Comments on: TiVo and Focus On the Family Partner for a Father’s Day Contest

By: Mombian » Blog Archive » Super Dads Galore

Mombian » Blog Archive » Super Dads Galore — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 01:58:49 +0000

[...] the Family Equality Council and Box Turtle Bulletin are asking people to submit entries about super LGBT dads to the FOF contest and then to send them [...]

By: proudtobedad

proudtobedad — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 19:09:46 +0000

Add: Actually, the contest is ongoing–they are now in week two, and to enter you have to go to that part of the forum to submit.

Even though they’re not posting, we should still flood their inbox! Keep those cards and letters coming!!!

By: proudtobedad

proudtobedad — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 19:08:23 +0000

If you head over to Good As You, you’ll see that FOF isn’t even posting the submissions from kids about their gay dads!! The moderator is pulling any gay related posts…

By: Jason D

Jason D — Sat, 07 Jun 2008 12:42:48 +0000

I have had people try to say “Oh, well, if you stopped shopping or using something just because the maker/seller/service provider works with anti-gays, you wouldn’t be able to do anything”.

To me, that’s a cop-out, and a very machiavellian one at that. It suggests the speaker has no real moral principles if shiny baubles and luxury can win them away from their principles and beliefs.

I LOVE the bolthouse farms protein drinks, but as soon as I found out that they donated money to that awful CA Amendment, I stopped buying their products. I’ve never bought or worn anything made by A&F because of their blatant racism. I convinced my Office Coordinator at work to stop buying Gloria Jean’s Coffee after I found out about their weird ex-gay-exorcism connection (I think I learned that at BTB no less!) I’ve even looked at the HRC corporate equality index to confirm that my favorite companies are doing the right thing. Corporate America is actually leading the way, so perhaps 5-10 years ago it would’ve been hard to make sure your money isn’t going to fight your own civil rights, but things are changing.

Why should I support someone who’s made a point of attacking me and my family? Because it’s easier than the alternative?

By: B. John

B. John — Sat, 07 Jun 2008 01:18:52 +0000

I called Tivo’s corporate headquarters in California at (408) 519-9100. I was directed to very nice person in the Public Relations Department named Alyson.
I explained to Alyson that I was in the technology business, love gadgets, purchase and play with many, and had always said that I believed my Tivo was the smartest gadget in my house. I further told her I’d frequently recommended it to friends, and was considering getting my mother one.
I told her I was disturbed to read they had partnered with Focus on The Family for a promotion, and that this was of grave concern to me. I asked if they had vetted the organization at all. Alyson said they partnered with them because of their interest in Tivo’s Kid Zone, and they really tried to be neutral on political issues.
I explained that I understood that, and respected their right to do business with any organization. I also explained that wasn’t so naive as to believe I could not do business with every company that did business with organizations with whom I had a political difference. I explained to Alyson though, that Mr. Dobson’s vitriolic rhetoric went beyond merely extreme political speech, but quite literally crossed the line to hate speech.
And that as a Christian who, as an adult Sunday school class teacher and a person who’s studied both the Old and New Testaments, I was further offended that his hate speech came cloaked under the banner of Christianity.
I told her it was my hope that the person who had approved the promotion had just not done an adequate job of vetting Mr. Dobson or his organization, and that I hoped they would announce that they would no longer partner with Focus on the Family or any of its affiliated organizations, otherwise I would have to let my Tivo subscription expire and switch to a cable company provided DVR. I explained I would be sad about that, but felt that, given the over-the-top positions of absolutely hatred and bigotry of this organization, I could not, in good faith continue to support Tivo if they continue to support FOTF.
As I said, I think she was a bit taken aback, and if they heard a similar message from others (calm, complimentary, but logical and straightforward about just how extreme FOFT and Mr. Dobson are), they might just reconsider any further promotions with them.

By: Jason D

Jason D — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 10:17:11 +0000

Well, I can’t post a story about my Dad, the deadline is today and their site doesn’t support Windows Vista.

I laughed to myself last night when I discovered that. They’re so conservative, they can’t even handle a new OS!
I know, I know, BTB isn’t a hotbed of liberals, it just struck me as funny. Please don’t kill me for making a lighthearted observation. If it helps, I make the same sorts of observations about liberals like myself.

I wonder how many MORE years of gay civil rights and marriage and yet no sky falling before they wake up and get on with their lives?

By: Johno

Johno — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 04:54:38 +0000

David, your assertion that we should leave them alone because it’s ‘tit for tat’ implies the two positions are equally valid, as opposed to theirs being propaganda-based and motivated by hatred and bigotry towards a minority group of American citizens. (And possibly even in violation of Tivo’s own policy.) It also implies that you buy into the lie that we are censoring religious speech with our selfish desire for equal rights.

Gross.

Corporations send messages of endorsement with these kind of collusions, looking for loyalty-buyers. It’s practically their whole purpose.

By: Robguy

Robguy — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 00:23:15 +0000

I’d love to write an entry but my father became a minister in reaction to my coming out (and not the nice kind).
… actually that would probably be a bonus for the Focus people.

By: Jim Burroway

Jim Burroway — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 00:19:23 +0000

Picky, picky, picky. Okay, I could have said kids, but then many of those kids are adults…

I generally don’t like to use the word queer because I know that is a sensitive issue among some in the community, although I do admit that it’s nice to have a shorthand term that’s not an acronym.

By: Emily K

Emily K — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 23:12:59 +0000

David, while “queer” is the term of choice for myself, many people in the gay community still take offense to it. I don’t blame them. Not all black people like being called the “N” word by their own kind and not all Jews (when talking to their own) taking a liking to the “K” word or “heeb.” Wounds are still fresh for many. I also personally like LGBTQ – adding the “Q” for questioning or queer.

Although, I suppose Jim just could’ve said “children…” But I didn’t give the article a second thought.