|
Contact: Cindy Roberts (662) 844-5036 ext. 227
For Immediate Release: 1/11/2006
44 pro-family groups ask Ford to honor commitment, stop funding either side in cultural war
(Tupelo, MS) - American Family Association (AFA), along with 43 other pro-family groups, has asked Ford Motor Company Chairman Bill Ford to honor Ford’s commitment to stop supporting homosexual groups. The organizations also requested that Ford stop supporting any group involved in the current cultural war.
Read letter to Chairman Bill Ford: http://www.afa.net/fordletter.asp
AFA began a boycott of Ford last spring. At the request of several Ford dealers, the boycott was suspended for six months while the two sides tried to work out a compromise.
In a letter to Ford, AFA Chairman Donald E. Wildmon said Ford, after a meeting with homosexual groups, reneged on a representation of action they told AFA Ford would take.
”After meeting with seven homosexual leaders and without any input from thousands of their dealers who stand to be adversely affected by Ford’s decision, Ford made their decision to renege on actions they told AFA they would take,” Wildmon said. “Ford’s support for these groups pushing homosexual marriage can only hurt dealers across the country. Why would Ford put the interests of seven homosexual groups ahead of the interests of all their dealers? Simply because Ford considers seven homosexual leaders more important than thousands of their dealers.”
AFA suggested that Ford get out of supporting any side in the cultural war. “We strongly suggest that Ford remove itself from involvement in the cultural war and apply its resources to building the best product possible,” Wildmon wrote in the letter to Chairman Ford. “It ill serves the purpose of Ford to take sides in the cultural war. It is a no-win situation. When you favor one side, you alienate the other. Leave the cultural battles to the various groups pro and con and to the politicians. Apply your energy and your resources to building better automobiles. This policy would benefit not only Ford, your employees and your dealers, but society as a whole.”
AFA said Ford represented that they would not renew current promotions or create future incentives that give cash donations to homosexual organizations based on the purchase of a vehicle. Ford also represented that the company would stop giving cash and vehicle donations or endorsements to homosexual social activities such as Gay Pride parades.
Ford represented they would not make corporate donations to homosexual organizations that, as part of their activities, engage in political or social campaigns to promote civil unions or same-sex marriage. Finally, Ford represented they would cease all advertising in homosexual websites and media outlets (magazines, television, radio) in the U.S. with the exception of a small amount to be used by Volvo. The Volvo ads would be the same ads used in the general media and not aimed at the homosexual community specifically.
When homosexual groups complained, seven homosexual leaders met with Ford. “At that meeting, Ford repudiated your representations to AFA and issued a public letter strongly supporting the homosexual groups,” Wildmon wrote Chairman Ford.
AFA requested that Ford retract its repudiation and honor the representations Ford made. “We can not, and will not, sit by as Ford supports an agenda aimed at the destruction of the family,” Wildmon stated.
AFA asked for a response by January 20. “If we do not hear from you by that date, we will assume that Ford does not intend to honor their commitment. Should you decide to respond, please do so by letter since we can no longer trust Ford’s spoken word,” wrote Wildmon.
The letter was signed by the following:
Donald E. Wildmon, Chairman
American Family Association
Other signatories include:
Tony Perkins, President
Family Research Council
Dr. James Dobson, Founder and Chairman
Focus On The Family
Gary Bauer, President
American Values
Dr. D. James Kennedy, President
Coral Ridge Ministries
Dr. Richard Land, President
The Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission
The Southern Baptist Convention
Paul Weyrich, National Chairman
Coalitions for America
Beverly LaHaye, Founder and Chairman
Concerned Women for America
Dr. Gary Cass, President
Center for Reclaiming America
Rev. Ted Haggard, President
National Association of Evangelicals
Phil Burress, President
Citizens for Community Values
Curt Smith, President
Indiana Family Institute
Janet Folger, President
Faith2Action
Bobbie Patray, President
Tennessee Eagle Forum
Dr. Leo Godzich, Chairman
National Association of Marriage Enhancement
R. Allen Angell, President
Constituent Voice
Kelly Shackelford, President
Free Market Foundation
Gary Glenn, President
American Family Association of Michigan
Russell Johnson, Chairman
Ohio Restoration Project
Alan Chambers, President
Exodus International
Diane Gramley, President
American Family Association of Pennsylvania
Dr. Kenneth Hutcherson, President
Mayday for Marriage
Micah Clark, Executive Director
American Family Association of Indiana
Dr. Rick Scarborough, President
Vision America
Gregory B. Darby, Founder & President
Christian Interactive Network
John Uhlmann, Chairman
Our Shared American Identity Foundation
Ron Shuping, Senior Vice President of Programming
The Inspiration Television Networks
Dr. Keith Wiebe, President
American Association of Christian Schools
Tom Shields, Chairman
Coalition for Marriage and Family
Dr. Laurence White, President
The American Restoration Project
Larry Cirignano, Executive Director
CatholicVote.org
Keith Wiebe, Jr., President
West Virginia Family Foundation
Mathew D. Staver, President and General Counsel
Liberty Counsel
Kristian M. Mineau, President
Massachusetts Family Institute
Douglas Stiegler, Executive Director
Association of Maryland Families
Colin A. Hanna, President
Let Freedom Ring, Inc.
Carol L. Wagstaff, M.A., Executive Director
Living Stones Ministries
David Kyle Foster, President/Executive Director
Mastering Life Ministries
Curt Smith, President
Indiana Family Institute
Al Laws, Jr., Chief Executive Officer
Win Family Services, Inc.
Peter LaBarbera
Illinois Family Institute
William G. Owens, President
Coalition of African-American Churches
Jerry Flowers, Executive Director
RealMarriage.Org
NO ADDITIONAL COMMENTS WILL BE MADE AT THIS TIME
American Family Association is a pro-family advocacy organization with over two million online supporters.
— 30 —
|
E-mail this page to a friend 
Printer-Friendly Version