McDonald's Should
Quit 'Gay' Commerce
Chamber, Family Group
Says Josiah Ryan
From the Web, April
12, 2008
Richard Ellis, vice president of
communications for McDonald's USA, recently joined the board of directors of the
National Gay Lesbian Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC) to promote the business of
McDonald's to the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community -- a step the
conservative American Family Association (AFA) opposes.
The AFA wants Ellis to resign from the board and for McDonald's to withdraw as a
"corporate partner" from the NGLCC, in part because they think the organization
will lobby for homosexual marriage.
"McDonalds is thrilled to join the National Gay Lesbian Chamber of Commerce team
and ready to get to work," Ellis said in a press statement released by the NGLCC
in March.
"McDonalds shares the NGLCC's passion for business growth and development within
the LGBT [lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender] community and I look forward to
playing a role in moving these important initiatives forward," he said.
The NGLCC claims to represent 1.4 million LGBT-- owned businesses in the United
States. McDonald's, along with a number of other companies, including IBM, Wells
Fargo, Coors Light, and Intel, is listed on the NGLCC Web site as a corporate
partner.
Randy Sharp, director of special projects for the AFA, told Cybercast News
Service that it is not necessary for McDonald's to maintain membership in such a
group for the company to deal fairly and dispassionately with its homosexual
customers and employees.
"By joining the NGLCC, they [McDonald's] are endorsing a lifestyle we believe
many of their customers would oppose," said Sharp. "They should just remain
neutral. They should just say we are not going to get involved. America is
finding out that when you choose sides, you are going to offend a large
contingent of your customers.
Once corporate America gets involved in promoting homosexuality, it's just a
matter of time until it starts endorsing same-sex marriage," said Sharp. "We are
calling on McDonald's to resign their position on the board of directors and not
to renew their membership next year."
The NGLCC Web site does not say anything specifically about endorsing homosexual
marriage, but it does have an "advocacy" component that, in part, reads:
"Advocacy is a top priority for the NGLCC, whether it's lobbying Congress or the
White House, commenting on regulatory issues or working with leaders throughout
America's top corporations to bring about equality, opportunity and change. ...
NGLCC plays an important role in influencing legislation on a national level."
Sharp told Cybercast News Service that the AFA thinks part of the agenda of the
NGLCC is to help promote homosexuality throughout America.
"It's a stepping stone for homosexual activists to get their feet in the door
and begin promoting their agenda," said Sharp. "We know the number one goal of
homosexual activists right now is to pass legislation and press for same-sex
marriage. We believe marriage should only be between one man and woman."
Neither the NGLCC nor McDonald's chose to comment on this story despite numerous
requests from Cybercast New Service.
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