How Many Happy Meals Does It Take to Change a Homophobe?

The anti-gay American Family Association (AFA) recently called a boycott of McDonald's. Focus on the Family, the group that is bringing the De-Gaying Conference to Anchorage's Abbott Loop Church, supported the effort. 

The reason for the boycott: McDonald's allowed their VP of Communications to join the Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce.

The AFA asked McDonald's to remove itself from the Chamber. Instead of caving to the homophobes, McDonald's stood up to them:

"Hatred has no place in our culture," said McDonald's USA spokesman Bill Whitman. "That includes McDonald's, and we stand by and support our people to live and work in a society free of discrimination and harassment."

"McDonald's is associated with countless local and national affinity groups. . . . We have a well-established and proud heritage of associating with individuals and organizations that share the belief that every person has the right to live and work in a community free of discrimination."

We should thank McDonald's for supporting diversity and including us in their vision of a hate-free society.

Alaska's GLBT community is currently deciding how we will challenge FoF's "ex-gay" roadshow. Should we plan a peaceful protest outside the church? Hold an educational forum to debunk their junk science? Show films on the damage done by "reparative" therapy?

All of those are good choices.

And there's a McDonald's right across the street from the Abbott Loop Church . . .