McDonald's Spineless Under Pressure

Some months ago I wrote an article encouraging everyone to support McDonald's for their courageous stand in supporting the National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce by becoming a member and making a donation to them. Not only that but one of their executives, Richard Ellis, had joined the Chamber's board. Because of this the American Family Association, an organization that claims to support families as long as they fit a narrow, bigoted definition of what a family is supposed to be, began a boycott against McDonalds.

Earlier today I read on the Chicago Tribune online that McDonald's pulled their support from the Chamber and will not be making any further donations. Additionally Mr. Ellis has moved back to McDonald's Canadian operation and has resigned from the Chamber's board. It would be unfair of me to leave out that his resignation is reported as a personal move and not a company one.

McDonald's spokesperson, at the time the AFA started the boycott, came out with this statement: "Hatred has no place in our culture. That includes McDonalds and we stand by and support our people to live and work in a society free of discrimination and harassment"

It's disappointing that they decided to back away from this position and allow their spine to be removed by an organization that promotes hatred and bigotry. It's disappointing that despite the fact that their sales were not affected by this boycott they caved in to the demands of people that claim to love and support the American Family but despises all forms of it save those that adhere to the same principles of intolerance and hatred they do.

There will no doubt be those who will say that they are entitled to do whatever they want with their support and their money. That may be true. But so can I and so can others and in this time of economic crisis, it's shocking that McDonald's would opt to alienate a community other corporations have been courting specifically because of their disposable income.

Yes this is all very shocking and disappointing too. In times like this, when people show how shallow, weak and hateful they are, I become extremely upset. So much so that ordinarily I'd jump to my nearest Mickey D's and grab a sundae or something.

I think I'll go to Burger King instead.