I received a pleasantry from the American Family Association today, asking me to boycott and harass the Pepsi Company for "promoting gay lifestyles."
Won't you join me in the riotous fun that is: the anti-boycott of PepsiCo?
Pepsi is not something I regularly partake in, mind you. There are multiple offenses that Pepsi participates in that anyone truly concerned about familial health should be outraged about:
- American Pepsi products contain High Fructose Corn Syrup which, despite all ads that depict HFCS-haters as dimwitted bullies, is not good for the human body. It doesn't matter that it's "Made from Corn" - HFCS is implicated in the rise of obesity and diabetes in the United States because of its prevalence in even the most benign foods. Pick up a loaf of bread at any supermarket that wasn't baked on the premises. Chances are, there's HFCS in it.
- Pepsi's bottlers in India have distributed beverages so high in pesticides that it's caused a boycott there. Pepsi does not counter that its drinks are without pesticides - instead it points out that it has less pesticides than its competitors, including Coke. Pepsi also insists that its Indian distributed beverages are completely safe.
- Pepsi bottlers, like Coca-Cola bottlers, aggressively market their poison (aka "chemical shitstorm" as noted in the book Skinny Bitch) to middle, high school, and college students. Some bottlers promise money to the desperate schools in return for having a monopoly of product offerings on campus, extended to a very captive audience.
- Pepsi, like most other bottlers, profit off of the prevalence of bottled water purchases, which often lead to unnecessary waste instead of recycling.
Nevermind these offenses. Frankly, PepsiCo is a multinational corporation and (while not excuseable) these are offenses that unfortunately apply to many of the big businesses we support with our dollars on a daily basis and are things we need to be vigilant of and challenge on a regular basis.
But, I'm here to talk about the American Family Association and their request that you Boycott the Pepsi Company.
*Disclaimer:* That link will take you to the AFA's boycott website. Regrettably, I could not find information on their linked videos in YouTube, and will eagerly remove or amend this link if I can find the actual videos.
AFA has its collective silky pink panties in a twist because of the following offenses committed by PepsiCo:
- PepsiCo has donated $1,000,000 to the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) and to Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG), two groups that provide a tremendous amount of support to the American gay community. PFLAG has been instrumental in helping families cope with their biases against gays and learn that Yes! it is okay to love your gay children.
- AFA would like you to know that HRC spent 2.3million to try to defeat Proposition 8 in California and Pepsi gave them $500K.
- Pepsi forces - FORCES, BY GOD!!!! - good Christian men and women to sit through sexual orientation and diversity training where employees are "taught to accept homosexuality" (i.e., stop looking at your coworkers like they've crawled out of the mouth of Hel herself).
- Finally, PepsiCo "push(es) the gay lifestyle" - two ads are presented for your perusal at the link above. Again, this is AFA's webpage, so clicking on the link will give them a pagehit, but I don't know where else to find the videos. One has a Queer Eye star checking out a hot dude, the other features an indecisive man sitting with two friends and declaring his love for Pepsi and Diet Pepsi, obviously marking him as bi-sexual.
The AFA's obsession regarding sex acts between consenting adults has a long and sordid history. People for the American Way and Good as You have details about AFA's activities, which seem to be limited to hating on gays, lesbians, and bi-sexuals. AFA is a huge supporter of ex-gay ministries and the accompanying brainwashing that is often forced upon tender young minds when they first discover and admit who they really are.
Here is what AFA would like you, the god-fearing American patriot to do. I encourage you to use this information to thank PepsiCo for their continued commitment to diversity and equal rights of all Americans, regardless of nationality, gender, or sexual identity. They're being spammed by right-wingers right now, so they could probably use the breather from a real human being:
- Call PepsiCo's main offices at 914-253-2000 or 1-800-433-2652 and thank them for the witty and interesting advertisements that show the true diversity of this world. Thank them for their commitment to a safe working environment for all people.
- Call your local Pepsi Distributor (sorry, this is another AFA link!!!) and thank them for distributing a product that supports equality of all Americans.
- AFA would also like you to know that Pepsi is responsible for the distribution of Frito-Lay chips and snacks (800-352-4477), Quaker Oats (800-367-6287), Tropicana (800-237-7799) and Gatorade (800-884-2867).
Finally, AFA would like you to contribute to them if you like their message. So, here's some places where you can donate in their honor:
PFLAG donation form
Human Rights Campaign donation form
GLAAD donation form
I encourage you to donate in honor of Donald Wildmon (founder of AFA and residing Chairman) or his son, Tim Wildmon (sitting AFA President).
Incidentally, if this diary makes any of you gay, please let me know, as I have only 3 more conversions before I get that grind n' brew coffee maker.
Finally, if any of you have functions upcoming where you were planning on buying carbonated sodas anyhow, please consider giving your business to Pepsi, and let Pepsi know why you're making that choice. I realize that in a perfect world, no one would drink the crap they sell, but by god - this world ain't perfect. In the meantime, consider patronizing a company that supports equal rights over a company that distributes a product supporting "Doktor" Michael (Weiner) Savage's family.
Update: It has been pointed out that Coca-Cola DID lose their RockStar contract to Pepsi, so now PepsiCo is being boycotted by GLBT groups and GLBT-haters. An Advocate link has been kindly provided. Sometimes you can't win for losing, Pepsi. Try to pick the right side this time, eh?