Quoted: the chairman of Barilla suggests gay people buy another brand of pasta
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…[If gays] 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.
—Guido Barilla, chairman of an eponymous and ubiquitous line of Italiante foodstuffs, on how he prefers to advertise his products. He dropped this choice quote yesterday during an interview with Radio 24, also mentioning that he opposes adoption by gay parents, but supports gay marriage, which remains outlawed in Italy (the interview can be heard here, in Italian). Among those taking Barilla’s advice to eat non-Barilla pasta is Aurelio Mancuso, head of gay rights group Equality Italia. “We accept the invitation from the Barilla owner to not eat his pasta,” Mancuso said, and went on to to describe Barilla’s comments as “offensive provocation.” The flare-up has led to outrage and, unsurprisingly, a boycott of Barilla pasta in Europe. [Grub Street]
Shows the strict rules of a Roman Catholic family
I don’t think that the title of the article reflects the quotation. He doesn’t actually suggest gays way another pasta, he states that they would do so if they do not like the pasta or respond to the ads. The same could be said of any demographic. I am as pro gay as can be, but this isn’t really a fair take..
Unless there was more context you are not reporting
Never bought the stuff and, now, never will. By the way, he thought gay and lesbian couples should not be parents. There are millions of homosexual couples with children and, by all accounts, they do as good or better a job at it than heterosexuals. Saying what he did is as offensive as if he said that other races or religions should not be allowed to be parents. Evidently, this comes from being a religious conservative. He is a malicious, vain, arrogant, and willfully ignorant bigot. Anyone who values a civil society should buy another brand.
Not only will I boycott the Barilla brand but I will boycott any store that carries products associated with discrimination and hate. We should also stand up to television stations that continue to advertise any Barilla products. This man made a really ignorant comment. Anyone who supports gay rights and the rights of all people should boycott this brand to send a message that his intolerance is NOT OKAY.
http://petitions.moveon.org/sign/no-barilla-pasta-for
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Boycott-Barilla/572559402780472?hc_location=timeline