TOMS' Blake Mycoskie Under Fire For Speaking At Focus On The Family Event

The Informer:

Blake Mycoskie, founder of TOMS shoes, landed in a heap of trouble when news broke on Friday that he spoke at a June 30 Focus on the Family event in Orange County.
Focus on the Family's longtime anti-gay agenda is ugly and widely known.

Read the whole story: The Informer

Comments

[JeremiahA]

10:58 AM on 07/17/2011

I just found out that Focus on the Family offered an open air debate with Soulforce, the organization behind the charges in this article, in July, 2006 but Soulforce refused.

[antaeus]

04:29 AM on 07/18/2011

Find out any other irrelevant facts recently?

[JeremiahA]

10:33 AM on 07/18/2011

Well, if you are a Christian who holds to view that the Bible is authoritative, then Soulforce views such a person as practicing "spiritual violence." Sounds very tolerant of Soulforce, doesn't it?

[JeremiahA]

02:26 PM on 07/16/2011

Well, as I read the article, I was waiting for the the Focus on the Family response to these claims, but it appears that no request was made to Focus on the Family nor were they given an opportunity to respond.

So I am taking this whole thing with a few hundred grains of salt...

[antaeus]

06:24 AM on 07/17/2011

Huh? Mycoskie admits attending. That's the only relevant fact. The organization's extremist positions are part of the public record. Your comment makes no sense.

[detroitblkmale30]

06:45 AM on 07/17/2011

Your misguided comment did not post so I will respond here. First of all my comment was not "confused" The notion that people should expect him to act a certain way or in conjunction with their beliefs simply because he is a public figure (as they clearly display through their comments) smacks of an expectation of restricted freedom to live as one sees fit. This includes common principles of freedom of activity and movement, not to mention speech. They commentators have a right to criticize him, they simply realistically should have no expectation that he will or should conform to their opinions.

However if it makes you feel superior to mistakenly rely on the weak intellectual crutch of criticizing grammar and spelling on an informal message board medium which requires neither, then by all means hobble along.

[usorthem3]

04:03 PM on 07/15/2011

Just won't be spending my $$$ on them, not really my style. Good that he helps others with shoes but not all Christian groups are created equal, he might want to Google the next group that invites him in. #justsaying

[detroitblkmale30]

09:37 AM on 07/14/2011

Who cares. Its a free country. If you dont agree with his personal choices dont by his product. This so-called policing of what events people attend or speak at based on your personal opinions is becoming rather un-American. That goes for those on the right and the left.

[antaeus]

09:07 AM on 07/15/2011

Correct use of the apostrophe would lend your rhetoric slightly more credibility.

And if you really believe in an ideal free market, then you should have no problem whatsoever with the marketplace discussing the practices of a company. That's how it works.

[cylixdemas]

12:32 PM on 07/17/2011

Ideal free market? Are you assuming one's ideology? What are your views on the ownership of production?

And is it not a bit archaic to point out one's grammatical mistakes without addressing their argument?

[Gregor53]

03:23 PM on 07/13/2011

Anyone who does not know the position of Focus on the Family surely is a person that has no knowledge of business either. It would appear it is the old "I had no idea they were that way." Find it hard to believe unless he was on the same island with Tom Hanks during the filming of Castaway and he never returned.

[Absolute]

12:21 AM on 07/13/2011

I've never purchased anything from him, and now I never will.

[thebigbike]

09:52 PM on 07/12/2011

the talibangelicals and the their "christian " shariah are everywhere

and anyone criticising them will be accused of trying to stifle free speech.

[ranthny]

02:47 PM on 07/12/2011

After reading the full LA Weekly article, there appears to be a pattern of his behavior. He accepts speaking gigs from over zealous religious organizations that preach HATE.
Now, one can say that he did not know—Really, the founder and owner of one of the fastest growing shoe lines “claims” he did not know every time he accepted a speaking gig by a HATE organization?

Is he stupid or does he think the buying public is stupid?

I support the sentiment expressed in another article by Steven Nereo: Vote with your money—stop buying TOMS!

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/steven-nereo/progayantitoms_b_893433.html

Look for a Boycott site soon!

[Turtlenewz]

10:15 PM on 07/12/2011

F/F Boycott Toms H8 Shoes !!! Start Facebook Pages

[MrStat1]

01:49 PM on 07/12/2011

People have a choice. You can chose to buy his shoes or not. Very simple.

[thebigbike]

09:53 PM on 07/12/2011

Yup I choose not to and to make a stink about it too ( which is a choice I have also, so far....)

[Turtlenewz]

10:47 PM on 07/12/2011

F/F

[Aceofhearts30]

02:00 PM on 07/16/2011

I'm thinking about buying three pairs, they're stylish, cute and they help others. Bottom line, it's better than purchasing ffrim a company whos giving back to the community rather than banking the profit for greed.

[Theda]

01:39 PM on 07/12/2011

He should have googled "Focus on the Family." I can't believe he didn't know what the organization is all about. he's trying to play both ends, now.

[antaeus]

06:06 PM on 07/12/2011

Bingo.

[Turtlenewz]

10:18 PM on 07/12/2011

He knew . He Knew . He has spoken at far right Christian H 8 groups before He Knew . Until he denounces these groups and Focus on the family for their H 8 teful homophobic views No Apology Counts He Knew

[Shadhili2003]

12:12 PM on 07/12/2011

Good for him. Simply because you believe that homosexuality is wrong and vile doesn't make you a hateful and ugly person.

[PlantGod72]

01:09 PM on 07/12/2011

Well, if not, then willful ignorance does!

[Alice Radley]

01:16 PM on 07/12/2011

Yeah, actually it does make you hateful. Being judgmental is an ugly trait.

[ezmicro]

01:32 PM on 07/12/2011

Sad, that you are judgmental here. It's not ignorance, but choice and belief. You had a choice and belief in what you feel is right. So does he. Give it some thought.

[Keith Nesja]

01:46 PM on 07/12/2011

Hmmm ... You are judging people you have (most likely) never met nor spoken with not based on their actions, but based on their religious beliefs. Hmmm ... who's being more judgemental?

People can have various (even opposing) beliefs yet still work together to a common goal. No matter what your beliefs are, please realize that it's the kids without shoes who are being hurt by the ACTIONS (not just the beliefs) of those who want to impose a boycott on TOMS because he spoke with FotF.

Sad.

[elblanc0]

12:01 PM on 07/12/2011

I will accept the apology posted on his blog at face value. Until he establishes a pattern of mistake/apology, I'll believe what he says.

BTW - Toms are super comfortable. My girls are on their second pair.

[antaeus]

12:49 PM on 07/12/2011

No support, and no longevity.

[Turtlenewz]

10:24 PM on 07/12/2011

No Way . Until he denounces publicly the H 8 teful views of Focus on the Family and the other past h o mop hobic groups he spoke at . No Apology will be accepted from Toms Shoes Your girls are wearing H 8 te shoes on top of that the Shoes are made by child Labor ...This is not his first instance , Tom got caught , there is a pattern

[Waterlooboy]

11:15 AM on 07/12/2011

He might make ugly shoes, but I like his courage.

[PlantGod72]

01:06 PM on 07/12/2011

Yep........it takes lots of courage to support the fundamentalist mythology........or just to throw the rights of one class of people under the bus for the sake of one's own profits. THESE are the 'values' the fundies keep talking about, no doubt!

[Turtlenewz]

10:25 PM on 07/12/2011

courage of h 8te . Real nice

[emack2020]

09:35 AM on 07/12/2011

Why on EARTH would any gay person buy these hideous shoes?

[sah5151]

12:45 PM on 07/12/2011

So you are saying that gay people do not buy his shoes? So why should
he care what you think?

[antaeus]

12:49 PM on 07/12/2011

Now there is no reason.

[Ed Bagley]

03:12 AM on 07/12/2011

Good for him. People should NEVER be afraid to stand up for their beliefs. That the gay community can have such an anti-american anti-freedom of speech/religion effect on the media is revolting. Not buying a pair of shoes because a man spoke at an organization that promotes the welfare of the modern family? Ridiculous.

[antaeus]

06:57 AM on 07/12/2011

They don't "promote the welfare of the modern family." They harm families by promulgating lies and myths about gay children. His shoes are ridiculous, and this appearance merits a boycott.

[PlantGod72]

01:02 PM on 07/12/2011

F&F for your comment..........and especially for your avatar. I'm feeling another revolutionary costume for today coming on!

[ezmicro]

01:54 PM on 07/12/2011

What? Boycott free speech and a persons right to a opinion. Sounds like you live in Syria or Iran. There you could be stoned to death for gay beliefs. Your logic is ridiculous. People are people. Straight or gay, you have a human right to choose who you are, live your life, and how you raise your children. Give Blake Mycoskie, founder of TOMS shoes some respect. Promote understanding.

[mpilkanis]

07:30 AM on 07/12/2011

What's revolting is the ignorance of people like you. Go post on some stupid rightwing website that features commentary more in line with the doctrinaire mediocrity you so admire.

[Ed Bagley]

07:05 PM on 07/12/2011

Another anti-American sentiment..."I disagree with you, so go post on some website where they agree with you, so I don't have to have my opinions and beliefs challenged!"

The hatred seems to be directed primarily at those who disagree with the gay minority.