The American Family Association (AFA) has its knickers in a knot because Ronald McDonald refuses to remain neutral about treatment of LGBT’s in the workplace. McDonald’s Corporation joined the National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce, donated $20K to the organization and one of its executives now serves as a director. The AFA claims that its complaint is not that McDonald’s has implemented human resources policies promoting the equitable treatment of employees, but that McD’s refuses to remain neutral in the “culture wars.”
Isn’t the rhetoric fascinating? Apparently we’re embroiled in a war. Whatever happened to the culture “dialogue”? The culture “experience”? The culture “conversation”? But no. Conservative Americans feel compelled to go to war. Because … well … war is a family value.
And what about this word “neutral”? Maybe we should translate: don’t take stands we disagree with. AFA members have no qualms about endorsing Chick-fil-A, whose southern Baptist leanings permeate its corporate culture. Indeed, its corporate mission is: “to glorify God by being a faithful steward of all that is entrusted to us and to have a positive influence on all who come in contact with Chick-fil-A.” Neutral my ass.
Things got a little heated earlier this month when the chair of the AFA, Donald Wildmon, requested that McDonald’s withdraw support from the NGLCC. Speaking for McDonald’s, Bill Whitman said: “Hatred has no place in our culture. That includes McDonald’s, and we stand by and support our people to live and work in a society free of discrimination and harassment.” See the Washington Post article.
Evidently Ronald McDonald has balls and doesn’t mind casting aside the religious finery to reveal what really lies beneath: bigotry. AFA sounds a lot like another famed acronym of the American south – KKK, and whether we’re talking about lynching blacks or denying gays access to the law, hatred is hatred.
Ronald, I’d give you a big hug if it weren’t for the thing about beef.
July 16, 2008
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Wed, Jul 16, 2008
From the Drainpipe