Coors having problems with image.

[donco6]

So what do you think of this? Is it OK to drink Coors, or not?

Coors Brewing is trying to distance itself from Pete Coors, the republican running for Colorado senate. Here's the ad they put in our local gay rag:

Straight talk from Coors

We want to make our position perfectly clear.
This election year, there's a lot of national debate on issues that are important to the GLBT community, including the Federal Marriage Amendment. And, as a political candidate, Pete Coors has expressed his personal position on this issue. Coors Brewing Company's position on this issue differs from Pete Coors'. Coors CEO Leo Kiely outlines the company's official position as follows:

"We do not support discrimination against the GLBT community - via legislation or otherwise."

Let's be clear. We don't support amending the Constitution.

That attitude is in keeping with our actions since 1978, when we adopted an inclusive nondiscrimination policy that recognized the rights of GLBT applicants and employees. We took another important step forward in 1988 and provided corporate support to important GLBT community groups. Today, we're proud to back the efforts of the HRC, GLAAD, GPAC and numerous AIDS organizations.

And we've continued our efforts to be not only a better corporate citizen, but a better place to work as well. More than 10 years ago, we created our Lesbian and Gay Employee Resource Council (LAGER) to provide an employee support network and regularly advise our senior management. We even made history in 1995, when Coors became the first major brewery in America to offer same-sex partner health benefits.

Many people have responded positively to these efforts. In 1002, we received the Colorado Human Rights Campaign Award. And we just received the highest score possible from the Human Rights Campaign's Corporate Equality Index - 100. So, while we're not perfect, we're clearly working hard to be a better company.

It's simple. At Coors, we believe supporting the rights of the GLBT community is good for our customers and our employees. And, above all, it's the right thing to do.

Give us your feedback: [e-mail]

[bluestateguy]

1. Is this guy as right wing as Adolph Coors?

Adolph, if you remember, was one of the sugar daddies for the Iran-Contra operation.

[coloradodem2005]

3. I think that it was Joe Coors.

n/t

[Cha]

9. I remember when I was a young girl in Denver..

there was a Coors who was kidnapped and I think he was killed but I can't really remember. I guess I could google it if I wanted to know.

[donco6]

14. That was Adoph the third.

Adolph Coors III (d. February 8, 1960), was once the heir to the Coors beer empire. In Colorado in 1960, Joseph Corbett Jr tried to kidnap Coors, failing; Coors died in the incident. A national manhunt for Corbett was authorized; Coors' murderer was captured in Canada in October of that year.

[BleedingHeartPatriot]

2. Pete Coors has tried to have it both ways...

regarding the anti gay marriage amendment, and "family values". (His company has had an advertising campaign that subversively promotes underage drinking, drinking to excess and infidelity).
Now he is trying to distance himself, even though he was prominently featured in company ads a few short years ago. This is going to be fun to watch! MKJ

[Dr Fate]

4. I have a problem with the FLAVOR. It stinks. n/t

n/t

[donco6]

7. Ha! Well, that makes it moot for you, then! eom

[Cerridwen]

5. Not - Coors family has old Nazi connections

and extant anti-gay, anti-minority, and anti-progressive agenda to name just a few.


"Journalist Russ Bellant examines the influential but little-known role of the Coors beer family in American politics. Through their philanthropic donations, Joseph Coors and other family members have bankrolled a right-wing agenda of union-busting, homophobia, sexism, racism, and covert operations. The Coors family has served as the cornerstone of the right-wing movement known as the New Right.

"The Coors Connection" details the individuals, organizations, and causes supported by Coors philanthropy. A picture emerges of a family's frighteningly narrow vision of the American dream, and its willingness to support extremists who would undermine American democracy.

Russ Bellant is an investigative journalist whose work has appeared in the National Catholic Reporter, the New York Times, the Texas Observer, and other publications. In 1984, he contributed to an award-winning NBC documentary on Lyndon LaRouche. Mr. Bellant was honored in 1989 for investigative reporting by the Catholic Press Association, which said, "Tracking the historical roots of a group or movement is nothing short of a monumental task... Bellant is obviously very much at home with investigative reporting." Mr. Bellant is also the author of "Old Nazis", "The New Right", and "The Republican Party"-- South End Press, 1991."

link to book review here: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0896084167/002-8439143-7663248?v=glance

[K-W]

8. Right, but it seems the company is distancing itself from the family.

Which is good, and they should be encouraged to do so.

[Cerridwen]

11. You mean like the family isn't getting any more money

from the company? That far distant?

The company has decades of practice at prestidigitation. Watch the left hand while the right hand picks your pockets, lines the pockets of hate groups while we the company show everyone how wonderful we are in order to keep lining our pockets.

It's a fabulous ballet to watch; kind of like a well choreographed train wreck.

As you can tell, I'm no fan of that family or company.

[TaleWgnDg]

16. ....................................... EXACTLY !!! a bunch of sobs!

[TaleWgnDg]

19. didn't Coors Beer hire . . .

Dick Cheney's kid? the daughter who is gay? for some dumb-ass job about "outreach" into the gay community? Talk about political wonks and pandering!

Place a stupid sticker on this one! Right next to the hypocrite sticker . . . :puke:

[K-W]

23. I didnt say we should all go buy coors, but

this is a step in the right direction for them, and we should contact them and let them know it was the right decision.

[Cerridwen]

25. I don't agree that it's a step in any direction

This is a long practice of Coors to promote good will in order to up their profits which they then distribute to those with whom we here most strongly disagree.

It means nothing other than a mechanism for profits. Please don't see it as a sudden awakening in the Coors family, the Heritage Foundation which Joseph formed, nor any of its other holdings.

[K-W]

28. I dont think you understand what I am saying.

No one is suggesting the coors company is a progressive outlet. No one is suggesting that we endorse everything they do, but when a company issues a statement like this:

"We do not support discrimination against the GLBT community - via legislation or otherwise

Let's be clear. We don't support amending the Constitution."

They should be told that in that ONE issue, they have said the right thing. Because they did. Im not saying we give a free pass to coors because of it, but in the war for perception, anyone who comes out and says that should be encouraged.

[Cha]

6. So who is heading up Coors Brewing Co.?

Isn't peter coors one of the owners?

This is so confusing to me..to have a company that is so damn fair on everything and to be running for Senator from Colorado as right winger.

[donco6]

10. Here's the Board:

Peter H. Coors
Chairman

W. Leo Kiely
Director and Chief Executive Officer

Charles M. Herington
President and Chief Executive Officer
America Online Latin America

Franklin W. Hobbs
Former CEO and Senior Advisor
Houlihan Lokey Howard & Zukin

Randall Oliphant
Former CEO and President
Barrick Gold Corporation

Pamela Patsley
President
First Data International

Wayne Sanders
Retired Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
Kimberly-Clark Corporation

Dr. Albert C. Yates
Retired President
Colorado State University

[Cerridwen]

15. Stockholders? Voting Stockholders? Still majority

or all the Coors family?

Just wondering.

[TaleWgnDg]

12. the Coors family . . . as well as the Coors higher management . . .

have a loooooooooong history of ultra-rightwing political campaign donations as well as to ultra-rightwing organizations. As for their "falling on their sword" w/i the workplace? PPPPFFFTTTTTTTTTT!!

[dae]

13. Do they allow their workers to organize as in Union?

[donco6]

17. Not willingly.

But they have a number of organized branches. They actively discourage further organizing.

But that's no different from any company these days.

[dae]

26. Thanks, always heard they were fervently anti-union so I wouldn't

touch the stuff.

[Cerridwen]

22. Coors and unions - some links.

Myths and misperceptions of Coors company practices:

http://www.bamn.com/boycott-coors/coors-myths-facts.asp


How Coors supported unions in 2002 - lockout

http://www.processingmagazine.com/Web_First/PR.nsf/ArticleID/DVMN-5DPHM8/

[dae]

27. Thank you for the links. I'm going to check them out now.

:)

[TaleWgnDg]

29. thanks for the particulars . . . n/t

[Hampsterfoot]

18. I miss...

I miss the hologram cans they had about ten years ago in Texas.

[Cerridwen]

20. Stockholders. - more detail at link

http://finance.yahoo.com/q/mh?s=RKY


COORS, PETER H. 2,735,937 25-Feb-03
COORS, WILLIAM K. 1,470,000 25-Feb-03
KIELY, W. LEO III 8,764 24-Feb-04
GUTHRIE, VIRGINIA T. 1,230 4-Mar-04
OLIPHANT, RANDALL 1,000 2-Mar-04

[bacchant]

21. Have they published this statement in any non-G/L papers?

Is this in "plain view", or was it specifically targeted?

[donco6]

24. This one is targeted just for the GLBT community

And no, I haven't seen a similar statement in any other paper at all.

[ButterflyBlood]

30. my biggest problem with Coors is it tastes like piss

until they change the flavor I don't care what their politics are.