Liz Smith | 04/23/2009 11:00 pm

Liz Smith Stopped Supporting Coors 'Because They Were So Homophobic'

In response to: When a company's opinions or stances are discordant with your own, are you reluctant to buy from them?

I did stop buying Coors because they were so homophobic, and while that didn’t hurt them a bit — because I don’t even drink beer — I suppose I’m aware when a big company is way out of line. It doesn’t help them, except with the people who are on the other side from me.

I am not actually into wasting my time and thinking too much about punishing big businesses, just as I know it is probably useless for me to rail against the military industrial complex.

I have often worked for companies whose policies I did not ideologically agree with. But everybody is entitled to their opinion and it’s a free country with free speech. I would speak my free speech and then drop it. I’m a realist. I have a lot of friends whose ideas I deplore. But that doesn’t mean I don’t care for them and enjoy them. I like a good argument.

Read more about: Beliefs, Corporate, Lifestyle, Politics, Religion, Shopping

14 Reader Comments (so far…) Sign In or Register to comment

Awhile back, I had heard that the founder of a national pizza chain was donating money to pro-life campaigns in the name of the corporation. I stopped buying their pizza. I have since heard that the information I had heard was not true, but at the time it made me feel better, even if my business was them was minimal.

By Lauri Anderson on 04/24/2009 12:48 am

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If the pizza chain’s name started with a "D" and rhymes with "romino," the first information you heard about it was accurate in that it’s founder is a major funder of conservative causes, candidates, religious schools and even a town in Florida where abortions, pornography and contraceptives are forbidden.

By Rudi G. on 04/24/2009 7:07 am

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As I mentioned, at some point I had heard that it was not true. Nevertheless, I have not been a patron since. Thanks for the info.

By Lauri Anderson on 04/24/2009 2:56 pm

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If I hear an opion I really hate, yes. I don’t buy a product from that company especially since you know there are so many products and none of them taste that different anyway.

By Laura Ward on 04/24/2009 1:17 am

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Good judgement!

By Laura Ward on 04/24/2009 1:24 am

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I do buy beer Liz and I stopped drinking Coors. They also give money to anti-choice groups. Miller & Budweiser are more gay friendly, they consistently sponsor gay events/fundraisers in Baltimore.

By Paula Casagrande on 04/24/2009 6:37 am

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I agree with you on each point, Liz, including the fact that I don’t drink (much) beer. If you spread the word, though, as you’ve done (I didn’t know about Coors’ attitude), the thought pops into our minds as we shop, & our hands just might swing over to grab another brand. Keep speaking your free speech, & so will I.

By Carole Del Monte on 04/24/2009 7:17 am

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Money talks, as they say, so I do avoid products if I know they have a political agenda I don’t believe in or if they have been known to discriminate against certain people.

I am much more compassionate with friends and acquaintances who have different views from me because they are not usually out to sell me something. It is a prerequisite, however, that my friends be open to different views, as well.

susangabriel.com

By Susan Gabriel on 04/24/2009 12:23 pm

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As for the gay issue, I feel confident that GLAAD (Gay and Lesbian Advocates and Defenders) are on the case. They hardly ever allow an issue to slip by and make us very aware.

By Richard Bassett on 04/24/2009 1:35 pm

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The Coors Foundation is crazy right wing….support the most extreme causes….and funded everything NeoCon and GWB. Very racist.

http://www.amazon.ca/Coors-Connection-Philanthopy-Undermines-Democratic/dp/0896084167

And I had a Montecito friend who used to live by one of the Coors family in an estate wooded area….they let their vicious dog run free….it attacked my friend’s child who was playing in their own wooded yard and nearly mauled the child to death and would have had the mother not happened outside at that moment and heard the commotion. Then the Coors were very difficult to deal with and made the horrific situation far worse.

By Suzanne de Cornelia on 04/24/2009 2:25 pm

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Eventually, they tried to do outreach to the gay community and chose as a liaison none other than Mary Cheney.

By Rudi G. on 04/24/2009 4:38 pm

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When you boycot some company by not buying their products because they don’t agree or support your own ideas, then you’re being judgmental, rather than judicious. If you’re inclined to boycot, make it important, significant; boycot because the product is defective, or because it causes harm. Liz boycoting Coors, while she doesn’t drink beer, seems judgmental to me, and insignificant.

By O E on 04/24/2009 6:34 pm

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Of course we are judgemental when it comes to spending our money. I would no more support a company if I know they are using the money to support political causes that I disagree with. Just as I would not donate money to anyone running for political office that I disagreed with.

By LynnDee USA on 04/26/2009 9:07 am

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I actually worked for the company that rhymes with "Romino’s" when I was in high school. A classmate chastised me for working for an organization that was anti-choice. My feeling was that the founder of the company was pro-life, and that was his right. I believe in a woman’s right to choose, as is my right. His choosing to support the pro-life cause had nothing to do with me delivering pizzas for six bucks an hour. The subject of his political beliefs NEVER affected the company policies. If he was committing some kind of horrible crimes against humanity, then I might feel differently.

By Jon Schweizer on 04/26/2009 4:36 pm