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Conservative group doesn't like Golden Arches gay stance

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Chicago, IL — The American Family Association, an anti-gay organization, launched a nationwide boycott of McDonald's July 3, saying the Oakbrook-based company promotes "the homosexual agenda."

AFA says that the boycott "is not about hiring homosexuals. It is not about homosexuals eating at McDonald's. It is not about how homosexual employees are treated. It is about McDonald's, as a corporation, refusing to remain neutral in the culture wars. McDonald's has chosen not to remain neutral but to give the full weight of their corporation to promoting the homosexual agenda, including homosexual marriage."

The conservative Christian group is upset at McDonald's for refusing to condemn Vice President of Communications Richard Ellis' decision to serve on the Board of Directors of the National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC). AFA President Donald Wildmon said the situation is "strange" because "it's the family that McDonald's appeals to — children's playland, you know, all the little toys, all of that. And they are promoting a lifestyle that would utterly destroy the traditional family."

McDonald's has rebuffed requests by AFA to remove its name and logo from the NGLCC Web site and drop the endorsement of the organization by the VP of Communications.

In a letter on May 29, Pat Harris, Global Chief Diversity Officer and Vice President of Inclusion & Diversity at McDonald's, told the AFA that the company would "reaffirm our position on diversity."

The Mississippi based AFA has a history of opposing gay civil rights and this is the latest in a series of company boycotts initiated by the group.  AFA has launched unsuccessful boycotts against Wal-Mart for selling "Brokeback Mountain" DVDs, Ford Motor Company for advertising in gay-friendly publications, and the American Girl dolls because the maker contributed to a youth organization that was pro-choice and supported the acceptance of lesbians. In 2005, it called off its unsuccessful nine-year boycott of Disney for its "embrace of the homosexual lifestyle". 

The group boycotted Northbrook-based Kraft Foods for its support of the Chicago Gay Games.  Kraft remained a sponsor. 

Financial analysts say the boycotts resulted in little impact on the companies.

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