Boycott Over — Super Size Me!

I have been eating Taco Bell, Burger King, and Wendy’s for lunch for the past few months, because a dietary staple for years has been off the menu. Now it’s back.

A couple of months ago, I made a private commitment to avoid eating at McDonald’s any more when they announced their sponsorship of the National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce and that one of their executives would be joining its board.

My friend Leticia at Causa Nostrae Laetitiae says to anyone who says that boycotts don’t work, ahem.

[Chicago Sun Times] After months of pressure from an anti-gay-marriage group, McDonald’s Corp. has given up a director’s seat and will stop sponsorship of a national gay business organization.

Richard Ellis, who until last month was vice president of communications of McDonald’s USA, has resigned from the board of directors of the National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce, franchisees were told in a Sept. 23 memo.

McDonald’s USA, which had made a $20,000 donation to the chamber and became a 2008 chamber sponsor, said it would not sponsor the organization in 2009.

Ellis, the company said, “made a personal decision to step down” from the board after he got a new position with McDonald’s Canadian operations. “It is our policy to not be involved in political and social issues. McDonald’s remains neutral on same-sex marriage or any ‘homosexual agenda’ as defined by the American Family Association,” the memo said.

Christian’s in this country have substantial purchasing power and we should spend our money with those who, if not fully support our values, don’t actively campaign against them. Kudos to those who stood up. I am quite sure that among these were people like me. I didn’t make any phone calls, write any letters, and I didn’t carry any placards. I simply did not spend my money with McDonalds. I am quite sure that our voices, those of my friends and I on the drive thru line at Wendy’s, were heard loud and clear.

So now with a clear conscience next week I can pull up to drive-thru at Mickey D’s, talk into the little speaker, and say “May I have a number one meal please? And you better super-size it, it has been while!”