UPS picked peace; if U Pick Stigmatization, that's on you!

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11/19/2012

by Jeremy Hooper

Over on the American Family Association's pretend news site, Peter LaBarbera makes a really interesting distinction that I'm sure makes sense to him. I, however, would argue that it helps us instead. Take a look and then I'll come back to you:

Peter LaBarbera of Americans for Truth About Homosexuality (AFTAH) explains that under pressure from homosexual activists, the United Parcel Service is telling all prospective grantees they will have to check a box to declare that they do not discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation. OneNewsNow earlier reported that the philanthropic arm of the shipping giant has announced it will no longer donate to organizations that do not adhere to its "diversity policies."

"Well of course the Boy Scouts can't check that box, and so this will end UPS's giving to the Boy Scouts," the AFTAH president reasons. "But when people call up UPS, the people at UPS are saying, Oh no -- we're not dropping the Scouts; we're just implementing our giving policy, which includes non-discrimination."
MORE: UPS DENYING SCOUT SNUB [ONN]

Right, so why do I say it's an interesting distinction? Well, because this is a scenario that completely belies the carefully workshopped spin that the far-right has forced far too many to buy into over the years. Here we have a prominent Peter 0-1 company, one United Parcel Service, simply saying that grantees have to follow certain criteria if they want to participate in this program. No one has to comply; it is an optional program. Financial support like this is not a constitutional guarantee. Potential designees can choose to comply with these guidelines if such guidelines fit their goals, or prospective beneficiaries can instead seek out a company that is more in line with their wishes. All UPS higher-ups are saying is that theirs is a company that values its LGBT customer base and workforce. Sign on to that if you want; move on from that if you have other ideas.

But here we have Peter, just like everyone else in his movement, playing the victim and claiming that UPS is actively doing something to people who share his anti-LGBT views. But no. Factually not! The reality is that UPS is laying out guidelines that more accurately respect the spectrum of humanity. If you run an organization that wants to lay out your own guidelines that go another way, then have at it. UPS is not going to stop you. Just know that you made that choice to place discrimination above this particular opportunity. It's on you, not us.

*And this is a situational reality that applies to the Ocean Grove Camp Meeting Association, Catholic Charities, various business owners, and countless other organizations and people who made the choice to not comply and then carefully twisted the response into faux victimization.

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