McDonald's Chief Says No Gay Ads in USA Because "I'm a Christian"

McDonald's President and Chief of Operations Don Thompson has just insulted a whole bunch of Americans - progressive Christians and non-Christians alike, LGBT individuals and their numerous straight allies... really, everybody that thinks corporate execs shouldn't cite personal religious beliefs to marginalize people who are already being treated unfairly by the law. 

When asked about that recent gay-positive McDonald's-France commercial, Thompson said the most outrageous thing he possibly could regarding a sweet and affirmative TV spot featuring a gay teen and his dad.  He told the Chicago Tribune that a similar campaign would never air in the United States because he, Thompson, is a good Christian.  (Apparently McDonald's believes that gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered persons are spiritually insignificant and honest depictions of their lives shouldn't be inflicted on the wider Christian community.)  After assuring the Tribune reporter that he doesn't "impose" his beliefs on others (which essentially flies in the face of what he'd just said), Thompson insisted that the only reason the ad was "allowed" in France was because it might be "the cultural norm in another part of the world."

Jim Edwards reports on BNET:  Thompson's veiled implication is that being gay - or, in the case of the French ad, a closeted gay teenager - isn't the "norm" in the U.S., and that's part of McDonald's "core values."  This is a business blog, so let's put aside the whole debate about whether being gay is a non-issue or a heinous threat to civilization, and instead focus on whether Thompson's flub is good for selling burgers.  Quick answer:  It isn’t.  It makes McD's look stupid and inconsistent, and creates a political debate that will do nothing to help McD's brand...  Thompson had no reason - religious, ethical or business - to drag religion into this debate. Being a Christian has absolutely nothing to do with whether you're for or against gay rights. Liberal Christians (who also eat cheeseburgers) will be groaning in dismay at yet another civic leader who has managed to link their religion to the anti-gay cause.

It should be noted that LGBT Americans did not expect or request gay-inclusive McDonald's ads to be shown in this country.  No groups were calling for that.  But the self-righteous Thompson wanted to make an issue out of this by promising consumers that his company stands up for "family values" and doesn't approve of queer folk.

You may remember that just last year the fast food giant cut ties with the National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce because of a threatened boycott by the homobigots at American Family Association.  This latest mean-spirited salvo is simply another reason to avoid the Golden Arches, that creepy clown, and those inedible fucking Happy Meals.

Comments

[Jane]

There are Christian churches and denominations that are loving and inclusive - and here's a link to one of them: http://www.mlp.org/article.php/DitchTheDeadline There are positive and supportive Christians out there, but they don't seem to be getting the message out enough. The negative ones are louder - and not hampered by Christian ideals like humility and honesty, are they?

[Max]

Thanks for the comment and the link, Jane.

[2cents]

Nice to see Mcdonalds upper management sucks as bad as its food.

[Carol]

Thompson could've just said 'We don't plan to be running the ad in the US' and leave it at that. But no, he's got to bring his religion into it. No more Big Macs for me.

[Trent]

Whataburger actually tastes like a hamburger. McDon's is like cardboard. Maybe they're too buy reading bibles to learn how to cook properly.

[Kevin]

Apparently, good Christians don't mind selling burgers enhanced with "pink slime," cutting room floor sweepings that are injected with ammonia ostensibly to kill off E. coli and salmonella and that is used as cheap filler to cut costs.

[Harold Richards]

If the crappy, nutritionally devoid, low quality of Mickey-dees food isn't enough justification for socially conscious people to stay away, perhaps this big-mouthed bigot =will= give them a reason.

I wonder how long it will take for McD to start spin-doctoring this hate-monger's remarks when the P.R. "s#!t hits the fan."

Of course, this sanctimonious gas bag is very likely a closet homosexual, unable to come to terms with his sexuality. Otherwise he wouldn't go to such an extreme to foist his "religious" views.

He, like so many other self-righteous blowhards, probably puts his and his family's health and safety at risk by hanging around in public rest rooms cruising for anonymous sex.

(Remember Conservative Congressman Larry Craig, a/k/a Happy McTappy Pants, who got busted in a Minneapolis airport men's room? Along with a parade of fundamentalist wing-nut clergy.)

Five'll get you ten that it's only a matter of time before a scandal about this man comes to light.

As Shakespeare put it, "Thou protesteth too much."

[JMark]

Well he and all the Christians out there can take a hot apple pie and stick it.

I mean, I never ate there anyway since their food is poison that makes you fat, unhealthy, sick and eventually dead... but now I have another reason to go.

Don't you wish that we could have a "home land country" for Christians where they could all... go? Like.. for keeps?

[James Joyce]

Unfortunately, it's "Christians" like him who give REAL Christians a bad rap. Most of these hate-mongers have never even cracked open the Bible that sits gathering dust on the coffee table. Because if they DID, they would not be spewing all this bigotry and hypocrisy.

[Dan Croake]

Eh, just let all the gluttonous McX-tians eat there. They're obviously so enamoured with choosing to be ignorant about god, AND what they eat. (Oh silly McScience, when will you EVER learn?)Pretty soon we'll have a nation of self-rightous Mcfatty's chasing the homosexuals on their McMotorized McCarts smacking them with their canes. This too shall come to pass.

[Laura]

It continue to amaze me that "tolerance" is ok for everything EXCEPT christians trying to live by their morals. It is intolerant to say that we all must approve and support happily those behaviors that go against our own morals. We can love and enjoy people around us without agreeing on all moral standards!! If you show HATE towards this man, you are acting just like you are attacking him for acting- hateful!

Accept this poor man's values, which many in the USA uphold, just the same way you want him to accept as valid your values. Just don't ask every person to agree with you and act just as you would want them to.

[James Joyce]

I don't "hate Christians living by their own morals." I ===DO=== take great exception to them foisting their morals onto others and their smug and sanctimonious attitudes in doing so (especially when so many of them are such blatant hypocrites and phonies who are only using their "moral stance" for political power or fund-raising).

"Love the sinner but hate the sin?" Oh pleeeeeease. What a load of crap!

I am completely tolerant of Christians who kept their bigotry and prejudice to themselves instead of trying to legislate "morality" for the rest of the world, who get on their corporate soap-boxes, using their position of "leadership" (quote-unquote) to spew out their ignorant and prejudicial beliefs.

I did not say every person should "agree and act just as" I do. All I -- and basically every other gay person -- am asking for is the same freedom that YOU have -- the freedom to be the person that God made me, that I was born as, without other people trying to make me feel like a piece of worthless, vile, disgusting crap because of their intolerant and narrow-minded viewpoints.

I've endured this condemnation and hatred all my life (55 years) and frankly honey, I'm sick and tired of it. And so are a lot of other gay people. And we're not just sitting quietly and taking it anymore.

[Steve]

So religious people are backwards. What else is new?
I don't buy all this "It's people like him who give REAL Christians a bad name!", that's just as bad as "These muslim terrorists give us REAL, peace loving muslims a bad name". You're all as bad as each other. You all have daft, irrational beliefs. You all have an imaginary, unprovable friend.