I am not a big proponent of boycotts. I tend to think that they don’t work, but when a business comes out as anti-gay, anti-woman, etc. I try to at least do my part to support that.
I do believe businesses have the right to hold beliefs based on their owners, and those businesses live with the impact that these stated beliefs (and in some cases, actions) have on their business.
It is one of the reasons that I don’t eat Chick-Fil-A. They have a pretty anti-gay (or “traditional” family) stance in their employment practices and company statements, so I don’t support their propaganda with my financial support.
Today, I’m reading about the owner of Barilla, Guido Barilla, and his anti-gay comments. It is clear that Barilla believes in a traditional family (i.e. mother, father, children), and does not respect any other type of family. “I have no respect for adoption by gay families because this concerns a person who is not able to choose,” Barilla states. Barilla also went on to say in an Italian radio interview that “if gays don’t like it, ‘they can always go eat someone else’s pasta.'”
So today I am saying “Ciao Barilla” and joining the quiet boycott to rid my house and all future purchases of their products.
Update: Barilla’s chief has come out and apologized for his comments. The issue here is that if he didn’t believe what he said, then he wouldn’t have said it. The fact that his company is hurting as a result of his publicly stated beliefs appears to be the driving force behind his apology. Sincerity score: 0 Respect score: 0