Bigots get blasted. Film at 11.
The movement to erase pro-gay corporate policies at Ford Motor Co. suffered another blow as 95 percent of shareholders last week defeated a motion to remove LGBT worker protections at the company.
At Ford's annual meeting Thursday in Wilmington, Del., Tom Strobhar urged fellow shareholders to vote to remove gay men and lesbians from the automaker's nondiscrimination employment policies.
"Ford is paying domestic partner benefits while cutting retirement benefits. Our company is closing plants while building gay and lesbian centers," he said. Strobhar also blamed Ford's loss of market share to its support of gay men and lesbians.
Ford's chairman and CEO, William Ford, recommended defeating Strobhar's proposal and reiterated the company stance that Ford's workplace should be free from discrimination.
Kathleen Vokes, a spokeswoman for Ford, underscored the automaker's long-standing anti-discrimination stance. "Ford is proud of its tradition of treating all with respect, and we remain focused on what we do best -- building innovative cars and trucks worldwide," she told the PlanetOut Network.
Anti-gay Ford shareholders are undeterred by garnering only 5 percent of the vote. Don Wildmon, founder and chairman of the American Family Association, claimed to be pleased. "We're very grateful that we got that 5 percent and that this issue can come back up again next year," he said in a written statement.
Yeah, you run with that 5% there, Don. Probably keeps you in a nice home and car, doesn't it- making a living off of hate. Jesus would be so pleased.