My partner and I bought a Ford Escape XLT which makes the Honda CR-v and Toyota Rav 4 seem dainty by comparison. Our Ford Escape is a 6 cylinder, fast and yet handles well in traffic and parking places. It’s a solid, small SUV.

So far, it’s been a great car andwe enjoy taking it everywhere — from short to long trips and we’ve never had a problem.

Just saying.

I’d suggest calling local Ford dealers – but be nice.

Dear Jaguar and Land Rover Employees,

The media have reported that Jaguar and Land Rover will no longer
advertise in GLBT publications, and they have linked it to the
American Family Association’s threatened boycott of Ford Motor
Company.

Jaguar and Land Rover have decided not to advertise in gay
publications in 2006. The decision was taken entirely for business
reasons, and reflects a sharpening of our media focus and pressure on
our marketing budgets. We have chosen to work with much fewer print
title partners across the board next year. For instance, Jaguar will
cut the general market print titles it uses from 56 in 2005 to 34 in
2006 (equivalent to a reduction of 40%) and it will reduce automotive
enthusiast titles by 25%. Obviously, marketing plans for future years
beyond 2006 have not been determined.

Jaguar and Land Rover value diversity among all of our constituents
and pride ourselves on strong and clear values – respect for our
customers, communities, employees, suppliers and dealers; acceptance
of our differences; inclusion of different people with different
perspectives; and integrity to always do the right thing. We value
all people – regardless of their race, religion, gender, sexual
orientation and cultural or physical differences. This is a strong
commitment we intend to carry forward with no exception.

If you receive media inquiries please forward to ***,
Corporate Affairs Manager in Mahwah at ***. If you receive
customer inquiries, as always, forward to either Jaguar at
1-800-4-JAGUAR or Land Rover at 1-800-637-6837.

…” Ford Motor Co.’s decision to cease advertising in gay publications for its Jaguar and Land Rover luxury brands is part of a truce between the auto maker and the American Family Assn. (AFA) to avert a threatened boycott by the right-wing Christian conservative group, Ward’s learns….

As part of the latest agreement hammered out Nov. 29, sources confirm Volvo Cars will continue to advertise in the publications but will use generic ads not tailored to the gay community. In addition, Ford has agreed not to sponsor any future gay and lesbian events but will continue to maintain its employee policies, such as same-sex partner benefits. “….

Avarosis may be an axe-grinder, but Wards Auto is a industry trade publication that I would expect has no horse in this race. The senior management at Ford is answerable to the Ford Family directly, not to the stockholders. The Ford family still has outright controlling-interst in the company and on the Board through it’s special-class of voting stock; the equity stockholders are merely along for the financial ride.

Also, I always thought FORD stood for Found On Road Dead (although, to be honest, I’ve always had goos experiences with their products).

It seems to me that there are two likely interpretations of what those involved are saying.

First Ford could absolutly be telling the truth that this is a business decision. They very well may have concluded that pissed off Christians are more damaging to the bottom line than angry gays.

Alternatively, the AFA may be Naderizing the situation by claiming credit for something that is not really a result of their efforts. Then if Ford reverses its decision they can state that ford is “breaking its commitment to Christians” and “caving to the homosexual extremists”.

Either way I see this a an economic, not moral, issue.

This “business decision” is the crux of the problem. We’ve been making great headway in Corporate America by arguing the “business case” for diversity. Offering domestic partnership benefits doesn’t cost much, but attracts highly talented employees, we’ve argued successfully. Promoting respect and inclusion increases productivity, we attest, because employees who are respected do better work. We don’t bother to argue that it’s simply the right thing to do.

HRC, which rates companies on a 100-point Corporate Equality Index, explains that corporations are becoming more gay friendly because “fairness is good for business.”

But that makes for a dangerous equation. If the AFA folks buy more Fords than we do, we lose. Justice cannot be denied just because it doesn’t make money. It may be that Ford has concluded that an Equality Index score of 100 isn’t the right mark to aim for. They may decide to go for a sweet spot where the fundamentalists leave them alone; maybe an 82 or a 76.

The bottom line is, indeed, the bottom line. Ford is a corporation that exists to make money. As long as “shareholder value” is the only value that matters in Corporate America, Donald Wildmon will continue to carve notches into his belt.

Until we hold corporations accoutable for more than their profits, this is what we can continue to expect. Ultimately, LGBT equality in the workplace will be a house of cards until society holds corporations accountable for more than making a buck.

More at martymusings.blogspot.com