Is Corporate America Beginning to Leave the Christian Values Network?

It would appear that more and more of corporate America's leading companies are waking up to the toxicity of being viewed as aligned with conservative Christian organizations which often are little more than hate groups hiding behind the veil of religion. These groups hate not only gays, by pretty much all minorities and in truth they have little regard for the constitutional liberties of other citizens. As a result, many companies are removing their online store from the “Christian Values Network” (CVN). Why? Because when an item was purchased, a donation would be made to a "charity" of the purchaser's choice - "charities" like Focus on the Family and even groups certified as hate groups by the Southern Poverty Law Center. Fortunately, long term the tide seems to be turning against anti-gay bigotry, but until these types of foul organizations and the parasite like leaders are thrown on the trash heap of history, no forward thinking corporation should want to be alienating the larger population by underwriting hate and bigotry. Sadly, many mainstream corporations have yet to walk away from CVN. If you see a company you utilize listed, take the time to contact it and tell it that it needs to join the exodus if it wants to keep your business. Here are highlights from Change.org on the growing exodus from CVN:
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Pressure is increasing on Apple to remove their online store from the “Christian Values Network” (CVN), after several other corporations have removed their stores this week. More than 3,500 people have signed Western Washington University student Ben Crowther’s Change.org petition to Apple. CVN is used as a fundraising tool by several anti-gay, anti-women organizations like Focus on the Family and the Family Research Council.
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Late Thursday, the Wells Fargo and Delta Airlines online stores were removed from CVN. Prior to removing their store, Wells Fargo was offering up to $300 to the religious charity of the shopper’s choice, money that could be donated to “Focus on the Family” or the Family Research Council. Delta offered $3.00 per ticket.
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On Wednesday, BBC pulled the BBC America Shop from CVN. “BBC America Shop was not aware of CVN.org's current donation policies,” April Mulcair, BBC’s VP of Publicity, told UK Gay News in a statement. “We have ended our relationship with this affiliate effective immediately."
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On July 7, Microsoft pulled their online store from the Christian Values Network after a Change.org petition started by Seattle resident and Microsoft customer Stuart Wilber highlighted several anti-gay groups raising money through the Christian Values Network.
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Last weekend, CVN beneficiary Focus on the Family came under fire after TOMS shoes expressed “regret” in a statement sent to to Change.org for a Focus on the Family speaking engagement by founder Blake Mycoskie after learning about Focus on the Family’s anti-gay and anti-women views.
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Dozens of major companies like Netflix, Target, Best Buy, USA Today, Walgreens, REI, and even Sesame Street participate in CVN’s service. When customers make purchases through CVN, a donation is made to the religious charity of the customer’s choice. For example, USA Today will donate $5.25 per subscription, and 2.5% of the purchase price for products bought through Apple iTunes store can be donated to groups like Focus on the Family and the Family Research Council.
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Celebrities Stephen Baldwin and Michael Lohan helped launch the Christian Values Network, an online service that raises money for various religious groups from the purchase of goods and services. More than 700 companies are listed at www.cvn.org, the Christian Value Network’s domain hosting links to various corporate online stores. Both Baldwin and Lohan are outspoken about their anti-gay views. Stephen Baldwin told the Guardian in 2010 that he supports so called “ex-gay” therapy, a harmful practice that falsely claims to “cure” people of their sexual orientation. Michael Lohan told reporters in 2008 he would not walk his daughter, Lindsay Lohan, down the aisle if she chose to marry her same-sex partner.
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Former Governor of Arkansas and presidential candidate Mike Huckabee is a Christian Values Network advisor and spokesperson who has posted videos on YouTube supporting the company. In the past, Huckabee has equated being gay with bestiality, necrophilia, and pedophilia.