There is some rough truth, by the way, to Mr. Adair’s assertion that he speaks for 400 other people who aren’t writing to the company. It may not be exactly 400, but large businesses do presume that for every person who takes the trouble to write or call to complain, there were many more who hold the same views, but don’t bother to write or call. But, the trouble is for Mr. Adair and Mr. LaBarbera, the reverse here is true as well: Progressive improves its brand image with many hundreds of thousands of people by advertising in gay publications (including websites) and otherwise being gay-friendly. But probably very, very few gay people are going to write — at least without explicit provocation — to Progressive and thank them, because it’s kind of insulting to feel like a company needs to be “thanked” for basic decency — like writing a company to thank them for not engaging in racial discrimination. But masses of gay and gay-friendly people nonetheless are quietly left with a favorable impression. Favorable impressions are extremely valuable to Progressive: They plant seeds for future sales.

I think Progressive knows, darn well, that their gay-friendliness is good for their bottom line. I admit to having no data on this whatsoever, but probably gay people tend to be good customers for car insurance companies, while the American Family Association types probably are not. If have you a crazy belief system, you probably don’t have good judgment or due caution in driving. If you don’t believe in evolution, your sense of scientific laws generally, including those relevant to safe driving (e.g., the number of seconds needed to decelerate safely), is probably not very good.

It’s similar to the reasons insurance companies offer discounts to “good students.” Being an “A” student is probably correlated with wise, safe driving habits. Likewise I imagine homophobes tend to be bad drivers — both because ignorant people tend to be bad drivers, and angry and tense people tend to be bad drivers.

Meantime, I’m happy to refrain from giving business to Merchants First Choice, and encourage other prospective Merchants First Choice customers to do the same.

If the stats are rigged, then the company isn’t 100% pro-homosexual and Barbera should be happy. If the company really is 100% pro-homosexual than the stats aren’t rigged. Barbera must be having a grouchy bad day.

And when he refers to “Action” in quotes, is he referring to gay sex? I can’t think of what else it could be.

And the 400 to 1 business; that’s utterly beyond me. A majority of Americans are against DODA. Near a majority would be OK with civil unions. A small minority of Americans are so homophobic that they would change insurance policies over the company’s policy on LGBT causes.

I think what this man is trying to tell us is that he knows FOUR HUNDRED homophobes and only ONE LGBT person. That’s probably the basis for his stats.

Good.

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I think Jamil really has it in for gay people. Hopefully this won’t have repercussions for me. But stand up, I will.

Nope, you read it wrong. He’s not claiming there are 400 heterosexuals to every homosexual, he’s claiming there are 400 homophobes to every homosexual, so the ratio of hetero to homo would be quite a bit higher.”

Unfortunately he read it right. Adair, the Peter, etc assume that that gay people are the only people who support gay rights. Somehow our Parents, Friends, Coworkers, Family, Neighbors, and random progressives don’t exist to Adair.

I am certain of the connection.

Mr. Adair is the president and CEO of Merchants First Choice. The corporation is registered under his name at his home address. I followed up with Mr. Adair at the email provided by MFC and he confirmed that he wrote the letter.

P-Pete seems a little edgy today, what? The single-tail must be in for repair.

Nope, you read it wrong. He’s not claiming there are 400 heterosexuals to every homosexual, he’s claiming there are 400 homophobes to every homosexual, so the ratio of hetero to homo would be quite a bit higher.