Newly
Identified
Corporate Supporters of Planned Parenthood Named
Life Decisions International (LDI) has released a revised edition of
The Boycott List, which identifies corporations that are boycott
targets due to their support of Planned Parenthood, the world's primary
abortion-advocacy group.
"As a direct result of the commitment, action and prayers of pro-family
people, at least 231 corporations have stopped funding Planned
Parenthood," said LDI Chairman Thomas C. Strobhar. It is estimated that
the boycott has cost Planned Parenthood more than $40 million since the
Corporate Funding Project (CFP) began nearly 17 years ago. "This should
serve as a testament to those who thought it impossible to change
corporate philanthropic behavior."
New boycott targets, appearing on the pre-Christmas 2009 edition of The
Boycott List, include Buffalo Wild Wings (restaurants), Estée
Lauder
(cosmetics/personal care products), Computer Sciences Corporation
(information technology), and United Parcel Service (shipping services).
Corporations continuing as boycott targets from the previously released
Boycott List include eBay (Pay {Pal, etc.), AlphaGraphics, Wells Fargo
(including Wachovia), Nike, Time Warner (HBO, AOL, etc.), Bank of
America, Walt Disney, Johnson & Johnson, Lost Arrow (Patagonia,
etc.), Chevron, and Nationwide Insurance, and Sonic (restaurants),
among others.
LDI singled out longtime boycott target Whole Foods Market for special
attention. "Whole Foods Market has been misleading pro-life consumers
for many years. Statements from the Company vary, depending on who is
doing the talking at the time," LDI Director of Communications Ken
Garvey. "Whole Foods has been emphasizing that it does not support
Planned Parenthood at the corporate level, but it does do so on the
local level. Corporate officials are telling pro-life advocates it is
acceptable to shop at Whole Foods if their particular local market does
not give to Planned Parenthood. As one Whole Foods officials said, 'As
I explain to many of the people you encourage to boycott us, check with
your local store and see if they donate. Many are happy with
this.'"
"We are surprised that any pro-life consumer would fail to see how they
are being manipulated by Whole Foods," Garvey said. "Whole Foods could
put an immediate stop to support of Planned Parenthood if the chief
executive officer chose to do so. Would the 'decentralized giving
program' excuse be acceptable to the Humane Society if a local market
chose to make a donation to support dog fighting. Certainly not.
Corporate headquarters would put an immediate stop to it. Pro-lifers
should view Planned Parenthood in the same way."
Garvey noted that Whole Foods stores located in liberal areas are
supporting the pro-abortion group while those in more conservative
areas are pleading ignorance and innocence. "It is foolhardy to buy
into the idea that one may shop at Whole Foods if their local store
claims it is not funding Planned Parenthood," he said. "Every pro-life
consumer who accepts this 'reasoning' is doing great damage to the
Pro-Life Movement in general and the Corporate Funding Project in
particular."
The new Boycott List includes an expanded "Dishonorable Mention"
section, which identifies charitable groups that are associated with
Planned Parenthood and/or its agenda. Groups named in this section
include American Association of Retired Persons (AARP), Lions Clubs,
the American Cancer Society, Camp Fire, Girls Inc., Girl Scouts,
Kiwanis Clubs, the March of Dimes, the Muscular Dystrophy Association,
Rotary Clubs, the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, the
Salvation Army, the YWCA, and YMCA, among others.
"This has not been some sort of 'Jesse Jackson boycott' where we make
news for a few days and then go away," Strobhar said. "Corporate
officials are learning that those who value life are among the most
dedicated people on earth. We will not go away until corporate
involvement with Planned Parenthood comes to an end."
More information about the CFP, including the steps taken before a
corporation is placed on The Boycott List, please click here.
Source:
LifeSiteNews.com
Publish
Date:
November 5, 2009
Link
to
this
article.
Send
this
article
to a friend.
The IFRL is the largest grassroots pro-life organization in
Illinois. A non-profit organization, that serves as the state
coordinating body for local pro-life chapters representing thousands of
Illinois citizens working to restore respect for all human life in our
society. The IFRL is composed of people of different political
persuasions, various faiths and diverse economic, social and ethnic
backgrounds. Since 1973 the Illinois Federation for Right to Life has
been working to end abortion and restore legal protection to those members of the
human family who are threatened by abortion, infanticide and euthanasia. Diverse though we are, we hold one common belief - that
every human being has an inalienable right to life that is precious and must be protected. IFRL is
dedicated to restoring the right to life to the unborn, and protection
for the disabled and the elderly. Click here to learn more about the IFRL.