My Thoughts, My Life Journey: AFA is ending its boycott of McDonald's

Friday, October 10, 2008

AFA is ending its boycott of McDonald's

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The American Family Association (AFA) is ending its boycott of McDonald's.

Mississippi-based AFA called for the boycott in May after the fast food giant joined the National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce. McDonald's has notified the pro-homosexual organization that McDonald's vice president Richard Ellis resigned from the board of directors of NGLCC and his seat on the board will not be replaced.

In a press release on Thursday morning, AFA reports that in an email from McDonald's to its franchise owners the company stated its policy is "to not be involved in political and social issues."

Randy Sharp is director of special projects with AFA. He says McDonald's has pledged to remain neutral in the culture war surrounding homosexual marriage.

"The franchise owners understood very early that this was an issue that McDonald's did not need to be involved in from a corporate level, and [that] they needed to stick with serving good food products in a convenient way, at a good price."

McDonald's officials also said the company has no plans to renew its membership in the NGLCC when it expires in December.

Others can learn

AFA president Tim Wildmon says it's encouraging that the world's largest global foodservice retailer has pledged to remain neutral in the culture war. He says other corporations can learn from McDonald's decision to not be involved in political or social issues.

"That's been our appeal to these corporations," he explains. "...[J]ust stay neutral [and] don't give money to organizations that are going to fight against traditional values. And we try to tell folks [that] many of [their] customers are traditional values folks, and don't offend them by supporting gay and lesbian activist groups."

AFA founder and chairman Donald E. Wildmon states that his pro-family organization "appreciate[s] the decision by McDonald's to no longer support political activity by homosexual activist organizations."