Salvation Army Learns What Oreo Cookies Already Knows: Americans Like Groups That Support Gay Rights

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http://www.alternet.org/reproductivejustice/156103/salvation_army_learns_what_oreo_cookies_already_knows%3A_americans_like_groups_that_support_gay_rights/

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By now everyone has seen the rainbow-filled Oreo that the cookie company mocked up for Pride month. It was the Picture That Launched a Thousand Facebook Comments (actually 54,000, as of this writing), a large number of them hateful. But for all the homophobic insults and calls for an Oreo boycott, Oreo has seen no credible threat to its business. In fact, many LGBTQ rights supporters are more likely than ever to go out and buy a box of the cream-filled cookies, both to spite the haters and support a company that appears to have bravely taken a stand for gay rights.

In reality, Oreo’s move wasn’t all that brave. You can be sure that Oreo, which is made by Nabisco, which in turn is owned by mega food corporation Kraft, knew exactly what it was getting into. Kraft knew it would rile some homophobes’ feathers but that the majority of Americans who now support same-sex marriage would hold more weight.

Indeed, as ThinkProgress’ Zack Ford points out, there has been no significant, organized effort to boycott Oreo or its parent companies -- just a lot of incoherent threats and one Facebook group that appears to have been taken down.

Kraft knew things would turn out this way because its move has plenty of precedent. Over the past few years numerous corporations have issued public statements in support of gay rights, with no major damage to their bottom lines. Starbucks, Nike and Amazon -- companies not exactly known for their dedication to social justice -- all went in for marriage equality this year.

[beyurslf]

1. When they renounce their hate and say they were wrong, then I will

think about taking them off my "haters" list.