I've complained about Toms before, or at least dudes in Toms. I'm not going to lie here, girls sometimes look good in them. But recently someone brought this link to my attention about the founder of Toms speaking at a Focus on the Family event. If you don't know anything about the group, you can do your own research. But in summary, they are proactively anti-homosexual, sponsoring programs that push the idea that anyone can un-gay themselves if they want to. They are also supporters of Prop 8.
Honestly, Toms can support whoever they want. That's their right. But it is our right to vote with our money -- because that's almost the only vote that matters in this country. I find it interesting that a guy who supplies countless gays with footwear would see no problem speaking at an event like this. I'm sure he would express that his views aren't the organizations, but unless he is there to talk about how wrong they are -- guilt by association rules definitely apply.
Here is a video Focus on the Family produced that illuminates their views a bit:
And an overview of the organization:
Anyway, if you agree, spread the word about Toms. You might be saying, "... They doooo so much goood too..." but I take offense to that also, as I didn't support people who use charity as a marketing tool. Spreading your wealth should be the norm, not the sales pitch. Take those Toms off, because their is nothing stylish about supporting bigoted organizations...
... and stay strong, lovers!
Follow Steven Nereo on Twitter: www.twitter.com/single_ape
Thanks for the article. I have to admit, though, I could only stomach about 4 minutes of the FOF video. The second video with Dr. Caplan from Harvard was something I wish I could have heard when I was a teenager 40 years ago. Good stuff!
It's astonishing to see the huge amounts of money these anti-Gay "Christian" groups rake in. I sometimes forget that marketing "fear" is a cash cow for them. It's galling that that they are able to spread their bigotry far and wide essentially functioning as tax-exempt political action committees.
On the brighter side, I've been encouraged to hear in the news that significant - and growing - numbers of pastors in many mainline Protestant churches are discarding anti-Gay theologies. Also, kids nowadays are simply not hung up with being Gay, having a Gay friend or the idea of same-sex couples. My partner of 13 years and I are out and have great straight friends, colleagues and neighbors who welcome us with open arms. Times are changing.
Equality is on the not-too-distant horizon. But, in between now and then I fully agree with you that we should use every political and economic strategy at our disposal to combat their message of intolerance...including voting with our feet.
Thanks, again….
--ez