Ford Motor Co. has upped its advertising in gay publications-and its donations to gay groups-and is again the target of a boycott by the Christian right's American Family Association.
Right Side of the Rainbow cheers Ford, as I do regarding non-biased ad strategy. If Ford thinks advertising in gay publications will sell more cars and trucks, that's all that should matter.
But should corporations donate to groups advocating a political agenda? I guess if it fits into an overall strategy to increase shareholder value via the gay market. But The Truth About Cars website argues that "Surely the company should take a politically neutral line in ALL its charitable contributions, restricting their largesse to apolitical organizations" rather than weighing into contentious political struggles.
Ford, the above website reports, has made large cash contributions to groups including the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force. If I were a straight Republican, I don't know that I'd want my car-buying dollars to support groups that almost exclusively support very left-liberal Democrats and take political positions I don't agree with. Heck, I'm gay and NGLTF's political positions on non-gay issues (and some gay issues!) deeply offend me.
So in general, I don't see the rationale for corporations to get
involved in social-issue politics. And yes, I'm aware that
corporate money also goes to Republican candidates and causes. But
usually this is more directly connected with business aims (i.e.,
perpetuating corporate subsidies). I think that's wrong, too,
although congressional politics today seems largely driven by who
stuffs the most dollars into which politicians deep
pockets.