AFA Launches Boycott Of GAP Chains

Following up on last week's "Naughty Or Nice" list of retailers who do or do not used the word "Christmas" in their advertising, today the American Family Association launched a boycott of those Satanists at all three GAP chains. But as Good As You blogger Jeremy Hooper again pointed out today, the AFA continues to ignore the pesky fact that their dear friends at Chick-Fil-A continue to heed the call of Beelzebub.

Rufus Wainwright & Hubby For The Gap

Advertising Age notes the new campaign from Gap:

A stylish film running online in the U.S. and on broadcast outside the States accompanies colorful print ads featuring some famous celebrity pairings, including actors Michael J. Fox and Tracy Pollan, representing "True Love," musician Rufus Wainwright and artistic director Jorn Weisbrodt, who stand for "Married Love," while "Fatherly Love" figures rapper Nas and his famous blues musician pop, Olu Dara. The ads and film were shot by director/DP Peggy Sirota.

GAP Employee Discount Card

GAP's latest employee discount promotion notes that spouses of LGBT employees are eligible too. (Via Queerty)

One Million Shrews Notices GAP Ad

I called this two weeks ago, but finally One Million Shrews have noticed that GAP ad.

In Los Angeles, CA, GAP has a billboard located downtown that reads: "GAP- BE BRIGHT- BE ONE" with two homosexual men pressed together under a shared t-shirt. They are hugging each other and facing the camera cheek-to-cheek. "BE ONE" is in large letters which emphasizes the same-sex relationship. You can see the actual billboard here. GAP Inc. Brands, including Old Navy, Banana Republic, Piperlime, and Athleta, does not deserve, nor will it get, money from conservative families across the country. Supporting GAP is not an option until they decide to remain neutral in the culture war. GAP needs to seriously consider how their immoral advertising affect the youth of our nation. Christians should urge for the removal of GAP's offensive billboard in Los Angeles and any other city where it is located. GAP will also need to cancel any plans to use the "Be One" ad campaign elsewhere including store-front posters, its website, and in print magazine ads.

Gap Goes Gay

GAP has is totally hoping that One Million Moms takes notice.

AFA Calls For Old Navy Boycott

That took them long enough,.

Christianists Vs. Old Navy

"Old Navy is promoting a lifestyle that is in complete rebellion against God. Rather than just focusing on giving good products to their customers, they want to use their products now to advocate for a very controversial topic, much less a very immoral and very deadly topic. Unfortunately we have to do the hard work of communicating our outrage, our frustration -- and then following that up with some kind of practical expression such as taking your business elsewhere." - Gary Cass of the Christian Anti-Defamation Commission, who are upset over the gay pride t-shirts Old Navy is selling in a handful of their stores.

Old Navy Launches Gay Pride T-Shirts

Yesterday Old Navy began selling gay pride-themed t-shirts.

The T-shirts, which are priced from $7 to $14, bear the rainbow flag, a symbol of gay pride, and different messages, including “Love Proudly” and “Pride 2011.” The retailer says the campaign honors Pride month and is part of its larger flag T-shirt collection. Old Navy is donating 10 percent of the proceeds to the “It Gets Better Project,” an organization dedicated to preventing suicide among gay and lesbian youth.

Gap Employees - It Gets Better

Dan Savage comments on the "second-wave" of It Gets Better videos such as this and today's clip from Canada.

Most of the videos that went up in the first few weeks were—in addition to being moving and heartfelt—very quickly made, mostly with webcams, and the sound quality was sometimes poor. None of these things made the first-wave videos any less effective or necessary or welcome. Now, however, we're seeing more videos that have been professionally produced, shot, and edited. The rawness of the first-wave videos contributed to their emotional impact; the professionalism of these second-wave videos demonstrates that the IGBP didn't only inspire people who were with familiar with webcams and the aesthetics of YouTube confessionals.

RELATED: It Gets Better t-shirts are now available with a $30 donation to the Trevor Project.

The Gay(er) Gap Ad

Queerty directs us to this gay-gay-gay parody of Gap's cheerleader holiday ad. Warning: There is some screaming here. Turn it down a bit.

AFA Suspends Gap Boycott

Saying they are going on "good faith" that a coming ad from Gap properly acknowledges Christmas, the American Family Association is suspending their boycott of the company's three retail chains. But only until they see the commercial. Via press release:

According to Bill Chandler, vice-president of Gap corporate communications, Gap's Old Navy division will launch a new television commercial this weekend which "has a very strong Christmas theme." Chandler responded to AFA last Friday, after a poll showed 90% of AFA supporters wanted to continue the boycott as a result of Gap's initial "holiday" ad that mingled Christmas with the pagan "Winter Solstice" holiday. Gap says the new ad will include the popular Supermodelquins proudly cheering “Merry Christmas", and features Christmas trees, lights and ornaments as well. In good faith, AFA is suspending the Gap boycott until it has an opportunity to view the new commercial this weekend. As a result of your dedicated actions, we believe Gap is beginning to realize that Christmas is not just another “holiday” and will begin to advertise in a way that is respectful to Christians and Christmas shoppers.

The above "action alert" from the AFA closes with a pitch to purchase a box of "God's Gift: Merry Christmas" buttons from them.

Gay Pagan Witches Will Abort Your Kids!

The Maine Family Policy Council has picked up the American Family Association's "witchcraft" charge against Gap's holiday commercial. Aaaand somehow it all becomes about abortion and euthanasia. Oh! And don't forget the witchcraft of gay marriage!

Solstice is a holiday celebrated by "pagans," and paganism is repackaged witchcraft, and witchcraft slowly darkens, withers, and kills the human soul. Modern day "pagans" are reacting to the Gap commercial with laughter and disbelief. More than anyone else, they know their "religion" is at war with God and His Son, Jesus Christ. Putting them on a par with Christianity at the time of the birth of the Savior, strikes even them as ludicrous.

The sugar-coating which sweetens this bitter dose of witchcraft is multiculturalism, tolerance, and diversity, the spirit of the Gap "holiday" commercial. Similarly, the vilest practices imaginable - abortion, euthanasia, and homosexual marriage - are wrapped up in a bow of tolerance and compassion, and sold to an unsuspecting public as "freedom of choice," or an "alternative lifestyle." Small wonder then that at the time of the Incarnation, the arrival of the infant Jesus - the Light of this World - liberals are offering the forces of darkness a seat at the table.

AFA: Gap Stores Support Witchcraft!!!

One day after I wondered if Gap's new holiday ad wasn't a giant "fuck you" to the American Family Association's boycott claim that the company was "anti-Christmas," the AFA has sent out an "action alert" describing the commercial as supporting witchcraft.

Gap has responded to AFA's call for a Christmas boycott of their Gap, Old Navy, and Banana Republic stores with a commercial that takes a cavalier approach towards Christmas.

The video entitled Ready for Holiday Cheer features a group of people dancing and chanting:

Two, Four, Six, Eight, now's the time to liberate
Go Christmas, Go Hanukkah, Go Kwanza, Go Solstice.
Go classic tree, go plastic tree, go plant a tree, go add a tree,
You 86 the rules, you do what feels just right.
Happy do whatever you wanukkah, and to all a cheery night.

Go Christmas, Go Hanukkah, go whatever holiday you wanukkah.

Did you notice it? Gap compares Christmas to the pagan holiday called "Solstice." Solstice is celebrated by Wiccans who practice witchcraft!

Gap also encourages you to "86" or "dismiss" traditions and "do what feels just right."

Take our Poll! Since Gap has now included the word "Christmas" in a television ad, should AFA call for an end to the boycott of their stores?

Is This GAP's "Fuck You" To The American Family Association?

After being targeted with a boycott by the American Family Association as an anti-Christian retailer, GAP began airing a commercial that does use the word "Christmas." But it also mentions Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and the pagan-y Winter Solstice. It even says you should celebrate however "you wannukah." MEOW.

The ad's been running for a least a week and popped up on YouTube a couple of days ago. Did GAP's ad agency already have this in the pipeline or is it a sly "fuck you" to the AFA? We hope it's the latter. Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Times argues that negative notice from the AFA actually helps the bottom line.

Perhaps the AFA did Gap a favor. If you look at the history of the organization's boycotts -- often involving punitive actions against companies that support gay rights -- you'll see that they have no commercial impact. Actually, these boycotts seem to be good for business: In the decade of the AFA's boycott against Disney, which ended in 2006, the world's largest entertainment conglomerate's revenue roughly doubled to $34 billion. Likewise for Ford, which just posted a billion-dollar profit in the third quarter of 2009.

I'm not suggesting causality, but condemnation by the AFA does seem to be a kind of lucky charm for big business. Personally, I am inclined to patronize Gap as a statement of cultural tolerance, even though at my age I look like an overcooked ballpark frank in its clothes. The big loser here is the AFA. The annual War-on-Christmas drumbeat is absolutely not about defending the sacredness of Christmas. It is instead -- transparently -- marketing, a ratings gambit for Bill O'Reilly and Sean Hannity, and for the AFA, the centerpiece of its annual fundraising. This year, thanks to Gap, the AFA fumbled its boycott ball and in the process managed to look both intolerant and out of touch. It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas.

AFA Launches GAP Boycott

Ho hum, another holiday season, another wingnut boycott of a retailer over the "Christmas Sale Vs. Holiday Sale" nonsense.

This week, the American Family Association announced a two-month boycott of Gap stores and the company’s other store brands, Old Navy and Banana Republic. The boycott is based on the store’s refusal to use the term “Christmas” in its advertising campaigns during the last few years. AFA encourages concerned consumers to boycott all three of the clothing retail chains. “The boycott is part of our ongoing campaign to encourage businesses, communities and individuals to put Christ back in Christmas,” reports AFA President Tim Wildmon. He says Gap has refused to use the word “Christmas,” despite tens of thousands of consumer requests for the company to recognize the holiday by name. AFA has played a role in persuading some advertisers to change their Christmas season policies. For example, Sears backed away from its censorship of the word “Christmas” and now even offers a Christmas Club on its Web site.

The AFA says the boycott will continue until the word "Christmas" appears in a GAP ad.

Silverman Jingle: Hoax?

The painfully unfunny Sarah Silverman is being credited as the author of AIDS-mocking ad jingle supposedly discarded from an upcoming World AIDS Day campaign by Gap's Product RED department. It remains unclear whether the story is a hoax or whether Silverman actually wrote it.

I'm not black
I'm not gay
And Africa is so far away
But what's one more December holiday?
Happy AIDS Day anyway

AIDS is a gift
that keeps on giving
Give (RED) gifts
And stop regifting
Help African kids get drugs
(SHOUT) But not for tripping!
Happy AIDS Day anyway

The story comes via an anonymous tipster at Copyranter, who says, "OK, even though Silverman is part of the new general Gap campaign, there's no way in hell Gap would ever run all or part of this as a TV spot, though I could definitely see her singing it on her show. The tipster also says this project may have been put on hold, and examining the lyrics, I can see why."

I like gallows humor as much as the next person so maybe I'm tempted to believe this story because of my profound dislike for Silverman. I don't really know. Last week a friend of mine said, "Have you noticed how casual racism is, like, all the rage now for comedians?" I said, "You mean Sarah Silverman?" He said, "Totally."
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