Beer Boycott: MillerCoors Supports Folsom Street Fair

The program itself is rife with pornographic images, including graphic displays of sadomasochistic sexual practices with full nudity.

SAN FRANCISCO (LifeSiteNews.com) - When LifeSiteNews.com (LSN) last week contacted Mike Setto, the Michigan party store owner who helped spark a nationwide protest of Miller (now MillerCoors) beer in October 2007, following their sponsorship of the Folsom Street Fair, he was stunned to hear that MillerCoors had purchased a centerfold advertisement in this year's program.Last year Miller apologized for their association with the "disrespectful" activities the fair is known for. Those who spearheaded the boycott that provoked the apology had been led to believe that the issue was satisfactorily put to rest and that Miller would no longer associate itself with the sadomasochistic sex fair.

When asked whether he would resume the boycott, Setto said, "Hold me on this: I will take everything out of my store with Miller, because I will not hesitate to do that again. I will not, because I am so upset at this moment, it ruined my whole day. I just can't believe it." Though the Miller boycott mostly ended after the beer company issued an apology for its sponsorship of last year's fair, Setto had refused to sell Miller products until he was certain the company would not support the Folsom Street Fair again. The fair, besides featuring full nudity and sex orgies in the streets of San Francisco, includes the disfigururation and mocking of Christian images. "Christian" sex toys are sold at the event, while the so-called "Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence" - a group of men dressed in outlandish mock-nun outfits touting X-rated "religious" names and the slogan, "Go forth and sin some more!" - are prominently highlighted.

In July, a Milwaukee representative of Miller at last convinced Setto that the company would no longer support "anti-religion bashing," and Setto says he reacted positively. He says he was on the verge of giving Miller public approbation on the same day LSN called."I was going to praise them that they held their word and did what they were supposed to do," said Setto, who told LSN he felt "crippled" by the news of the new Miller ad. "They also were supposed to get me a banner to put on front of my store: 'We welcome Miller back.'"

Last year, a national outcry against Miller ensued when the company logo appeared on the Fair's blasphemous Last Supper poster, where barely-clad figures strapped in leather replaced Christ and the Apostles; various sex toys were strewn across the table, two of which took the place of the bread and wine. Catholic league president Bill Donohue announced a national boycott on Fox News, prompting Mike Setto to dump all Miller products from his Orion Keg & Wine Party Store.

Donohue's boycott last year attracted the attention of local and national news and hundreds of other wine and beer shops followed Setto's example. Eventually Miller removed their logo from and apologized for the Last Supper Image. Donohue, however, was not prepared to call off the boycott until Miller apologized for their association with the Folsom Street Fair.On October 30, 2007 Miller Brewing Vice President Nehl Horton issued such an apology. "We are aware of other disrespectful activities, objects and groups associated with or present at the fair which, like the promotional poster, violate our marketing policies. We extend our original apology to include these unfortunate events and items as well," he said.

This year, however, MillerCoors purchased a full-page centerfold advertisement in the Fair's program. Next to a stripped-down Miller Lite bottle, the ad reads, "No labels. All that matters is what's inside. We'll drink to that." The program itself is rife with pornographic images, including graphic displays of sadomasochistic sexual practices with full nudity."It's shocking," Setto complained. "They said they will not support these people - they said that! I will not hesitate to make a noise about it again."

To express concerns contact:

Miller Coors Vice President
Nehl Horton
horton.nehl@mbco.com
1-800-645-5376

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