Auto industry analyst not happy with Ford

From StreetBeetOnline.net:

December 8, Washington DC's Metro Weekly reported: "When asked if the advertising was being discontinued because of the threatened AFA boycott, (Ford spokesman Mike) Moran said, 'Ceasing advertising is an outgrowth of those meetings.'" (emphasis added)

That's ugly and pathetic. Caving in to a grop that promotes intolerance and hate is never, in any way, understandable or defensible. What makes it an especially bitter pill is that I know a lot of people at Ford that I like personally, and for whom I have great personal respect. This is not their behavior, nor is it their mindset. Nonetheless, Ford has, as a corporate entity, behaved in a craven, cowardly fashion.

But the story isn't yet complete. The San Francisco chronicle reports Ford will meet with leaders from 19 gay rights organizations this coming week. I'd like to hope that Ford has seen the light and will use that meeting as a platform from which to announce it has reconsidered its position, and that it will reinstate at least a small portion of its advertising in gay-oriented publications as a show of good faith and to demonstrate that Ford won't give in to threats of blackmail and boycotts. I doubt that will be the case. But I'm going to keep hope alive and watch as this story continues to unfold.

My position will remain clear and unchanged: I'm disgusted by anyone who bows to the bullyboys of intolerance and bigotry. And I'm hugely disappointed and appalled by Ford's corporate behavior thus far.

Street Beet also has as segment on TV in Detroit, and is watched/followed by a number of auto execs.