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Articles about Miller Beer and the Boycott
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SPARK STARTS A CONFLAGRATION
By Frosty Wooldridge and Jan Herron
There’s a childhood song we all remember titled: “It Only Takes a Spark to get a Fire Going!” The fire broke into a blaze last week as angry Americans watched Miller Brewing Company donate tens of thousands of dollars to organizations supporting illegal immigration. Mexican flag waving and protest marches received big bucks from Miller Brewing this year.
That’s upsetting when you understand that Miller built its empire on the backs of American workers. When big American businesses betray Americans, that’s underhanded as well as high deceit. That is unacceptable to those who drive trucks, work construction, paint and roof homes, plumb and wire houses, attend NFL games, cook in backyard barbecues and support everything American.
Millions of Americans drink Miller beer, but this year, Miller Brewing injected thousands of dollars into Mexican organizations that support illegal aliens in America. Those illegals steal jobs and depress wages for American citizens. That is wrong!
Once you break trust with Americans, especially in these times when our politicians betray us on the illegal immigration topic--like those on Flight 93 who were backed against the wall by terrorists--it’s our time to declare, “Let’s roll!”
William Gheen of www.alipac.us and Jason Mrocheck of FIRE Coalition created a nationwide boycott to show Miller Brewing what “Let’s Roll!” means in 2006. Eighty-seven national organizations joined forces in www.millerboycott.com to show Miller Brewing that Americans won’t stand for further betrayal by big business in America.
Gheen said on a recent interview, “It's a stinkin’ shame when Americans can't drink a few beers after work without inadvertently supporting illegal aliens!"
Miller Brewing Company supports illegal immigration by its endorsements of illegal aliens, giving large sums of money to organizations throughout the country that support the McCain/Kennedy amnesty agenda, open-border rallies and offer their support to spineless, sellout politicians. We all know why! Miller promotes commercials of their product delivered on Spanish television.
To date, 87 immigration enforcement organizations have offered their support of the Miller Brewing boycott. Immigration reformers throughout the country are stepping up to the plate in support of Alipac’s decision to boycott Miller. This unprecedented level of cooperation grows as Americans work to halt the illegal alien invasion.
Miller Brewing Company chose the tactic of silence and denial. While they claim they will no longer support groups like La Raza, March 10 and others, they should offer an apology to the American public and take further steps while dropping their denials. The American public needs to be assured that Miller Brewing Company becomes serious about this before Americans consider putting a halt to the boycott.
It is our understanding that the boycott leaders expect 100 organizations to support this effort. How can you be effective? Simple: boycott Miller products for the next month. Once they see their beer backing up on their assembly lines, they’ll get the message.
William Gheen invites your efforts to spread the word of this boycott to your contacts and encourages everyone you know to visit www.MillerBoycott.com
to support the boycott. Once Miller beer gets more backwash than sales of its product, it may start dancing to “I’m a Yankee Doodle Dandy” and singing, “My country ‘tis of thee, sweet land of liberty,” as well as repeat, “I pledge allegiance to the United States of America and not illegal aliens from Mexico.”
Gheen asks that you contact any leaders you know and ask them to bring their organizational support to the boycott coalition. You can view an updated list of the groups supporting the boycott at the bottom of the web site.
William Gheen and Jason Mrochek share news about the Miller beer boycott with the nation. These American patriots have been on 15 talk radio shows this week!
Three weeks ago, one the authors of this column stood at the eternal flame of John F. Kennedy in Washington, DC. He stood at the foot of the Jefferson Memorial. He bowed his head in prayer at the Lincoln Memorial. In Boston, he stood at the gravesites of Paul Revere, Samuel Adams, John Hancock, Betsy Ross and many other great Americans. Those great patriots didn’t pledge their lives so Miller Brewing could sell them out. They didn’t fight so an American corporation could kick future generations in the teeth.
Across America, the flame of liberty ignites peoples’ passions. Americans no longer stand by while Congress and big business corrupt our workplace and degrade jobs into the hands of illegal aliens. For each of you, stand up to Miller Brewing by your actions at the retail outlets. Your actions represent the ultimate weapon of choice in this war against illegal aliens invading America’s homeland.
American patriot Todd Beemer, Flight 93 on September 11, 2001, knew he and fellow passengers were in desperate trouble. Did he resign to his fate? No! He organized others on the plane, created a plan and took action. Flight 93 didn’t slam into the White House. Beemer and fellow passengers saved our greatest monument to this Republic. That was his time; this is ours. Good day and God’s speed.
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By Dimitri
Vassilaros
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Sunday, September 10, 2006
Schlitz is "The Beer That Made Milwaukee
Famous." The Miller Brewing Co. is making Milwaukee infamous. London, too.
That's where SABMiller, the second-largest brewery company in the world by
volume, is based.
Should foreign companies such as SABMiller influence American public policy?
Organizers of the nationwide boycott of Miller products, including Miller
Genuine Draft, Miller Lite and Mickey's Malt Liquor, don't think so --
especially when a London-based international conglomerate is bankrolling
organizations that demand amnesty and citizenship for illegal aliens in this
once-sovereign nation.
Boycotters, "This Bud's for You."
Miller has been handing out tens of thousands of pesos, um, dollars to
militant organizations, such as the more than $30,000 for planning, materials
and advertising for the Labor Day "Immigrant Workers Justice Walk" in Chicago,
reports the Chicago Tribune.
Miller did not reply to the calls and e-mail from this column requesting
comment.
"The money supported a recent convention on immigration issues in Chicago,
which provided attendees with information on how to become legally naturalized
citizens of the U.S.," said Miller spokesman Peter Marino in the Tribune story.
Walk organizers said they wanted officials to pay attention to the contributions
of undocumented immigrants and change laws so that all immigrants can be
legalized.
Boycotters, Coors is "Brewed with Pure Rocky Mountain Spring Water."
More than 100 groups that believe that immigration laws should be enforced,
including the ones prohibiting employers from hiring, aiding and abetting
illegal aliens, are involved in the national boycott of Miller Brewing Co. and
parent company SABMiller.
Since Miller Brewing Co. supports illegal immigration by giving money to
groups supporting amnesty, marches and benefits for illegal aliens, Americans
are encouraged to "Dump the beer! Dump the stock!" Please go online -- www.MillerBoycott.com --
for more information and, of course, petitions.
Miller issued a statement that was as stunningly stupid as it was
self-serving.
"Miller Brewing Company does not support illegal immigration or any other
unlawful act. We do support a public policy discussion that will lead to a clear
path to legal naturalization for people who meet the requirements for U.S.
citizenship. We also oppose any legislation that would unfairly and unjustly
seek to constrain immigration. (Emphasis added)
"We are part of an international company with employees from around the
world. We support the free movement of people, labor, goods and services in the
global economy with appropriate protections for the rights of individuals and
families, the security of nations and the diversity that contributes to a rich
and productive society.
"Miller is active in helping immigrants learn how to become legally
naturalized citizens of the U.S., through programs like the Miller Lite
Immigration Forum in Texas ... ."
In other words, the London-based company believes that defenseless borders
are good for the beer business -- at least defenseless American borders. And the
foreign-owned company is helping illegals become Americans. The new Miller
company slogan should be "Nothing you always wanted in a beer. And less."
Boycotters, Iron City Beer says "Pump an Iron."
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In response to a recent call for a boycott of its products,
Miller Brewing Co. said it has never supported illegal immigration and has
always supported the full enforcement of current U.S. laws.
Miller
released the statement Wednesday in response to a call by a coalition of groups
calling for a boycott of Miller beers like Miller Lite, Miller Genuine Draft and
Milwaukee's Best. The group, which launched the boycott with the inception of a
Web site -- www.MillerBoycott.com -- on Tuesday, claims that Miller gave money
to "groups that support illegal aliens and illegal immigration," a claim Miller
denies.
9/7/2006 The Business Journal of Milwaukee "Miller did not
sponsor the Labor Day immigration march held in Chicago," Milwaukee-based Miller
said in the statement Wednesday.
A recent Chicago Tribune report said
Miller provided $30,000 to the March 10 Committee, a Chicago group that the
Tribune said organized marches supporting the legalization of illegal
immigrants. In a statement to the boycotting groups that was released by the
group on its Web site, Miller said the money was donated to an immigration
convention in Chicago and was dedicated to efforts that help immigrants become
legally naturalized citizens of the United States, a stance the brewer supports.
In its statement, Miller said it "will closely review all requests for
support from community and charitable organizations to ensure that we are not
indirectly funding or associating our name with advocacy efforts on the
immigration issue."
The boycotting groups claimed in a Tuesday press
release that more than 100 groups were calling for a boycott of Miller, but the
group's Web site lists only 43, including Americans for Legal Immigration, a
political action committee in Raleigh, N.C., and 9/11 Families for a Secure
America, Hawley, Pa., a group that supports protecting the United States from
terrorism through strict enforcement of immigration laws.
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Published September 6, 2006
The Chicago Tribune
CHICAGO -- Several
groups that oppose illegal immigration, including the Minuteman Civil Defense
Corps and 9/11 Families for a Secure America, announced a boycott Tuesday
against Miller Brewing Co. for financially supporting a Chicago organization
that has organized marches backing illegal immigrants.
The groups want
supporters to stop buying Miller products, divest themselves from company stock
and lobby executives.
Miller faced another boycott earlier this year
from immigration-reform groups, the opposing side of the debate. In response,
the company has provided about $30,000 to the March 10 Committee, the Chicago
group that organized marches supporting the legalization of illegal immigrants.
Miller released a statement that it would review requests for future
grants to ensure that the company isn't indirectly funding or associating with
groups that advocate for either side of the immigration debate.
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by Eva Ellsworth
It's Miller Time for
Illegal Aliens
September 04, 2006 08:49 PM EST
This
weekend illegal aliens and their advocates marched on House Speaker Dennis
Hastert’s Batavia, IL office to promote a plan to end deportations and legalize
those illegally in the U.S. This event was brought to you by Miller! Miller
Brewing Company, part of London based SAB Miller, spent $30,000 for materials, a
planning convention and advertising for the protest.
In an April 30
press release, Miller Brewing Company expressed opposition to the border
security and immigration enforcement bill H.R. 4437. Miller Brewing Company’s
press release expressed “our desire for appropriate immigration reform that
provides adequate protection for the rights of undocumented immigrants.”
No one has the right to enter into or remain in a sovereign nation
without the permission of that nation’s government. Miller Brewing Company’s
press release states that the company’s founder, Frederick Miller, immigrated to
the U.S. in 1855. Unlike the illegal aliens Miller Brewing is supporting in this
protest, Miller presumably immigrated legally which he still could do today.
Currently the U.S. government issues six types of work visas as well as visas
for other purposes. The U.S. also grants approximately 950,000 permanent
residence visas each year.
Miller probably brought his brewing skills to
the U.S. Many illegal immigrants who come to the U.S. now are unskilled and have
less than eight years of schooling. A Center for Immigration Studies, (CIS),
report revealed that, in 2002, 39% of immigrant mothers lacked high school
diplomas compared with 17% of native born mothers. In his June 1 Rocky Mountain
News piece, Robert Rector wrote, “on average, each immigrant dropout will cost
the U.S. taxpayers $85,000 over the course of his life.”
The Federation
for American Immigration Reform estimated that the state and local costs
associated with illegal immigration are $36 billion per year in education,
medical care and incarceration costs. Those are just state and local costs. A
2004 CIS analysis found that federal costs of illegal immigration are over $10
billion mostly in unpaid taxes. Federal expenditures related to illegal
immigration include about $5.8 billion in incarceration costs and $3.4 million
in environmental remediation costs to clear trash and repair damage left by
border crossers in Southern Arizona. Additional federal expenditures include
reimbursements to hospitals for treating uninsured illegal aliens who are unable
to pay. According to the Employee Benefits Research Institute, in the five-year
period from 1998 to 2003, foreign-born individuals accounted for 86% of the
growth of the uninsured population.
While many illegal aliens lack
health insurance, many also drive without vehicle insurance. The Virginian-Pilot
newspaper reviewed police records of 179 Eastern Shore accidents from 2002
through 2004 that involved migrant workers. 75% were uninsured. In most cases,
the cars did not have inspection stickers, the drivers were unlicensed and
alcohol was involved. Is this what Miller had in mind when it created its “Live
Responsibly” slogan?
Advertising which featured Miller Time as the
reward for a hard day’s work implied solidarity with the working man. Miller
Brewing Company’s support of illegal immigration undermines the working class
that their advertising appears to target. Illegal immigrants generally work for
lower wages than Americans and often do so without paying taxes. The ability to
hire and pay illegal aliens “off the books” is attractive to employers who don’t
want to deal with payroll deductions and regulations. A study by George Borjas,
professor of economics and social policy at Harvard’s Kennedy School of
Government, demonstrated that low wage immigrant labor has reduced wages of
Americans working in low-skilled jobs by 7.4%. In their December 2005 Washington
Times column, “Illegals hurt Americans,” John Hostettler and Lamar Smith cite a
CIS report which said, "immigration may reduce the wages of the average native
in a low-skilled occupation by...$1,915 per year."
Hostettler and Smith
also wrote, “One study estimates that illegals displace 730,000 Americans every
year.” In his April 2006 article, “Arrival of aliens ousts U.S. workers,” Jerry
Seper of the Washington Times reported that Complete Employment Services, Inc.
of Mobile AL hired 70 laborers at the request of contractors who were rebuilding
after Katrina. The laborers were U.S citizens, mainly black Alabama residents
who had lost their jobs in the aftermath of the hurricane. At three job sites,
the contractors who had requested the workers told them they were no longer
needed because immigrant labor had arrived. Illegal immigration has displaced
other workers, too. Many teenagers no longer even seek jobs. Nationwide, there
is 40% unemployment among young blacks according to the U. S. Bureau of Labor
Statistics.
As all Americans pay more in taxes to cover the costs of
illegal immigration and as low-skilled Americans see their wages stagnate or
their jobs disappear, can we afford to support a company that seeks amnesty for
illegal aliens? If all goes well, the American public can persuade Congress to
pass a compromise immigration bill that will protect our borders and enforce our
immigration laws without rewarding lawbreakers. In the meantime, we can stop
buying products from Miller Brewing Company.
Copyright Eva Ellsworth,
09/04/06, all rights reserved
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© 2006 WorldNetDaily.com
American patriots first dumped tea over
taxes; now it could be beer over lax immigration enforcement.
More than
100 groups are being organized to support a national boycott of Miller Brewing
Co. and parent company SABMiller plc, because of what is viewed as the
corporation's support for illegal immigrants and amnesty for them.
"The
boycott message is simple. Miller Brewing Company supports illegal immigration
by giving money to groups that support amnesty, marches, and benefits for
illegal aliens," the announcement on Monday said. "Citizens are encouraged to
'Dump the beer! Dump the stock.'"
Consumers should avoid Miller
Lite, ICE House, Miller Genuine Draft and Milwaukee's Best, according to
organizers who have posted their documentation and petition plans at
MillerBoycott.com.
"It is time for these large corporations that are
using their financial influence to open America's borders to be punished!" said
William Gheen, of Americans for Legal Immigration PAC. "It is time for the
immigration enforcement movement to show these unscrupulous corporations what we
can do when we all work together."
The coalition is pursuing the boycott
under the auspices of the National Illegal Immigration Boycott Coalition, and
will be headed up by Gheen and Jason Mrocheck of WeHireAliens.com and FIRE
Coalition, officials said.
FIRE is the Federal Immigration Reform and
Enforcement coalition.
"Miller Brewing Company is giving money to groups
that support amnesty and citizenship for illegal aliens that have broken many of
our laws," said Mrocheck. "The last thing we need is more illegal aliens driving
drunk and killing American citizens."
The two lead organizations provide
an online database of companies accused of hiring illegal aliens and encourage
the securing of America's borders and enforcement of existing immigration laws.
Now their efforts are expanding, because, they said, of a report that
shows 13 Americans are being killed by "uninsured drunk driving illegal aliens"
each day.
The Chicago Tribune recently had reported Miller paid more
than $30,000 for planning, materials and advertising for the "Immigrant Workers
Justice Walk" over the holiday weekend.
Miller officials denied it.
"The money supported a recent convention on immigration issues in
Chicago, which provided attendees with information on how to become legally
naturalized citizens of the U.S.," said Miller spokesman Peter Marino.
Walk organizers said they wanted officials to pay attention to the
"contributions of undocumented immigrants," and change laws so that all
immigrants can be legalized.
Miller company officials could not be
reached over the holiday weekend, but information from the ALIPAC website
indicated the situation developed when a group of immigrant advocacy
organizations in Chicago discovered the company contributed $2,000 to the
political campaign of Sen. James Sensenbrenner, R-Wis.
One of the
senator's projects has been HR4437, which calls for strengthening the
anti-immigration laws of the United States, including a wall along the
U.S.-Mexico border.
The company, which also hired three ad agencies to
work with its reach into the Hispanic population, then took out a one-page ad in
a Chicago newspaper confirming that it opposes the "Anti-Immigration
Legislation."
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Action Alert
Grassroots PAC Targets Miller
Brewing Co. for Aiding Illegal Aliens
September 04, 2006 03:45 PM EST
by Jim Kouri - Americans for Legal Immigration Political Action
Committee are spearheading a boycott against the Miller Brewing Company of
Milwaukee for their financial aid to groups supporting illegal aliens in the
workforce and for amnesty.
Joined by other grassroots groups such as the
FIRE coalition, WeHireAliens.com, and others, ALIPAC is targeting Miller by
setting up a website -- www.MillerBoycott.com -- for Americans to participate in the
boycott.
Besides boycotting Miller products -- such as Miller Lite,
Miller Genuine Draft, Ice House, and Milwaukee's Best -- they're also urging
stockholders to divest in the stocks of Miller Brewing's parent company,
British-owned SABMiller plc.
"Dump the beer! Dump the stock," says
ALIPAC.
"It is time for us to take a stand against companies that work
against US Law
and against the US public!" they said in a press release.
By forwarding this TCV Action Alert, supporting the boycott, and
visiting
http://www.MillerBoycott.com
"WE CAN SEND A CLEAR
MESSAGE TO COMPANIES LIKE MILLER
BREWING THAT SUPPORT ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION!"
they said.
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Wisconsin native, conservative critic of everything.
"My kind of loyalty was loyalty to one's country, not to its
institutions or its officeholders." —Mark Twain
Saturday, September 02, 2006
Miller Brewing's Deaf Ear/Update: MBC Denies It...
Back in the good
old days, Miller Brewing was run by a family which knew left from right. Sadly,
Harry John (a practitioner of genuine Catholicism) sold the place to WRGrace,
who sold the place to Phillip Morris, who then sold the place to South African
Brewing Co.
The Phillip Morris regime heightened the awareness of
'marketing' (and its evil step-child, 'segmentation') which, taken to its
logical extreme, demonstrates the worst elements of mercantilist "thinking."
And Miller Brewing, once a solid citizen, has stepped into extreme
mercantilism--AKA 'a pile of doo-doo'--which may have serious repercussions.
This time, as demonstrators march from Chinatown to House Speaker Dennis
Hastert's (R-Ill.) Batavia office this weekend, they will have Miller Brewing
Co., as a sponsor. The brewer has paid more than $30,000 for a planning
convention, materials and newspaper ads publicizing the event.
The
support of a major corporation for a controversial political cause shows how
fierce the competition has become to woo the growing market of Latino consumers.
For Miller, the march offered a special chance to catch up. This spring
the brewer drew the ire of pro-immigrant forces over contributions to U.S. Rep.
James Sensenbrenner (R-Wis.), who sponsored legislation that would crack down on
illegal immigrants. That prompted a short-lived boycott by some Latino groups.
Now, march advertisements feature not just the organizing committee's
trademark blue globe but Miller's logo and a Spanish translation of its "Live
Responsibly" slogan, a company effort to build goodwill among Latinos.
Miller's marketing gurus have, in effect, decided that the concerns of
US citizens over illegal immigration are a distant second to Miller's grasping
at a market segment.
There's backlash, as one might expect.
And,
FWIW, anyone bringing a Miller product to mi casa will be asked to leave the
product in their vehicle. It will NOT be consumed indoors.
As to what's
here already: the containers make fine pellet-gun targets, no?
Asian
Badger reports that Miller Brewing denies it.
Well, sorta, kinda, maybe,
on the other hand:
...Miller recently had to deal with a boycott threat
from an umbrella group of Midwestern Latino community organizations upset that
Miller's political action committee had made $2,000 in campaign contributions to
U.S. Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner (R-Wis.), sponsor of an immigration bill the group
viewed as too harsh.
The boycott was quickly canceled after the two
sides met in Chicago, and Miller agreed to run newspaper ads against the bill
and help the group fight it.
But that's not all, folks:
As
Miller denied involvement in the Chicago march, meanwhile, the leader of a
Milwaukee immigrant-rights group that has held two large marches here said
Miller had helped that organization financially.
Marino denied that too.
Christine Neumann-Ortiz, executive director of Voces de la Frontera,
said Miller contacted the group earlier this year and offered a donation before
a May 1 march. She said the company provided what she believed was a couple
hundred dollars used for buses to bring marchers from Racine and Kenosha.
Marino said Miller "did not support the May 1 march or participate in
the May 1 march in any way."
So is Neumann-Ortiz a liar?
We know
that there is a difference between Miller distributors and Miller Corporate.
This MAY be where the confusion lies.
We also know that Miller Corporate
is very closely involved in the "marketing/promotions" expenditures of its
distributors.
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By Michelle Malkin · September 04, 2006 12:39 AM
After the Chicago Tribune
reported last week that Miller Brewing provided $30,000 to pro-illegal alien
activists for a planning convention, materials and newspaper ads publicizing a
protest this weekend, the company defended itself in the Milwaukee Journal
Sentinel. Here are the headline and subhead:
Miller denies financing
march
Brewer supports reform, not illegal immigration, it says
Here's the spin:
The Chicago Tribune reported that Miller had
paid more than $30,000 for "a planning convention, materials and newspaper ads"
connected to this weekend's "Immigrant Workers Justice Walk."
Not so, Miller
spokesman Peter J. Marino said.
"The money supported a recent convention
on immigration issues in Chicago, which provided attendees with information on
how to become legally naturalized citizens of the U.S.," he said.
Yes,
it all depends on what the meaning of "finance" is. See, they didn't "finance"
the march. They just helped pay for the planners to plan it, advertise it, and
publicize it. And, oh yeah, they handed out information on how to get
citizenship.
Remember:
[M]arch advertisements feature not just
the organizing committee's trademark blue globe but Miller's logo and a Spanish
translation of its "Live Responsibly" slogan, a company effort to build goodwill
among Latinos.
And remember:
Mathew Romero, the company's local
market development manager, said Miller felt it was important to speak out
against Sensenbrenner's legislation, though his campaign was one of many the
company supported.
Romero noted that company founder Frederick Miller
was a German immigrant and many current executives are foreign nationals. Miller
is now part of London-based SABMiller.
Romero said he wasn't worried
that some opponents of illegal immigration would be upset at the company's
support of "the free movement of people, labor, goods and services."
"As
long as you are stacking facts against facts, they are free to make their own
decisions. We will stand by our positions," he said.
To date, the
Tribune has issued no corrections or clarifications regarding its story on
Miller. In standard corporate CYA mode, the Miller spokesman Peter Marino says
"Miller supports reform of immigration law, but not illegal immigration."
Uh-huh. How do you say "playing both sides" in Spanish? More on that in a
moment.
Miller has issued a second face-saving denial that it provided
financial backing for a radical illegal immigrant activist group, Voces de La
Frontera, which has lobbied aggressively for drivers' licenses for illegal
aliens:
As Miller denied involvement in the Chicago march, meanwhile,
the leader of a Milwaukee immigrant-rights group that has held two large marches
here said Miller had helped that organization financially.
Marino denied
that too.
Christine Neumann-Ortiz, executive director of Voces de la
Frontera, said Miller contacted the group earlier this year and offered a
donation before a May 1 march. She said the company provided what she believed
was a couple hundred dollars used for buses to bring marchers from Racine and
Kenosha.
Marino said Miller "did not support the May 1 march or
participate in the May 1 march in any way."
I know who I believe. Before
you decide who you believe, you should know this:
In March, Miller
Brewing--pressured by illegal alien activists incensed over the company PAC's
past donation to leading pro-immigration enforcement proponent GOP Rep. James
Sensenbrenner, author of HR. 4337--issued the following statement gleefully
publicized by Hispanic groups and media:
In productive discussions held
yesterday, we agreed to:
1) Provide assistance to community efforts to
reach out to specific members of the Senate and business associations in
Washington D.C.
2) Make a clear public statement regarding our
opposition to HR 4437 and our desire for appropriate immigration reform that
provides adequate protection for the rights of undocumented immigrants.
3) Place print advertisements in Chicago and Milwaukee media stating our
opposition to HR 4437.
4) Work with the organizations to explore
opportunities for community-based partnerships with a particular focus on
scholarships for undocumented students.
The declaration was issued by
Nehl Horton, Senior Vice President, Communications and Government Affairs,
Miller Brewing Company.
In other words, support for the Chicago march is
not some rogue local decision. It is an extension of the company's corporate
cave-in to the open-borders lobby.
Miller earned heaps of praise for its
pandering. Via BusinessWeek this past April:
In 2004, Miller's PAC
donated $2,000 to House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Sensenbrenner (R-Wis.),
author of the tough immigration bill that passed the House in December. That
prompted an immigrant-rights group, the Chicago Committee Against H.R. 4437, to
announce a boycott of Miller's beers on Mar. 10, the day of a massive
pro-immigration rally in Chicago. One of Miller's Chicago marketing managers,
Matt Romero, got wind of the boycott when distributors said they got pushback
from bar owners and retailers.
The company immediately sought a meeting
to discuss the situation. On Mar. 15, Romero joined a five-person team led by
Nehl Horton, Miller's senior vice-president for communications and government
relations, to meet with group leaders at a community center in Pilsen, a
predominantly Latino Chicago neighborhood. Miller agreed to run newspaper ads
opposing the legislation and helped to facilitate meetings between immigrant
rights backers and lawmakers. On Mar. 18 the group officially ended its boycott.
WHIPSAWED
The Latino groups chalked it up as a win. "We think it
was an important victory," says Carlos Arango of Casa Aztlán, one of the 100
organizations in the protest committee. But the outcome was also a triumph for
Miller, which resolved the situation before it wreaked havoc on business.
Instead of responding defensively, Miller used the situation to reinforce its
image as a corporation that's committed to diversity.
So what will
Miller do to show that it is a corporation committed to law, order, and unity? I
mean besides mouthing empty platitudes while continuing to bow and scrape to
open-borders extremist groups.
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Why this immigrant rights march is brought to you by Miller
Advertisement
By Oscar Avila
Tribune staff reporter
September 1, 2006
Marchers had to duck into fast-food restaurants for water when they
first took to Chicago's streets in support of illegal immigrants five months
ago. At the next two marches, family-owned grocery stores offered free bottled
water from trucks emblazoned with their names.
This time, as
demonstrators march from Chinatown to House Speaker Dennis Hastert's (R-Ill.)
Batavia office this weekend, they will have Miller Brewing Co., as a sponsor.
The brewer has paid more than $30,000 for a planning convention, materials and
newspaper ads publicizing the event.
The support of a major corporation
for a controversial political cause shows how fierce the competition has become
to woo the growing market of Latino consumers.
For Miller, the march
offered a special chance to catch up. This spring the brewer drew the ire of
pro-immigrant forces over contributions to U.S. Rep. James Sensenbrenner
(R-Wis.), who sponsored legislation that would crack down on illegal immigrants.
That prompted a short-lived boycott by some Latino groups.
Now, march
advertisements feature not just the organizing committee's trademark blue globe
but Miller's logo and a Spanish translation of its "Live Responsibly" slogan, a
company effort to build goodwill among Latinos.
But this march is no
Cinco de Mayo parade. The politically charged event will promote a controversial
plan to end deportations and offer legal status for all 11 million to 12 million
undocumented immigrants. That creates potential pitfalls for any businesses
lending support, experts say.
At the same time business sponsorships
have forced activists to confront whispers that they are commercializing their
movement when they accept much-needed donations.
"We would love to have
20 corporate logos. It doesn't mean we are selling the movement out," said Jorge
Mujica, a member of the March 10 Committee. "The principles and demands remain
the same. They are helping out this movement and we are happy with that."
Labor unions remain the movement's backbone with four major unions
bringing at least 600 marchers on buses from throughout Chicago. Religious
groups have been key too. Some marchers will bed down in churches and a mosque.
But businesses have become vital to this weekend's Immigrant Workers
Justice Walk, which will cover 45 miles to Hastert's district office. Hundreds
of marchers plan to cover the entire span from Friday through Monday, and
organizers need food and water for them.
Sometimes political and
commercial messages are mingled.
At a July march, Chicago-based food
producer V&V Supremo printed signs with its logo that urged "Moratorium Now,
Legalization Yes."
Jimenez Market, an area chain, had its sign on
display as workers passed out more than 5,000 bottles of water and other
supplies worth nearly $17,000. Co-owner Jose Perez acknowledged it is good
publicity but stressed that "we are supporting our people. Without them, our
business would go downhill."
This weekend, the Los Comales restaurant
plans to donate 500 tortas, Mexican sandwiches filled with steak, ham and other
toppings. The Laredo Bakery is donating bread while other restaurants are
donating water, fruit and other supplies, organizers said.
Those
businesses are natural allies--"part of the same brotherhood," as one marketer
put it.
But the presence of Miller at a welcoming reception the day
before the Aug. 12-13 planning convention raised eyebrows.
The
convention brought together labor unions, anti-war groups, immigrant service
organizations and even socialist political candidates.
Hours before
bashing NAFTA and U.S. foreign policy, participants at the Aug. 11 reception
mingled with the Miller Girls, the company's public relations ambassadors, amid
a display of Miller logos.
That Miller was involved in the first place
is one measure of the growing power of immigrants. After the boycott
announcement, the company approached march organizers to try to find common
ground, and agreed to back the march organizers' efforts.
Miller is also
bankrolling informational ads in Voces Migrantes, or Migrant Voices, a community
newspaper in Chicago, and has promised scholarships for area Latinos.
Mathew Romero, the company's local market development manager, said
Miller felt it was important to speak out against Sensenbrenner's legislation,
though his campaign was one of many the company supported.
Romero noted
that company founder Frederick Miller was a German immigrant and many current
executives are foreign nationals. Miller is now part of London-based SABMiller.
Romero said he wasn't worried that some opponents of illegal immigration
would be upset at the company's support of "the free movement of people, labor,
goods and services."
"As long as you are stacking facts against facts,
they are free to make their own decisions. We will stand by our positions," he
said.
George San Jose, president of the San Jose Group, a Chicago-based
marketing company specializing in the Hispanic market, said he understands why
companies chase Hispanic purchasing power, which tops $700 billion annually in
the U.S. Brewers, he said, have been especially aggressive.
But San Jose
would advise clients that there are better ways.
"A company sponsoring
one of the two sides of the immigration debate is no different than a company
sponsoring groups for or against abortion [rights]. It's one of those heated
political debates that companies should stay clear of," he said.
At the
request of march organizers, media executive Robert Armband sent e-mails to
thousands of business contacts, asking if they would consider helping the March
10 Committee.
"It certainly is an opportunity to reach the masses, but
it might not be the right vehicle to come out as a sponsor," said Armband,
publisher and chief executive of La Raza, a Chicago newspaper.
March
organizers say they have not made any full-fledged sales pitches to major
corporations and are having internal discussions about whether they should make
a real push. That can be a tough decision, according to march organizer Gabe
Gonzalez.
Gonzalez said he represents those in the movement--maybe half
the total, he thinks -- who don't even consider themselves capitalists. Many
have been involved with labor campaigns targeting specific companies.
March organizers shot down a suggestion that they approach Coca-Cola,
for example, because of what they perceive as the company's labor abuses in the
developing world, a cause celebre among liberal activists.
Although
immigrant activists see legalization as an issue of social justice, Gonzalez
said corporations might back the idea as a way to protect their bottom line.
Whatever the motivations, Gonzalez said he would cooperate with almost any
company willing to back the cause.
"That's the nature of politics. You
form coalitions based on mutual self-interest," Gonzalez said. "So will we work
with corporations? We will work with anyone who will work with us."
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Miller Brewing Co. Responds to Immigrants Boycott to Beer
March 16, 2006
By MyM Staff
Miller Brewing Co. put out an unusual one-page
advertisement in Thursday's edition of Hoy in Chicago. The headline reads:
"Miller Brewing Company se opone a la legislación HR4437 contra la inmigración"
(Miller Brewing Company Opposes HR4437 Anti-Immigration Legislation).
The ad is in response to growing support to boycott Miller products
after a group of pro-immigrant organizations in Chicago found out the company
has contributed to the political campaign of Republican Sen. James
Sensenbrenner, of Wisconsin. The senator is behind the HR4437 bill, which calls
for strengthening the anti-immigration laws in the United States, including the
construction of a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border.
The boycott against
Miller was conceived for March 10, during a massive demonstration in Chicago to
protest the proposed bill, which is currently under debate in the Senate.
According to the organizers, Miller Brewing Co. contributes "economically with
anti-immigration politicians" such as Sensenbrenner.
According to a story in Hoy,, some small business owners
said they have considered not selling any Miller products in their shops.
In a statement released Wednesday, Miller Brewing Co. stated that Miller
has a long history of proudly supporting many national and local Hispanic
organizations. "We hope you continue to responsibly enjoy Miller products with
the knowledge that our company will continue to support the Hispanic community
and the rights of immigrants," the statement read.
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Miller Brewing Co. Responds to Immigrants Boycott to Beer
March 16, 2006
By MyM Staff
Miller Brewing Co. put out an unusual one-page
advertisement in Thursday's edition of Hoy in Chicago. The headline reads:
"Miller Brewing Company se opone a la legislación HR4437 contra la inmigración"
(Miller Brewing Company Opposes HR4437 Anti-Immigration Legislation).
The ad is in response to growing support to boycott Miller products
after a group of pro-immigrant organizations in Chicago found out the company
has contributed to the political campaign of Republican Sen. James
Sensenbrenner, of Wisconsin. The senator is behind the HR4437 bill, which calls
for strengthening the anti-immigration laws in the United States, including the
construction of a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border.
The boycott against
Miller was conceived for March 10, during a massive demonstration in Chicago to
protest the proposed bill, which is currently under debate in the Senate.
According to the organizers, Miller Brewing Co. contributes "economically with
anti-immigration politicians" such as Sensenbrenner.
According to a story in Hoy,, some small business owners
said they have considered not selling any Miller products in their shops.
In a statement released Wednesday, Miller Brewing Co. stated that Miller
has a long history of proudly supporting many national and local Hispanic
organizations. "We hope you continue to responsibly enjoy Miller products with
the knowledge that our company will continue to support the Hispanic community
and the rights of immigrants," the statement read.
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