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Tim Hortons Supports Anti-Gay Group Rally

by alia_d | August 10, 2009 at 09:45 am

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To the dismay of many Tim Hortons fans, Tim Hortons, the Canadian coffee giant, is supporting an anti-gay rally on August 16 in Rhode Island, which has been organized by the National Organization for Marriage.

The anti-gay rally, of which Tim Hortons is a co-sponsor, is in celebration of Rhode Island's First Annual Celebrate Marriage and Family Day. Partial proceeds from the anti-gay rally will support the National Organization for Marriage's campaigns against gay rights.

[The National Organization for Marriage]is currently leading campaigns to take away the civil rights of gays and lesbians in Maine to marry, and the same group fighting marriage equality in places like Washington, D.C., New York, New Jersey and elsewhere.

Tim Hortons customers have expressed their outrage on Twitter, accusing Tim Hortons of spreading hate and bigotry. Some have even suggested a Tim Hortons boycott. Others are urging concerned citizens to express their opinion via Tim Hortons online feedback forms and an online petition at change.org.

Tim Hortons' corporate policy suggests that the company does not sponsor political or religious groups. But because most outlets are owned by independent business owners, the "final decision to make a donation is at the discretion of the store owner," says the company's website.

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alia_d

at 11:47 on August 10th, 2009

Update: Tim Hortons has listened to all of the criticism circulating in the blogosphere and backed out of sponsoring the rally.

Monday afternoon, Tim Hortons issued a statement confirming it will pull out as a sponsor of the event.

"It has come to our attention that the Rhode Island event organizer and purpose of the event fall outside of our sponsorship guidelines. As such, Tim Hortons can not provide support at the event," the statement said.

"We apologize for any misunderstanding or inconvenience this may have caused."