Conservative Christian group American
Family Association (AFA) is protesting Hallmark's recent entry into
the gay marriage cards business. AFA called the decision motivated
by “greed,” and gay marriage a “lifestyle which is illegal in
48 states.”
Hallmark, America's largest greeting
card company, is offering customers four gay wedding cards. The
cards do not mention gender or occasion, making them suitable for
civil unions as well.
“It's our goal to be as relevant as
possible to as many people as we can,” Hallmark spokeswoman Sarah
Gronberg Kolell told the Associated Press.
But that explanation did not sit well with leaders at the AFA, who
condemned the decision.
“Hallmark is a private company obviously driven by greed. Let them
know you do not appreciate Hallmark promoting a lifestyle which is
illegal in 48 states,” the group says in a statement located on
their website. The posting urges members to email Hallmark in
protest.
Speculation over an imminent boycott started on Friday, when Jeremy
Hooper revealed on his blog GoodAsYou.org that the group had
purchased the domain BoycottHallmark.com.
The AFA is currently boycotting McDonald's over its support of the
GLBT community.
That scuffle began when AFA officials
found out that McDonald's' Director of Communications Richard Ellis
was a board member of the National Gay Lesbian Chamber Of Commerce
(NGLCC), and that McDonald's itself is a member of the organization
and has donated to it. The group asked McDonald's to removed itself
from the chamber.
In a letter to the AFA, McDonald's
officials expressed continued support to the GLBT community. “We
will continue to support our people and their right to live and work
in an inclusive society.”
In March, the association ended a two-year boycott against Ford Motor
Company after it stopped advertising in the gay media. The
automaker, however, has said it stopped running all niche advertising
when the economy soured.
On the net: Jeremy Hooper's blog is at www.goodasyou.org.