Earlier this month, my friends Jason and Tim and their adorable family debuted in the new Honey Maid Graham Cracker ad campaign entitled " This Is Wholesome."
At the time I noted that it was going to make the wing nuts more nuts than the cute interracial family Cheerios commercial did a few months ago... and I was right. This Huffington Post report notes that a group called "One Million Moms" is slamming Nabisco, Honey Maid, et al for the ad which they say "normalizes sin."
Seriously. Can't make this up.
And then they go on to urge moms to step up and make their opinions known on this idea that there are wholesome families with two dads.
Well, I'm a mom -- I'm WAY a mom of two grown sons who ate more than their share of Honey Maid Graham Crackers over the years. And I have an opinion. So I went to the One Million Moms website... which promises to send your email directly to Nabisco. They even have a helpful email already written for you. It reads like this:
"As a parent and a member of OneMillionMoms.com, I am highly offended by your company's disrespect of millions of American families by supporting the homosexual agenda instead of remaining neutral in the cultural war. It is a poor business decision to offend so many of your core customers in your most recent 'This is wholesome' commercial.
If conservative families cannot find corporate neutrality with Honey Maid, Nabisco and Mondelez International, they will vote with their pocketbook and support companies that are neutral. Selling quality products has nothing to do with a person's sexual orientation. In attempting to be politically correct, you are offending a huge majority of your customers.
There are plenty of cookies and crackers on the market that do not support liberal causes and which moms can buy for their families. We have a choice! As a result of this advertising campaign, Honey Maid, Nabisco and Mondelez International will not have my family's business unless this commercial is pulled off the air immediately.
I will not be able to support your corporation until you decide to remain neutral in the culture war. I implore you to consider how your commercial deceives viewers by normalizing sin and then calling it wholesome.
I look forward to hearing from you regarding my concerns."
Since that didn't exactly work for me, I took them up on their offer to "edit your own" and -- using their template -- here's what I sent:
"As a mother, a priest and a pastor, I am utterly delighted by your company's focus on millions of American families in your most recent "This is wholesome" commercial. Seeing this kind of broad diversity in mainstream commercial advertising is a breath of fresh air and while I am sure you will get negative feedback from "the usual sources" I want to add my voice to those applauding your choice to spotlight the love that makes up a family in these wonderfully diverse and wholesome families.
I am grateful that LGBT families and interracial families have the visible support of Honey Maid, Nabisco and Mondelez International and I assure you we will vote with our wallets in support. Selling quality products has nothing to do with a person's sexual orientation. In choosing to represent diversity, you are gaining a huge new market share of customers.
We have a choice! As a result of this advertising campaign, Honey Maid, Nabisco and Mondelez International will not only have my family's business -- I'm thinking about organizing a Graham Cracker Cook Off at my church to publicize your stand for equality.
I hope you won't hesitate to contact me if I can provide any further information or be of help in anyway. God bless!"
SO... if you're inclined to "go and do likewise" (as I sincerely hope you are!) let me make it easy for you.
Here's the link to the Million Mom email page. Go let them help you let Nabisco know what you think about what makes a family wholesome.
Seriously. Go. Do it now. You'll be so glad you did you'll want to celebrate with s'mores for everybody. Let me recommend the Honey Maid Graham Crackers for that!