But I hate Velveeta…

Darn it all! Now one of my favorite corporate villains, Kraft Foods – you know, the mega-conglomerate that owns RJR tobacco – is doing noble things. I’ve been boycotting Kraft (and Nabisco) for years because of its tobacco holdings. Now what am I supposed to do?

Well, Marcella V. Meyer, M.D., M.P.H, knew what to do. You see, Dr. Meyer is a shareholder and she doesn't like how Kraft is spending its charitable contributions. Specifically, she is peeved that the corporation is helping to sponsor the 2006 Gay Games to be held in Chicago this summer.

So Doc Meyer submitted a shareholder proposal requesting that, in the “best interest of our company Kraft Foods Inc. as well as in the public interest, Kraft Foods . . . hereby disassociate itself from the 2006 and all future so-called "gay games", and that no future financial support be given for the 2006 "gay games" or any other future activities supporting, proselytizing, promoting or encouraging homosexual activity or life style.”

And on what does she base her proposal? Well, it’s quite a stretch. Among other things, the good doctor is worried that “because of the ‘gay game’ sponsorship by our company, Kraft Foods may at some future date be found to be complicit and legally liable in a case in which a young attendee at the "gay games" decides to experiment with homosexual encounters and later develops a serious, even fatal, illness.”

Like I said, it’s a stretch.

So where do the white hats come in? Well, Kraft's board of directors considered the doctor’s proposal and recommended that shareholders vote against it. And I’m happy to report that the shareholders did exactly that, voting it down by a margin of more than 99 to 1.

Naturally, some wingnuts are attempting to chalk the vote up to shareholder apathy and inaction.

(Uh, how come when they win, it’s a moral victory, but when we win, it’s just voter apathy?)

By the way, the American Family Association has had an action alert posted about Kraft for nearly a year now. I figure any company that invokes the wrath of the AFA just can't be all bad.

Looks like mac and cheese for dinner tonight!