Sunday, October 5, 2008

Don't Buy Bolthouse Washington, DC Demonstration

Media Advisory October 4, 2008 Contact: Fred Karger 619-592-2008

Sunday Demonstration at Whole Foods Market
Washington, DC Flagship Store in Heart of Gay Neighborhod

William Bolthouse, Jr. Gave $100,000 to California’s Yes on Proposition 8 to Eliminate Same-Sex Marriage

WASHINGTON, DC – Californians Against Hate will hold a small mid-day demonstration tomorrow, Sunday, October 5th at 12:00 noon in front of Whole Foods Market – 1440 P Street, NW, Washington, DC. The demonstration is part of a national campaign to ask American consumers to “Don’t Buy Bolthouse” (Farms) fruit, vegetable and coffee drinks, carrots (they are the 2nd largest producer in the world) and salad dressings. Demonstrators will hand out flyers to shoppers and ask them to “Don’t Buy Bolthouse,” because of the mega-contribution by company founder William Bolthouse, Jr. to end gay marrige in California. Over the last two weeks, similar demonstrations were held in Los Angeles and New York.
William Bolthouse contributed $100,000 this year to California’s Protect Marriage / Yes on Proposition 8 Campaign. If passed on November 4th, this constitutional initiative would eliminate same-sex marriage in California. His huge financial support was one of the main reasons that Proposition 8 qualified for the November 4th ballot. His money helped enable the committee to hire hundreds of paid professional petition circulators to collect the signatures necessary to qualify this initiative for the November ballot.

Two weeks ago, Fred Karger, Campaign Manager for Californians Against Hate sent a letter to Bolthouse Farms Chairman, Andre Radandt (William Bolthouse’s son-in-law) and in it he said:

“As of Saturday, September 20, 2008, we will embark on an effort to get the message out to the gay and lesbian community and our millions of friends, family members, neighbors and co-workers all over the United States to “Don't Buy Bolthouse.”

There are many other juices, carrot brands, coffee drinks and salad dressings available without the Bolthouse name attached. Right next to the Bolthouse drinks you can choose from Odwalla, Purely Juice, Naked Natural Energy, Jamba and Evolution. Lots of options – just “Don’t Buy Bolthouse.”

We have set up a web site, too: http://www.dontbuybolthouse.com/

“William Bolthouse’s $100,000 contribution is an insult to gay and lesbian Americans. Why should we spend our hard-earned money buying Bolthouse Farms’ products only to have it used against us?” concluded Karger.

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