I read with a little annoyance the following news [see below]:
Online campaign leads to rethink at DBS
Siow Li Sen
Fri, Dec 05, 2008
The Business TimesDBS Bank has removed all references to Focus On The Family (FOTF) in its advertising, after its credit card promotion supporting the evangelical Christian organisation provoked some angry reactions.
Since the bank’s Nov 13 credit card promotion where DBS said that it would donate money to FOTF, ‘a charity dedicated to helping children and families thrive’, members of the gay and lesbian community have called for a boycott of the bank.
FOTF in Singapore is an affiliate of a US-based organisation of the same name founded in 1977 by evangelical Christian James Dobson who campaigns against gay rights.
Last month, FOTF in the US retrenched some 200 staff after it spent US$600,000 to defeat marriage equality in California. Mr Dobson has also railed against US President-elect Barack Obama, who has countered that Mr Dobson ‘makes things up’.
DBS spokeswoman Karen Ngui said that it was never the intention of the bank to alienate any particular group. ‘DBS supports children and learning in Asia . . . it’s the cause that we are supporting and not FOTF, and or what it stands for,’ she said.
She added that DBS believes in diversity and inclusion.
‘We have since removed all references to FOTF in our advertising . . . however, we still support the cause . . . and thus will be contributing a small amount to their New Learning Centre for children with learning disabilities, due to be opened in March 2009.’
The bank’s earlier move had sparked an online campaign. Jean Chong, a gay activist with People Like Us, said that to date, 1,063 people, including non-gays, had signed up with a Facebook group attacking the bank’s support for an FOTF cause.
While some gay activists concede that DBS may not have known about the anti-gay agenda of FOTF, they felt that it still should not give to the charity because the donation could indirectly benefit its cause.
‘It is my view that unfortunately, DBS did not realise that FOTF has a lot of baggage. It is also unclear how by funding one part of an organisation’s activities, how much you also indirectly help another of its activities because money is fungible,’ said Alex Au, People Like Us gay activist.
Ms Ngui has said that its credit card team checked on FOTF and proceeded as they are endorsed by the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports and National Council of Social Service (NCSS). ‘Going forward, the bank will conduct more extensive background checks,’ she said.
Why does it annoy me? First of all, it apparently doesn’t matter what the objective of the campaign was. It doesn’t matter FOTF is supporting a children and learning project. All that mattered to some group of people is this: FOTF was anti-homosexual.
By the same way they attempt public opinion against DBS’ association with FOTP, I wondered whether they are even aware that it also can used to ‘show’ homosexuals are anti-community? I am quite amused to see how they shot themselves in the foot, by going against a pro-community action.
Now that this has worked to cow DBS, I won’t be surprise that very soon, churches and the Christian community will have a hard time to work with secular organizations for community projects and activities, because such projects and activities are going to get boycott by ‘many in the [homosexual] community who have expressed outrage over’ the association.
In fact, I won’t be surprised that one day, when there’s a Christian bleeding to death – with a crucifix hanging obviously around his neck – homosexuals will just walk by and let him die, and would justify it because the dying man is anti-homosexual. After all, why aid a guy who is well, with the anti-homosexual groups? It doesn’t matter that it is my belief that most Christians would render aid to a homosexual in need.
Where, is such senseless reverse discrimination, going to lead us?
As a Christian, I can perfectly leave homosexuals alone and let them do whatever they want behind close doors, and even ignore what I see in public. As to how I personally felt about it, the leaders of the Church have already made their statement clear and I do not need to repeat it here. My stand has always been this: God is the ultimate moral judge and I do not pretend to speak His Judgement.
Beyond that, I would even champion for universal suffrage, health care, job opportunities for them if I see any discrimination in any of those areas in spite of my faith in Jesus Christ. But I will not stand for any form of reverse discrimination against my community as a matter of faith and differing views on morality.
And according to what I have read, Focus on the Family (FOTF) is also a voluntary welfare organisation (VWO) endorsed by the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports. So, shouldn’t the ministry, and by extension the government gahmen of the Republic of Singapore, be boycotted by the homosexual community as well?
So, all homosexuals should quit their jobs in the civil service now because our gahmen is an evil organisation promoting an anti-gay agenda! If not, take what you already have and keep it, and stop agitating for more.
Enough, is enough already.
Comics:
Recommended Reads:
Cobalt Paladin: Diary of an Entrepreneur – Money Saving Tip #1
Endoh: Boycott DBS for being anti-family?
Addendum: Comment section for this post has been closed. Further comments in other parts of this blog on this issue will be indiscriminately deleted.
“I supposed you have the figures to FOTF’s books to say they are spending ridiculous amount of money on their anti-homosexual agenda?”
of course, it’s public knowledge. just google fotf to see how much they spent on prop 8 in california.
seems you are ok with discrimination as long as you are not the target.
Sad isn’t it that most peole don’t give a flying fuck…
Look at our rainforest now and other wildlife…
But once you bring it to their attention and explain to them why it is bad, most people have a sense of justice i.e. they will try and do what’s right to correct this…
Unless of course, you are advocating it is alright to support a group that wilfully discriminates someone or a particular group, then I have nothing to say…
Taking your extreme example – does it mean that a christian would not save a person if he knows that that person is gay?
I guess Au’s point is this: if FOTF didn’t spend ridiculous amounts of money on their anti-gay agenda, they’d have plenty of money to help these kids with learning disabilities. The boycott forces them to hopefully channel their resources into (more) worthwhile pursuits. Although, it is anyone’s guess whether they prioritise helping children over depriving gay people of equality.