Barilla Pasta Now Being Boycotted Because Owner Says He Won't Use Homosexual Families in Ads, Preferring a Traditional Family Image

This isn't creepy at all.

“I would never do (a commercial) with a homosexual family, not for lack of respect but because we don’t agree with them. Ours is a classic family where the woman plays a fundamental role,” Reuters reports Mr. Barilla as saying in a radio interview Wednesday.

According to Reuters, the gay rights group Equality Italia already has called for a boycott of the pasta over Mr. Barilla’s “offensive provocation.”

“[If gay people] like our pasta and our advertising, they’ll eat our pasta, if they don’t like it then they will not eat it and they will eat another brand,” Mr. Barilla said during the radio interview.

Yes I can see why that's so offensive that you'd hit the Outrage Button with both hands and a heavy shoe.

He has walked back the comments... sorta.

"With reference to remarks made yesterday to an Italian radio program, I apologize if my words have generated controversy or misunderstanding, or if they hurt someone's sensitivity," Guido Barilla said in a statement. "In the interview I simply wished to underline the central role the woman plays within the family."

Gay marriage is not legal in Italy.

He added, "For clarity, I would like to point out that: - I have the utmost respect for anyone, without distinction of any kind.

- I have the utmost respect for gay people and for everyone's right to express themselves. I've also said -- and I would like to reiterate -- that I respect gay marriages.

- In its advertising, Barilla represents the family - because it's what welcomes everyone and what has always been identified with our brand."

But the #boicottbarilla hashtag is heating up. One English-speaking twit twits:

Sigh. I'd like my pasta without the side of homophobia, thanks.

Yes, not clapping hard enough for the sexual choices of gays constitutes "homophobia" now. "Intolerance" now means "an uncivilized lack of moist enthusiasm."

I've always dreamed in living in a world where I was Free to Celebrate precisely those cult objects that the left demanded I Celebrate. I always dreamed of a world in which I was Free to be rentlessly henpecked, anklebitten, bullied & boycotted by well-funded leftist groups paid to harass citizens every waking moment of every single day.

Actually... It seems to me the question was asked for this reason: The gay lobby wants Barilla (and all other corporations) to affirmatively campaign for their political agenda. Ergo, Barilla's statement that they won't be doing that is now defined as "homophobia."

I say "now" as if this is a new wrinkle. Of course it's been going on for a quite a while.

I notice you're not applauding quite frequently or vigorously enough, Comrade.

posted by Ace at 03:38 PM

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