They want our dollars they can think twice before they determine that it's good business to degrade society.
It's funny how many organizations get their info from Free Republic. From the NYTimes via SFGate.com:
Conservatives turn on dollmaker that had been their darling
American Girl is helping group that backs legal abortion
David Crary, New York Times
Saturday, October 15, 2005
Samantha Small gazed at American Girl dolls for sale in N...
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New York -- American Girl, manufacturer of a highly popular line of dolls and children's books, has become the target of conservative activists threatening a boycott unless the toy maker cuts off contributions to a youth organization that supports abortion rights and acceptance of lesbians.
The protest is directed at an ongoing American Girl campaign in which proceeds from sales of a special "I Can" wristband help support educational and empowerment programs of Girls Inc., a national nonprofit organization that describes its mission as "inspiring girls to be strong, smart and bold."
American Girl, whose often patriotic products have long had a loyal following among conservatives, issued a statement Friday defending its support of Girls Inc. and assailing the protest.
"We are profoundly disappointed that certain groups have chosen to misconstrue American Girl's purely altruistic efforts and turn them into a broader political statement on issues that we, as a corporation, have no position," the statement said.
The Mississippi-based American Family Association, in a campaign started Wednesday, is urging its members to demand that American Girl halt support for Girls Inc., which it called "a pro-abortion, pro-lesbian advocacy group."
"Let American Girl know they are making a terrible mistake," said a statement by Don Wildmon, chairman of the American Family Association, which says it has more than 2.2 million members.
The Pro-Life Action League, a Chicago-based anti-abortion group, also is asking supporters to contact American Girl to express dismay. Executive director Ann Scheidler, said the organization might call for a boycott of American Girl's products and organize picketing at its stores in Chicago and New York if the company does not sever ties with Girls Inc.
American Girl, a subsidiary of Mattel Inc., said the "I Can" initiative supported three specific Girls Inc. programs: building girls' skills in science and math, developing leadership skills and encouraging athletic skills and team spirit.
"All of these aims are appropriate to our 7- to 12-year-old American Girl fans," the company said. "The American Girl brand exemplifies the values of wholesomeness and responsibility that we would expect any organization to commend."
Girls Inc., which traces its roots to a center founded in Waterbury, Conn., in 1864, serves about 800,000 girls a year, many of them black or Latino and most from low-income families.
The "advocacy" page on its Web site lists some of the positions that roused conservative ire -- for example, a clear endorsement of the 1973 Roe vs. Wade court decision establishing a woman's right to abortion.
Girls Inc. also supports a girl's right to have access to contraception and pledges support for girls dealing with issues of sexual orientation.
Joyce Roche, president of Girls Inc., said the New York-based organization had never before been targeted by a protest campaign.
"We were taken aback," she said in a telephone interview Friday. "Our programs are well respected. We're all about helping girls see possibilities and dream big dreams."
Girls Inc. takes positions on public policy issues if it believes women's rights and opportunities are at stake, Roche said. "Our philosophy is that women should have the right to make decisions about themselves," she said.
One of the protest coordinators, American Family Association special projects director Randy Sharp, said the campaign is noteworthy because American Girl's products have long been favored by conservatives. Its dolls include a series from eras of American history -- such as Felicity, from the Revolutionary War, or Addy, who escapes from slavery during the Civil War.
"American Girl has won the trust of millions of conservative families," Sharp said. "Now, we find they're teaming up with Girls Inc., which supports the very things we oppose. It's very troubling."
I'm not suggesting you don't speak out about your principles.
I am talkng about effective tactics. If most major corporations in the U.S. sponsor the Girls Clubs and you start a boycott that only hits a toy company that makes relatively conservative dolls you are just asking to make things worse rather than better.