There are countless companies that donate to Planned Parenthood and other anti-life and anti-marriage organizations. There are countless television programs and films that mock sexuality, marriage, our faith and our priests.
It’s important to voice your opinion, even if many times it doesn’t seem to do any good. But there are other times when we see positive results. Shows have been canceled shortly after release (NBC’s The Playboy Club) and sequels have not been made (The Golden Compass). Why certain movies are made or certain products promoted comes down to two facts – money talks and so does agenda.
If agenda talks louder, an organization won’t listen to money or consumers. If money can drown out agenda, we have a chance.
It can get discouraging with all of the immorality supported or promoted, so it’s important to choose your battles. The most important battles typically would be those that large Christian or pro-life organizations are involved in.
But there are other times that you see a program criticizing priests or our faith and are compelled to let your disappointment be known, even if no one else does. The networks know that if one person voices an objection, there may be many more that are disgusted who never will voice their dismay.
Unless you really feel called to write and contact every organization you come across that is giving to another organization you don’t approve of, it’s best to choose a few as they arise. Otherwise you could get discouraged and frustrated by putting all that hard work in and not feeling like the results are equaling your efforts.
A few important tips to remember:
- Be firm but charitable. It’s important to let them know what you think they did wrong but to be level-headed about it. They aren’t coming from the same place you are. It won’t help your cause to sound like a jerk or a religious zealot.
- Throw in a touch of sadness. It aids you in taking a humble, vulnerable approach. They just might be more open to what you have to say.
- Always remember to start out with a compliment! Thank them for their product/program (if there’s anything worth thanking them for). Tell them how much you enjoyed it and wish you could still purchase it (if it’s a product boycott).
Pandora.com is a free music streaming Web site that I use very often. With the free version, there are ads on the side. A few years ago, I kept seeing ads for a birth control product. I ended up writing an email to let them know that it was dangerous to women’s health and that this particular birth control acted as an abortifacient. I included a link to this information I found.
The email I received back said that if I didn’t want ads I could purchase the year subscription. But the gentleman responding also impressed me with one of his remarks. Here’s an excerpt from the Pandora Listener Support email:
Thanks for listening to Pandora, and thanks for writing to share your feedback with us. (And thank you for wording it so calmly).
So even though it didn’t end up changing what ads were on the site (even though, in fact, I hadn’t seen birth control ads at all this year in my heavy listening), it was at least a witness to one of Pandora’s employees.
How do you feel about boycotts and voicing your discouragement?
Opening last weekend in less than 400 theaters around the U.S., October Baby snagged the second-highest-per-screen average, catching the eighth spot overall in the box office.