Few things annoy the religious right more than a happy homosexual. Since it’s becoming clear that Americans (finally catching up at least a little bit with the rest of the world) that beating, killing, and directly insulting/chastising homosexuals isn’t a good thing anymore (not that it ever was), the next best thing for these yokels seems to be chastising and boycotting anybody or any organization that supports homosexuality.

Of course, they have their own definition of the term “support” — to them, support means anything from saying “uh, I don’t actually care about his sexual orientation” to “we actively support our gay and lesbian communities!” When I think of “support,” I tend to picture a continuum ranging from “hey, good job, man! Keep it up!” to “here’s a million dollars/my best lawyer/an army of people to help you punish these ignorant, hateful bastards!” But I digress…

Today’s AFA Target: McDonald’s

The latest “ActionAlert!” the AFA brought to my attention calls for the boycotting of McDonald’s because they dared to pay to send some of their employees to attend a Pioneer Summit. As the AFA itself admits, the summit was a success. A quote from Echelon Magazine:

Looking back at their first summit, Unger observed, “It was truly inspiring to see MGLAN members come together to share heartfelt, personal stories about their journeys, challenges and personal reflections. Better understanding these journeys, which reflect the mindset of our LGBT customers, will help us better grow our people in the restaurants and across the company. Most importantly, of course, it also helps us better understand and serve all our diverse customers across the United States.”

I guess, according to the AFA, by trying to encourage its employees to understand, acknowledge, and embrace a community of millions, and by adjusting its corporate culture and attitudes accordingly, McDonald’s is unwittingly contributing to the end of the world as we know it, the destruction of all virtue and good, etc.

Specifically, the AFA’s complaint about McDonald’s behavior here is:

It is about McDonald’s, as a corporation, refusing to remain neutral in the culture wars. McDonald’s has chosen not to remain neutral but to give the full weight of their corporation to promoting the homosexual agenda, including homosexual marriage.

AFA’s Proposed Actions

The AFA encourages us all to boycott McDonald’s (i.e. don’t buy their food or eat at their restaurants), complain to local McDonald’s restaurants about the company’s support of homosexuality, and pressure others to do the same. There’s an online petition they’re running to gather signatures, and they also offer an offline petition form for supporters to print and circulate.

Analysis

The issue here is, essentially, homosexuality. The AFA says homosexuality is bad. Therefore (in their heads), anyone who doesn’t actively try to shun and stop homosexuality is bad (this is deduced from their own text on boycottmcdonalds.com).

Culture Wars?

What the fuck? There’s no “war” here, folks, and trying to sensationalize this issue so strongly makes you look even sillier. Here on Earth, the real situation is something like this:

• Homosexuality is widely believed (by learned scientists, physiologists, psychologists, and doctors) to be a genetic trait, and not a “decision” or “choice”
  • A common claim by the religious loons out there is that homosexuality is a choice and that homosexuals can be “fixed” by simple education and training (read: “brainwashing”) so they’re not homosexual anymore. Studies have been commissioned (by these same loons) to try to prove this, but they’ve failed to find any supporting evidence.
• Homosexuality is generally held to be lawful in most parts of the civilized world; the United States is one of the few places where some states still consider certain sexual acts to be illegal (punishable by imprisonment). Ironically, in those states, even opposite-sex couples engaging in those acts can be prosecuted for the same violation (even oral sex is still illegal in a few places — that’s right, abstinence-only proponents: the activities your kids can engage in without risking pregnancy no matter how they do it can land them in jail, so it’s actually better that they just get on with having regular sex since there’s less legal punishment lined up for it).
• Where it is considered unlawful, even in religious strongholds that outlaw homosexuality or certain sexual behaviors, those laws are slowly being repealed or ruled to be unconstitutional (or otherwise unlawful).
• All over the world, corporations and individuals alike are moving to be more supportive of stable couples in warm, loving relationships, regardless of their gender. Health insurance is available for same-sex couples in many places, tax incentives offered to married couples are being extended to same-sex couples, etc.
  • Amusingly, if we’d just get it over with and specifically permit same-sex marriage, those modifications to tax laws and health insurance underwriting methodology wouldn’t even be necessary
• Most people are able to at least tolerate homosexuals, and those numbers are rising.
• Even in America, where this is a divisive issue, it is against the law in all fifty states to discriminate against a person based on their sexual orientation.

The only kind of battle being waged is by the old set, the scared creatures clinging to their bibles hoping to scare everyone straight. And they’re losing the battle, rather badly.

Corporate Responsibility

Remember, fellow readers, that technically a company only has two real responsibilities: don’t break the law, and return more money to the investors than they originally put in.

Any other claimed “responsibilities” are marketing efforts to encourage customers to keep coming, and to draw in new ones. Sorry to be cynical about this, but please think about it for awhile if you think I’m wrong — companies seriously only exist to make (or channel) money. Everything they do is an effort to support that, whether it’s cutting costs, changing policies, buying (or lobbying to change) laws, etc.

The AFA is angry that McDonald’s has decided to cater to another market segment (and a big one at that) and ensure its existing employees don’t ostracize or attack homosexuals working for the company. They’re angry that McDonald’s isn’t “staying neutral.” I wonder what the AFA’s position would be if McDonald’s began actively (and publicly) discouraging homosexuality within its rank and file. Certainly the AFA would support that position, right? Even if that’s “not staying neutral?” Wouldn’t the AFA be angry at the government for “persecuting” McDonald’s (since discrimination against homosexuality is unlawful in hiring and housing practices in the U.S., the government would prosecute the company for doing that)?

It’s not really anybody’s business, except McDonald’s, that is, what “alignment” the company takes in this argument between heterosexuals and the homosexuals some of them hate. And when a McDonald’s employee makes your sandwich, does it actually matter to you whether he has sex with men or with women? Does a McDonald’s with a gay manager really produce different-tasting Big Macs than one with a straight manager?

Willfe’s Recommendations

If you’re going to boycott somebody, find a better reason than this. Grab a picket sign and go protest at a gay club or on a college campus where you might actually get noticed. Boycotting McDonald’s because you’re a homophobe isn’t even going to register on McDonald’s radar — there just aren’t enough of you hate-filled people to make a dent in their bottom line.

For those of us who actually support McDonald’s efforts here, do the opposite of what the AFA is encouraging. Here’s how to help McDonald’s understand it’s done a good thing:

• Tell your local store manager and employees that you applaud McDonald’s efforts.
• Keep buying McDonald’s food if you usually do (i.e. don’t boycott them)
• Send a link to this article to all of your friends & family to encourage them to support these world-changing efforts
• If you hear anyone complain about McDonald’s supporting homosexuality, politely and calmly explore the issue with them. Get them to admit they just “hate the gays” and suddenly a lot of the thunder leaves their argument. Educate them so they understand they can’t be “converted” to homosexuality by buying or eating food, by being near (or hearing from, reading about, or seeing) homosexual people, or really by any means. You’re born with your preference, and it’s a real tough one to just “magically” change. Many scientists don’t believe it’s even possible.
• Let the AFA know they’re wrong. Do so politely, rudely, or repeatedly, but make sure they know they’re wrong.

As for the AFA … I guess all I have to say is “guys, pick a better fight; this one just makes you look stupid.” There are a few good reasons to avoid fast food (not just McDonald’s) … but a company’s pro-tolerance and pro-acceptance stance isn’t one of them. Unless you really are just filled with hate. In that case, nobody can help you, and the world will be a better place once you’re gone.

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