Exxon Mobil tied for worst in the Corporate Equality Index with a score of 0. The energy giant does not prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity and does not provide spousal health benefits to same-sex partners.
Clear Channel
Dawson McAllister is a radio host who takes to the airwaves each week to dispense advice to millions of American young adults. It's a show mixed with advice, counseling, and pop music, drawing a large audience and being carried by more than 160 radio stations around the country, including many Clear Channel stations.
But does Dawson McAllister and his team of "helpline" counselors urge lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender young adults to try and cure themselves of their sexual orientation or gender identity? It sure seems so, at least according to an investigation conducted by Greg Kimball at KnowThyNeighbor.org. Kimball was listening to McAllister's radio program this past week in Boston (where it runs on Clear Channel-operated Kiss 108). On a whim he decided to call the helpline, wondering how the spiritual counselors behind McAllister's radio program might react to a teenager questioning their sexuality. What did he find out? That the counselors who operate Dawson McAllister's "helpline" believe that homosexuality is akin to murder and theft, and that homosexuality is as bad as drug addiction and alcoholism. Worse, these same counselors referred callers to Exodus International, the ex-gay therapy organization that has worked closely with Ugandan legislators to stoke the homophobia necessary to push a bill that will sentence LGBT people to death or prison. That sound of a record scratching? No, that's not a pause in Clear Channel's top 40 music. It's the shock that a company like Clear Channel, who has a fantastic rating from equal rights groups like the Human Rights Campaign, might be distributing a radio program that tells gay and lesbian youth that they are as bad as murderers.
America's number one retailer of auto parts and accessories" continues to refuse domestic partner benefits for employees. AutoZone, a Fortune 500 company, also has a history of being a hostile workforce to women and in 2006,was sued by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
A Fortune 1000 Company, Brown-Forman distributes Jack Daniels, Southern Comfort, Finlandia Vodkas, Herradura Tequila, Sonoma-Cutrer Wines, Fetzer Wines, Korbel Champagne, Bolla Wines, Bonterra Wines, but provides no comfort to its gay and lesbian employees, refusing even basic domestic partner benefits.
How They're Faring: B.F. is currently trading at $41.70, up marginally from their mid-November 52 week low of $38 dollars, but over the past 10 years has had an average of 8.3% growth annually.
Cinemark CEO Alan Stock, who donated $9,999 dollars to the Yes on 8 campaign. Operating also under the name Tinseltown, CineArts and Century Theaters, Cinemark delivers the sort of highbrow, artistic films that appeal to gays. Despite multiple boycotts, including one at Sundance, neither Stock nor Cinemark have pledged to change anything, other than to send out form letters saying, "It would be inappropriate to influence our employees' position on personal issues outside the work environment, especially on political, social or religious activities," to people who write asking for Cinemark to take a stand.
Wal-Mart does not offer domestic partner benefits except in locations required by law. In addition, while Wal-Mart is the largest retailer of books in the country, it refuses to carry any LGBT-related titles. In 2008, after Christian Conservative groups threatened a boycott, Wal-Mart left the National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce, with a spokesperson saying the company had decided not "to support or oppose highly controversial issues."
Another case of CEOs and management using their prominent position and hefty salary to put down gays and lesbians, Domino's founder Tom Monaghan is a co-founder of the Thomas More Law Center, which recently defended the San Diego Fire Fighters who won a lawsuit claiming they were sexually harassed by being forced to March in a gay pride parade.
Coors Beer
Myth: The Coors family is separate from the brewery, so boycotting Coors won't hurt the family.
Fact: All voting stock in the Adolph Coors Company is owned by the Adolph Coors Jr. Trust. The Adolph Coors Jr. Trust is controlled by William Coors and his nephews Peter and Jeffrey Coors. William Coors is the chairman of Adolph Coors Co, Peter Coors is the director of Adolph Coors Co and chairman of Coors Brewing Co and Jeffrey Coors is the CEO of Graphic Packaging International, formerly ACX Technologies, a spin-off company which sells the brewery its paper and cardboard packaging, worth $130 million in 2001. Jeffrey is also the chairman of Castle Rock Foundation.
The Coors businesses make a lot of money. Salaries, bonuses, dividends and stock options have funneled easily $100 million from the brewery to members of the Coors family over the last ten years. Professional managers run the daily operations, but the brewery is still the ongoing source of the Coors family wealth and of their continuing funding of far right wing attacks on civil rights.
When the late Joseph Coors' direct funding of far right wing groups such as the Heritage Foundation became controversial, he and William Coors founded the Adolph Coors Foundation to put up a paper wall between the brewery and their gifts to far right wing causes. In 1993 the Castle Rock Foundation was split off from the Adolph Coors Foundation, to remove the name of Coors from the more controversial gifts. Castle Rock took over funding of the Heritage Foundation and Free Congress.
Adolph Coors Foundation and Castle Rock Foundation share the same board, including William, Peter, Jeffrey and Holly Coors, and the same pool of assets. Until 1997, both foundations were supported by a large block of Adolph Coors Company stock. When articles in gay papers exposed the link between the stock, Castle Rock Foundation and their support for anti-gay groups, the foundations sold their Adolph Coors Co stock and bought an equivalent block of ACX Technologies, Jeffrey Coors' spin-off company, stock they still hold.
To: Peckers_Pics@yahoogroups.com; peckers_pics@yahoogroups.com
From: willy_eeyore_meyer@msn.com
Date: Thu, 29 Jul 2010 21:27:51 -0500
Subject: Re: [Peckers_Pics] TARGET Corporation Supporting Anti Gay Canidate
----- Original Message -----From: patrick fergusonSent: Thursday, July 29, 2010 4:16 PMSubject: [Peckers_Pics] TARGET Corporation Supporting Anti Gay CanidateI myself just placed a call to TARGET Corporation, and expressed
my shock of this political support. I also informed them that I would
no longer patronize their company, stores, or internet sites. I was told
that the information regarding my call would be passed on to
Target CEO, Gregg Steinhafel and to senior staff daily.
When calling, I asked to speak with Gregg or his assistant.
Target Corporation
Target1000 Nicollet MallMinneapolis, MN 55403-2542PUBLIC, NYSE: TGTPhone: (612) 304-6073
To: Peckers_Pics@yahoogroups. com
From: jakewest_tn@yahoo.com
Date: Thu, 29 Jul 2010 20:32:56 +0000
Subject: [Peckers_Pics] Model Wars; July 30, 2010 - Safe PICS For All Ages, Rated G
Model Wars; July 30, 2010
Safe PICS For All Ages, Rated GConsider joining:
http://groups.yahoo.com/ group/ObamaBiden 2008/join . Take Action:
- We demand immediate end of DADT. It is out-right discrimination.
Diet & Fitness:
Too tired to work out? Whatever you do, don't skip it. Exercise will put spring back in your step.
People who regularly complained of fatigue increased energy levels by 20% with regular, low-intensity exercise, according to a 2008 University of Georgia study.
You don't have to run marathons either. The study found that those who did low-intensity exercises, such as walking, cut fatigue levels more than those who ran or did high-impact aerobics.
Re-energize: Exercise every day, even for as little as 10 minutes.
If you're in a time crunch, just "take a walk around the hallway," Cheung says.
If possible, work out first thing in the morning, Fischer says. "It can be as stimulating as an espresso [for] waking you up."
If you're drooping after lunch, take a 10- to 20-minute walk. Even just standing up while working instead of sitting in front of a computer helps loosen the body.And Now, Model Wars!This group is called "Peckers PICS." The English - slang definition of "pecker" is to pluck at the truth. Therefore, we peck at items such as Gay Men's Health and Male Fitness, Gay (LGBT) Politics & Issues. In this section you may peck at each photo in order to decide the winner of the "war of the fittest!" Whereas, who is the model that may inspire you to exercise and "get fit?" Warning: This may stoke you!Remember your participation in discussion of health and news articles in this message is greatly appreciated!
Columbus, Ohio - Gay Pride; June 19, 2010
Columbus, Ohio - Gay Pride; June 19, 2010
Randi Reitan- Mother, Gay Rights Activist; July 29, 2010; Huffington PostTwo days ago I shopped at Target for the last time. All the items I bought, I returned in protest of Target's $150,000 support of Tom Emmer, the anti-gay Republican candidate for governor in Minnesota. As a mom, I had to do this one person protest. My youngest son is gay, and I love him more than anything I could ever buy at Target. Video of my final shopping trip to Target was posted on YouTube and you can watch it here:
I called Target headquarters to ask them how they could give Emmer $150,000 when they have prided themselves as a company that embraces diversity. I told them they can't say they support the gay community in their workplace and then financially back a candidate who will do all he can to deny their gay employees their civil rights.
Minnesota is at a unique time right now. We are in the midst of our primary. On August 12th, we will pick the Democrat candidate for governor. There are three good people in that race and each one of them strongly supports marriage equality. We have marriage equality within our reach if anyone of them wins in November.
On the other side, the Republicans have already united behind Tom Emmer. He is known for his anti-gay stands as a state legislator. He has consistently supported a constitutional marriage amendment that defines marriage as one man, one woman. He has also supported the Christian rock group, You Can Run But You Can Not Hide, that shares anti-gay messages on the radio. Emmer as governor would be a nightmare for anyone who longs to see the day of equality.
Target CEO, Gregg Steinhafel, personally supports Minnesota candidates like Michele Bachmann. That does not surprise me and I realize that is his personal money. However, when Target as a corporation writes the check, that crosses the line. Then money spent at Target is quite literally money being spent to elect Tom Emmer as Minnesota's next governor. For LGBT people and those who love them, this is not acceptable. We must speak up and we must boycott, or Target's $150,000 will just be the tip of the iceberg since corporations are now free to give political donations.
I encourage you, please speak out with me. Call Target headquarters and ask to speak to their executives or stop by your local Target and talk with the store manager in person. Let them know you can't shop at a store that financially supports anti-gay candidates. The gay community and its allies must draw a line in the sand here or equality remains just a dream.
"Every gay and lesbian person who has been lucky enough to survive the turmoil of growing up is a survivor. Survivors always have an obligation to those who will face the same challenges."
....Jake
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