The decision by General Mills to publicly oppose a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage drew fire from a group supporting the amendment.
The "Minnesota for Marriage" group organized a protest outside the company headquarters in Golden Valley. The protest drew about 50-75 protesters, some of whom brought General Mills products like Cheerios to drop off for a food bank rather than consume them.
"They feel betrayed that a company like General Mills has spent millions, if not billions, of dollars marketing cereal to parents of children who suddenly now say marriage needs to be redefined," says Chuck Darrell of Minnesota for Marriage.
General Mills CEO Ken Powell announced the company position on the amendment on June 13. Today, company vice president Tom Forsythe had coffee and water delivered to the protesters as a gesture of goodwill. "We understand your point of view," Forsythe told the protesters. "We acknowledge it. We respect your right to disagree with ours."
Minnesota for Marriage isn't organizing a boycott of General Mills, but the "National Organization for Marriage" is promoting one. They've also created a new website called dumpgeneralmills.com.
Almost 10,000 of you have already signed on at DumpGeneralMills.com -- join them right now!
And if you live in Minnesota check out the ongoing rallies this week.
22 Comments
Looks like this will be as successful as the dumpstarbucks campaign. Fail. Also, I wonder if 50-75 people were there, why was a photo of 3 people used? Fail. Brian better brush up on his photoshop skills again.
At the end of the video the reporter asked Forsythe if GM's decision reflects the beliefs of all of its employees. A very good question, one that Forsythe skillfully avoided.
While GM claims to be inclusive, they are marginalizing the opinions of their employees, vendors and customers who believe in true marriage.
The video clearly shows that the 50-75 number is accurate. Kudos to Minnesota for Marriage and its volunteers.
You want to see a fail? Gay marriage record on state amendments. 0-34. FAIL.
A little shocking considering that Minnesota is the most politically active state in the country. But no matter, the amendment will pass.
John,
Care to trade your 0-34 record cherry picked from a wide selection of venues where you are otherwise roundly defeated, including the many smack downs handed to you fairly and squarely in courts of law, for marriage equality's momentum?
Lest that be seen as a legitimate offer, offer is hereby retracted.
Austin, what a foolish statement. If you were to ever step outside your tiny circle of friends you'd learn that many families stock up on items when they're on sale.
Nobody went to the store and purchased GM products for this protest. They cleared out the cupboards. Silly boy.
@Barb
So, you're so poor that you HAVE to stock up on food when it is on sale, but because you are pissed at the company, you can somehow afford to toss it?
Logic is lost on you.
Austin,
They bought the GM products prior to and then purged their cupboards after having been informed of GM's positioning of itself against the natural family. It just did not make sense to though out that which could aid others in need.
Contrasting GM’s knee jerk response; NOM supporters are thoughtful and rational.
Austin, anyone with a family will read this and know that you are out of touch.
I guess I'm buddies with Mitt Romney, right? LOL
Checking that one off as a win
On a side note, budgetting and saving is great. More power to you. But if you absolutely have to buy things on sale and in bulk, you may want to start looking at your fixed costs and see if there needs to be a change. (Housing, cars, cell phone, etc).
If you are not financially ready to take care of children, don't have a kid. Simple, logical, and probably best for the kid.
Good to stand and be counted.
I want to see you people crying into your champagne on election night.
Looks like all 12 of you were there! Congrats!
Yup. Maybe 15. http://www.youtube.com/user/uspimpclub
Go to 1:20 in video.
Soon you guys won't be able to eat!
Austin,
Calm down. I am for marriage equality, but will tell you this: there is nothing wrong with checking out sales and buying common items you enjoy in bulk when they are cheap. That's not being unable to afford food in lieu of fixed costs... it's called saving money for future spending/retirement/college funds/etc.
My *gasp* same-gender boyfriend and I pick up all the sales we can to save for our future wedding ceremony (MA or NY, not sure yet), down payment on a house, and future desire to adopt and provide a home, family, and love to a child or children without parents.
RJ,
Why do you desire that witch the very nature of your proclivity does not provide for? It appears that your ambition to acquire another person’s child is rooted in a desire to lend a greater appearance of acceptability to your arrangements; a facade if you will.
RJ:
You misinterpreted my comments. I am all for saving and shopping with sales. However, if you are FORCED to buy things on sale because you CANNOT afford them otherwise, then I think you need to look at what you are doing in your life and make some other cuts.
Austin, you're making grand assumptions about the manner in which the Gay Mills products were originally obtained. Did you personally ask all those folks and they replied that they bought them "on sale" and "stocked up"?
No? Didn't think so.
If you'd ever spent any amount of time in any kind of church, you'd know a lot of people donate food products to the church pantry for the purposes of redistribution to the needy. So it's entirely possible that some of this was already on hand from just such pantries.
Randy,
Because I recognize that I have the desire, means, and power enough to provide an orphan child with parents, a home, food, shelter, and all the love said child deserves. Notice my intention is to adopt, not kidnap. Or are the abundance of orphan children in the world better off... as orphans?