Oreo's Gay Pride cookie

ABC News Invents Anti-Gay Oreo Boycott

Though an individual can choose to boycott a product, a boycott is, by definition, only effective if organized on a large scale. ABC News chose to ignore this distinction when it reported yesterday, “Oreo Pride: Rainbow-Stuffed Cookie Sparks Boycott.” The article highlighted the rainbow Oreo posted on Facebook this week, which was accompanied by the message, “Proudly support love!” Though the innocuously inclusive message has largely been praised, ABC News drew its conclusions solely from some negative comments posted on Facebook:

But while many of the comments were supportive, some Facebook users pledged to boycott the cookie because of the post.

“I’ll never buy Oreo again,” one commenter wrote.

“Disgusted with oreos,” wrote another. “Being gay is an abmonitation in GOd’s eyes i wont be buying them anymore.”

If such journalistic conclusions could be drawn from random typo-ridden comments on Internet content, news headlines would instantly lose all integrity. Two Facebook comments do not constitute a boycott, nor would 100 anti-gay comments even warrant calling the posting “controversial.” Culture wars have never merely been about a “difference of opinion.” Controversy is manufactured by such headlines that over-emphasize negative voices and draw false conclusions about their impact.

There are, of course, anti-gay boycotts, but none have been successful. The one-man operation known as the Florida Family Association has generated faux outrage about almost every LGBT-inclusive television program. The American Family Association has been boycotting Home Depot for its support of gay rights for years to no avail. Its subsidiary, One Million Moms, has whiningly railed against JC Penney for featuring Ellen DeGeneres and same-sex couples in advertisements. The National Organization for Marriage has been unsuccessfully “dumping” Starbucks and now General Mills. (Only a few dozen people showed up to protest General Mills yesterday, and the company actually boosted its dividends — thank General Mills here.) If NOM wants to retaliate against Oreos, it’ll have to add all of Kraft foods to its boycott, which would leave conservative kitchens with relatively empty pantries. To truly eschew all pro-LGBT companies, they’d also have to add Google, Microsoft, Nike, Time Warner Cable, Levi Strauss, CBS, and Xerox to their list, to name a few.

Businesses have realized that supporting equality and inclusion is good for their employees, good for their customers, and good for their bottom line, so it’s no surprise that pro-LGBT policies are quickly becoming ubiquitous throughout the corporate world. To try to upset this reality by highlighting a few negative reactions is not only irresponsible, it’s simply incorrect.




http://thinkprogress.org/lgbt/2012/06/27/507005/abc-news-invents-fictional-anti-gay-oreo-boycott/

AtownPeep wrote:The rainbow cookie itself is silly and so is the anger. The whole drama is unnecessary from all sides.

Shale wrote:
The cookie does not exist. It is a marketing illustration only for Nabisco to honor Gay Pride Month.

Chris wrote:

For Gay Pride month, Kraft Foods created a rainbow designed Oreo cookie. The response, though, hasn't been as positive as they thought it would be and people have reportedly left some twenty thousand-plus comments on their Facebook page, with a heavily percentage of them being negative; some threatening to boycott.

Your opinion?

Dumb.

Was the Gay Pride Oreo cookie necessary?

wants2laugh wrote:I'm all for gay rights, but eventually it gets old. It seems in my area, the closest gay community is in philly. However, the gay pride sentiment seems to get shoved down our throats after awhile. I feel the same way about the spanish signs everywhere... there are no local hispanic communities, and yet, all of the signs in Kmart/sears are written in spanish. Doesnt make sense to me-- and after awhile, it seems that it is just ostracizing me. If someone wants true equality, they do not point out how they are separate, they would want to join others. The more a group boasts about pride, the more "prideful" they sound, and then it eventually crosses a line.

It kinda reminds me of when I was in school.. a girl wore a "black pride" shirt... and it was a "black is beautiful, freedom of self expression" sentiment. but if i would have worn "white pride" then I would have been suspended for it being a racist shirt.

Forgiveness Man wrote:Gotta agree with wantstolaugh. It seems counterproductive to want equality but than continually post banners of how you're different.

And real cookie or not, it's ridiculous. IMO, the biggest bigotry in this story is coming from the "gay pride" side.

Nystyle709 wrote:

Equality is providing the same opportunities for everyone to achieve success, to live peacefully and to be treated with respect....it does not mean you should forgo who you are and neglect your self-esteem in order to do so. We might be all the same biologically, but the fact of the matter is....we are all different, we come from different cultures and if one wants to celebrate their heritage and/or culture, they should be allowed to do so. You are a white woman, I am not. If I wanted to wear a "Black Pride" t-shirt, then it doesn't mean I'm trying to separate myself from anyone else. "White Pride" has never been oppressed and the only reason someone would wear such a shirt is to counteract that and to make a mockery of it and be condescending.

Suzi wrote: I like the double stuff cookies and that one has even more stuff!I don't care if the cookie doesn't exist I want that cookie!