my ironic mustache

once again, my friend juliet has written an eloquent and insightful piece regarding a local issue here in grand rapids.  i fully agree with her statement and repost it below in it’s entirety. give founders a call at 616-776-1195 to let them know how you feel about this bullshit.

-srd

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Local Threads Charity Being Changed from Planed Parenthood is an Example of GR Catering, AGAIN, To Religious Extremists

By Juliet Bennett Rylah

I have recently been informed that the annual Local Threads Fashion Show, occurring at Founders Brewing Company on September 20, has changed their charity from Planned Parenthood (the charity that has appeared on all their press releases and flyers) to Kids’ Food Basket. While Kids’ Food Basket is an amazing charity that my own events have donated money to, the reason for this change is, once again, an example of an organization being forced to cater to the religious morals of others.

I am told that when Founders received complaints about the fashion show using the money raised to support the local chapter of Planned Parenthood, Local Threads was required to change their charity.

But why? Why should a company that is locally owned and supported by many cater to the demands of a few people who have managed to acquire telephones or emails to express their discomfort? Why is Founders pandering to these people? I am a loyal customer, with a face and a name, who has a long history of drinking there, eating there and bringing my band in to play there. I have always supported Founders as a local establishment. Did Founders not consider that there are many progressive individuals that drink at their bar that would be offended by this act of bowing down?

Organizations and businesses need to STOP catering to moralists. These ridiculous shackles are what prevents our city from becoming a progressive city where people can feel free to express themselves. Planned Parenthood of Grand Rapids is an important organization that provides medical services and family planning to women. How many of us ladies have received medical support at Planned Parenthood that we could have not received anywhere else, due to our finances, age or other criteria? Planned Parenthood provides a host of vital services and it is NOT an abortion clinic, though they will refer you to many options where you are free to make your own personal choices about your body and your family.

These moralists clearly do not understand its vital role in the community, and I’ll be willing to wager that they’re not faithful beer drinkers either, but they chose to step upon an event and make demands so that their morals would be satisfied. And the worst part about it is that they were catered to.

Religious moralists have often tried to prevent things from happening in this city that don’t agree with them. They have tried to shut down many things — from the productions of Quills and Corpus Christi to the Super Happy Funtime Burlesque Show. If anyone I know doesn’t particularly care for religious, they simply don’t go to church. They don’t try to shut the churches down. So why can’t these religious folk stay out of our venues when something they disagree with is going on? Why do they feel the need to try to infringe upon our freedoms? In fact, I read some time ago that Foundesr Fest was being attacked by certain moralists who felt that if children were to see customers drinking outside, they might associate drinking with fun, therefore Founders shouldn’t be permitted to have an outdoor festival. I think anyone who has attended this festival knows that it’s a wild success, both as far as a festival goes and economically. This is another reason why it surprises me that Founders would cater to the same type of people who attempted to squash their efforts of entrepreneurship previously.

I think we, and by we, I mean you if you agree that this is ridiculous need to take a stand and not back down.

I am in no way suggesting a boycott of Local Threads or Founders. These are both great things and so is Kids’ Food Basket. But I am suggesting that we band together and express our disappointment and let Founders know, especially those of us that are loyal patrons like myself, that we also have a voice and want to be considered and that our customer base is strong enough to support any organization these religious extremists threaten to take their money away from. We need to let people know that they don’t need to cater to the religious right to be successful anymore. We have telephones and emails and social networking tools too, just like those people did. Let’s use them to show that WE also exist.

Additionally, the Charity Tribute Series at The Whiskey Lounge following the Springsteen show coming up this Friday will donate the proceeds to the local chapter of Planned Parenthood and WILL NOT back down.