In 1989, Donald Trump spent $150,000* to place four full-page ads calling for the execution of five African American and Latino teenagers that were accused of rape. The teenagers were tried and convicted, until DNA evidence and the actual perpetrator's confession proved their innocence in 2002. Donald Trump has not apologized for seeking to end their lives.
In 2011, Donald Trump hired investigators to hunt for President Obama's birth certificate, even though the certificate had already been released in 2008. This investigation only served to validate and fuel the claims of conspiracy theorists; conspiracy theorists who believe that just one drop of Kenyan blood makes the President less than American, less than human, and unworthy of holding our nation's highest office.
This is what Donald Trump does with his money.
This is what 7-UP enables Donald Trump to do with their advertising dollars.
This is what you enable Donald Trump to do if you buy 7-UP.
7-UP is not embarrassed to be associated with Donald Trump, nor are they outraged by his remarks. They have made a business decision to enable Donald Trump's platform; they value profit over standing against the race-baiting, homophobic, rhetoric of a malignant narcissist.
7-UP has attempted to combover this criticism by claiming that they are only a sponsor of The Apprentice, but not of Donald Trump. This is a fallacy: without Donald Trump, The Apprentice wouldn't exist. Financial support of The Apprentice is financial support of Donald Trump. 7-UP's decision to sponsor Donald Trump's 11th season was a business decision to put money in his pocket, despite the fact that he unapolegtically uses his money to demand the execution of wrongly-accused African Americans and Latinos.
7-UP has tried to shield itself from criticism by noting that their sponsorship includes donations to charity. 7-UP is using charity to hide behind the fact that their money enables Donald Trump to parrot the racist beliefs of the birther movement. 7-UP doesn't need to sponsor Donald Trump in order to make charitable donations, but they do need to sponsor him in order to profit from four hours of product placement for the launch of their "Retro 7-UP" campaign.
Please join the Boycott of 7-UP and The Apprentice. Groupon has already pulled their sponsorship, and Trump was forced to cancel his appearance at the Indy 500.
Let's keep the momentum building:
PLEASE CALL 7-UP
1-800-696-5891
Demand that they publically break ties with Donald Trump. Tell them that as long they enable his speech, you will not purchase any of their parent company's products.
PLEASE WRITE 7-UP
http://www.econsumeraffairs.com/...
PLEASE TWEET your friends and family with hashtag #DumpTrump and #7UP
Emphasize how important it is for them to add their voices to the boycott, and send tweet a message to @7UP while you're at it.
A silent boycott is an ineffective boycott. Sponsors are motivated by money and avoiding harm to their reputation. Current sponsors need to be contacted and told that they're being held accountable for their actions, and sponsors of future seasons need to know that they will be held accountable, as well.
Thank you for your support.
Recommended links:
1. The Central Park Five: http://www.alternet.org/...
2. Lawrence O'Donnell on the racist undertones and racist overtones of Donald Trump:
http://www.mediaite.com/...
3. The ramifications of Trump's birther support (some NSFW language):
http://www.youtube.com/...
* adjusted for inflation.
Updated by hey mister at Sun May 22, 2011 at 05:04 PM EDT
While this diary focuses on the specific 7-UP brand of Dr. Pepper Snapple Groups' products, please make ure that your calls and emails reference boycotting all of their company's products:
http://www.drpeppersnapplegroup.com/...
7UP
A&W
Cactus Cooler
Canada Dry
Clamato
Coco Casa
Country Time
Crush
Deja BlueDiet Rite
Dr Pepper
Elements
Hawaiian Punch
Hires
Holland House
IBC
Margaritaville
Mistic
Mott'sMr & Mrs T
Nantucket Nectars
Nehi
Orangina
Peñafiel
RC Cola
ReaLemon
Rose's
Schweppes
SnappleSquirt
Stewart's
Sun Drop
Sunkist
Tahitian Treat
Venom Energy
Vernors
Welch's
Yoo-hoo