, suggested Ford might be amenable to working out a deal. Now we find out that Ford is pulling its gay ads and that Ford even tells the Advocate that the AFA's press release claiming credit for this entire thing is accurate.

Ford wants to dance with bigots, that's fine. But you don't get to do that in the year 2005 and remain a prosperous company in America.

I want phone numbers and email contacts for all of Ford's top executives and public relations people. Go to it folks.

December 5, 9:40 AM: John throws down the gauntlet and puts Ford Motor Company on notice, citing last summer's infamous Microsoft Embarrassment.

December 5, 10:51 AM: An online chat at Washington Post online with Ford executives is cancelled after John calls the troops to arms.

December 5, 12:01 PM: John informs us that the original e-mail addresses he posted to Ford executives are no longer receiving e-mail and provides new ones -- and phone numbers.

December 5, 4:03 PM: John posts the phone numbers of Ford spokesmen after Ford claims that stories it caved to the religious right are wrong.

December 5, 4:12 PM: Americablog reports that that Ford has confirmed that it was pulling ads from gay advocacy publications because they "advocate a gay agenda." (I really wish someone would tell me what this "gay agenda" is, because I have gay friends, and they are decidedly unthreatening.)

December 5, 5:31 PM: John posts the e-mail alert sent out by the American Family Association in May:

You are probably unaware that Ford Motor Company is a major supporter of the homosexual movement, including homosexual marriage.

From redefining family to include homosexual marriage, to giving hundreds of thousands of dollars to support homosexual groups and their agenda, to forcing managers to attend diversity training on how to promote the acceptance of homosexuality, to sponsoring a "commitment (marriage) ceremony", to sponsoring Gay Pride Parades, Ford leads the way.

To let you see Ford's support, we developed the BoycottFord.com site.

I urge you to take action today. Sign the petition to boycott Ford. Call your local Ford, Lincoln, Mercury, Volvo, Jaguar, Mazda and/or Land Rover dealer (all are part of Ford Motor Company) and inform them you will not be buying a Ford product until they stop their promotion of the homosexual movement and homosexual marriage.

Be sure to forward this information to your friends and family. They will be as surprised as you to learn of Ford’s extensive promotion of homosexuality.

Click here to go to BoycottFord.com and take the action listed on the right hand side (signing the pledge and calling your local dealer). Remember, calling your local dealer is very important. Please be polite. If the dealer wants more information, refer him to the BoycottFord.com page.

Sincerely,

Don

Donald E. Wildmon, Founder and Chairman
American Family Association

December 5, 5:31 PM: Americablog posts a press release from the National Gay & Lesbian Task Force in which every GLBT civil rights group in the country calls for a meeting with Ford Motor Company.

December 6: 12:47 AM: John posts that the story has hit the New York Times -- with full Ford executive spin:

A spokesman played down the role the boycott had in the company's decision, saying that the ads were eliminated as a cost-cutting measure. "As they begin planning their marketing for next year," the spokesman, Mike Moran, said Monday, "they've streamlined their budgets."

This is the excuse Microsoft used last summer. It didn't work for them, and hopefully it won't work for Ford.

Not bad for a day's work. This is why John is the most effective blogger in the business. Watch for him on the upcoming "Brilliant 25 of 2005", coming later this month.