'Focus on the Family' Layoffs and the High Cost of Discrimination

UPDATE: Focus on the Family announced this afternoon that 202 jobs will be cut companywide. Initial reports bring the total number of employees to around 950.

Focus on the Family is poised to announce major layoffs to its Colorado Springs-based ministry and media empire today. The cutbacks come just weeks after the group pumped more than half a million dollars into the successful effort to pass a gay-marriage ban in California.


Critics are holding up the layoffs, which come just two months after the organization’s last round of dismissals, as a sad commentary on the true priorities of ministry.

“If I were their membership I would be appalled,” said Mark Lewis, a longtime Colorado Springs activist who helped organize a Proposition 8 protest in Colorado Springs on Saturday. “That [Focus on the Family] would spend any money on anything that’s obviously going to get blocked in the courts is just sad. [Prop. 8] is guaranteed to lose, in the long run it doesn’t have a chance — it’s just a waste of money.”

In all, Focus pumped $539,000 in cash and another $83,000 worth of non-monetary support into the measure to overturn a California Supreme Court ruling that allowed gays and lesbians to marry in that state. The group was the seventh-largest donor to the effort in the country. The cash contributions are equal to the salaries of 19 Coloradans earning the 2008 per capita income of $29,133.

In addition Elsa Prince, the auto parts heiress and longtime funder of conservative social causes who sits on the Focus on the Family board, contributed another $450,000 to Prop. 8.

“They should do more with their half-million dollars than spending it to collect signatures to take the rights away from a class of people,” said Fred Karger, the founder of the anti-Prop 8 group Californians Against Hate. “I think it’s wrong and it’s hurtful to so many Americans.”

In addition to promoting socially conservative issues such opposition to abortion and gay rights, and supporting abstinence-only education, the evangelical Christian ministry is a purveyor of Christian books, CDs and DVDs. Two months ago, citing Wal-Mart and online retailers as having cut into its product market, Focus announced that 46 employees would be laid off from its distribution department. Late Friday, Focus spokesman Gary Schneeberger confirmed that more layoffs are in store, but said the ministry will not release details until Monday afternoon. Schneeberger hinted that some programs may be eliminated entirely, but declined to elaborate.

“We’re going to need to talk to our own family first,” he said. “We need to respect the people who are affected.”

Schneeberger also refused to discuss the funding priorities that Focus made this fall, including pumping money and in-kind contributions into Proposition 8.

This is the third year that Focus has laid off employees due to budget cuts. In its heyday, the ministry, which relocated to Colorado Springs from Arcadia, Calif., in 1991, employed more than 1,500 people. Many of those employees worked in mailroom and line assembly jobs, processing so much incoming and outgoing correspondences that the U.S. Postal Service gave Focus its own ZIP code.

In September 2005, nearly 80 employees were reassigned or laid off in an effort to trim millions of dollars from its 2006 budget. In addition, 83 open positions were not filled in the layoff, which included eliminating some of the ministry’s programs. At the time, Focus employed 1,342 full-time employees.

“To the extent that we can place them within the ministry, we will try to do that,” said then-spokesman Paul Hetrick. “Most of them will not be able to be placed.”

In September 2007, amid a reported $8 million in budget shortfalls, Focus on the Family laid off another 30 employees; 15 more were reassigned within the company. Most of the layoffs were from Focus’ constituent response services department (i.e. the mailroom).

At the time, Schneeberger, who had replaced Hetrick, said that giving was actually up by $1 million during the fiscal year. However, a very “aggressive” budget goal of $150 million did not materialize.

In a statement issued this September, marking the end of the ministry’s fiscal year, Chief Operating Officer Glenn Williams weighed in on the additional layoffs of 46 people.

“It is certainly heartbreaking that in this case fulfilling that duty means having to say goodbye to some members of our Focus family, but industry realities really leave us no alternative,” he note in his statement. “We are accountable to our donors to spend their money in the most cost-effective and productive manner possible.”

But Lewis, the Colorado Springs activist, wonders whether the families who donate to the nonprofit ministry, realize where their funds really end up.

“Seriously, I would imagine their supporters have got to be asking the question about whether their church is really practicing their theology.”

For Lewis, who is straight, the issue boils down to the significance of targeting a class of citizens for exclusion, at the expense of the families that the ministry could be helping — in this case their own employees.

Lewis likened Proposition 8 to Colorado’s Amendment 2, the 1992 anti-gay measure that was designed to prohibit gays and lesbians from seeking legal protections. Colorado voters approved the measure, which was marketed by proponents, including Focus on the Family, as an effort to prohibit gays and lesbians from seeking “special rights.” The U.S. Supreme Court stuck down the measure as unconstitutional four years later.

“You can’t make homosexuals second class citizens — we’ve learned that already,” Lewis said. “People will look back on this and see how absurd it is.”

Days before this year’s election, Focus founder James Dobson appeared at a closing rally at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego to rally the anti-gay troops.

Karger of Californians Against Hate, termed the rally a “big bust.” Organizers promised that more than 70,000 supporters would show up; the final tally was close to 10,000, he said.

Yet three days later, California voters approved the measure with 52 percent of the vote. While the measure will certainly head back to court, California has become the 31st state in the country to pass measures that define marriage as being between a man and woman only. In all, Proposition 8 has proven to be the most expensive social issue in the country, with more than $73 million pumped into the cause from both sides. One of the larger contributors to the anti-Prop. 8 efforts was Colorado gay philanthropist Tim Gill, who contributed $720,000 to oppose the measure.

“I’m very disturbed by organizations from out of state like Focus on the Family,” Karger said. “They came in early to make sure the measure got on ballot; they’ve got muscle and they are out to hurt a lot of people and destroy a lot of lives.”

Honor Our Troops With Your Time and Attention - Not Cliches

I have an idea. Let’s agree to never again use the playful description, “years young”. John McCain constantly referred to his mother as “ninety-six years young.” I get it – we all do, but it’s no longer funny and it’s just pathetically cliché. So, lets all agree to never use it.

Anyone who knows me well knows that I will not high-five you either. It screams ‘1988’ and ‘white guy on a couch with a bag of chips’. I will ‘fist bump’ you for the moment, but that is wearing out its welcome too.

Realizing that I am pushing my luck here, can we also stop saying that the troops in Iraq are defending our freedom? The troops in Afghanistan are fighting to suppress an enemy that would threaten our freedoms, but that war effort is a disintegrating and ever increasing exercise in ‘making it up as we go.’ But compared to our efforts in Iraq they fight a more dignified and focused war.

The troops in Iraq are not defending our freedoms. Now before you call me anti-American or navigate off of this page out of protest understand that my reverence and admiration for our troops is not up for debate. Our military troops are brave, honorable and without question, selfless for the sacrifices they willingly and sometimes over and over take on for their country.

It is often said and written that they are defending my rights to express this very position. They say that men and women are dying in Ramaili and Haditha and Baghdad defending my right to spout my opinions in these pages. Its just not so. They are not defending our freedoms. Instead, and sadly, they are defending our interests. Not yours or mine directly, but they are being sent to fight and die and lose limbs for our national self-interests. They are sacrificing supremely in defense of our national will and our insistence of imposing it upon others.

Whether it is ego or oil or nationalism run amuck, our war effort in Iraq has been anything but defense of our freedoms. When challenged, the Bush administration has often pointed to the fundamentalist religious leaders in Iraq and neighboring Iran’s (just in case) increasing and radical control of their government. Meanwhile back at home, our religious leaders could provide a list as long as your arm while this nation would be better suited with a Christian agenda, an agenda chock full of religious intolerance and the robbing of the civil liberties of select groups such as women, minorities and homosexuals. They could call them… oh, I don’t know… infidels.

Once again, I digress…

For our troops to defend something other than our freedom is not to say that their efforts are any less noble. It is possible to fight with honor and distinction as a nation when our freedoms are not at stake. It has been argued that our involvement in the Pacific during World War II had nothing to do with a Japanese threat or desire to impose their will on our culture. We certainly had to get involved and fight. Defending the rights and lives of others is perhaps a more noble cause than defending our own interests. Harry Truman knew this better than anyone. He considered and lived with the knowledge that ending the war with Japan meant ending the lives of thousands of civilians. History will never view Truman as anything but noble and honorable.

If anything, our troops deserve that we as a nation understand exactly what they are fighting for. To say that they are defending our freedom is painting it with the broadest brush available. Removing a tyrant dictator and attempting to deliver freedom to a region is a defined and honorable description. It also focuses the inevitable criticism and opposition directly where it should be – away from the brave troops and right at the administration pushing the buttons and spending the lives.

There will be some that will blast my contention as anti-American and even treason. They will tell you that my words prove my disdain for the troops. They would paint me with that same broad brush. Nothing could be further from the truth.

I am amazed at the level of commitment and honor with which these men and women serve. They are true heroes. They are to be honored and saluted every day – not just one day a year. But they deserve the extra time that it takes the rest of us to truly understand their duty and sacrifice. If my freedom to speak or write of protest or criticize the government of this country I love so much were ever in true peril, I have no doubt that it would be bravely defended. To all of our veterans; thank you and God bless you and your service. We are all better for it.

Prop 8 is a Rejection of Love

Keith Olbermann delivered a rousing, emotional, 6-minute special comment on Prop 8 Monday night. Olbermann, who has never married, vehemently disagrees with its passage and the ban on gay marriage.

"I am not personal vested this," he said, "yet this vote is horrible. Horrible... This is about the human heart." After going through the history of marriage in the United States, and reminding viewers not only that marriage between black and white people used to be illegal in 1/3 of the country, but illegal between slaves, he made a plea for love and the spread of happiness.

"The world is barren enough... with so much hate in the world, so much meaningless division... this is what your religion tells you to do?... this is what your heart tells you to do?... You are asked to stand now on a question of love."

WATCH:

Post Script by Keith

Party Time Behind the Orange Curtain

The only thing better than an Obama victory party is a Obama victory party in the most Republican county in America!

Entry at the Obama '08 victory party in Costa Mesa last night.


The monitor as Obama is projected the 44th President of the United States

YES WE DID!

Fired Up! Ready to Go... to sleep!

I went into the night before the election knowing that I would have trouble sleeping. Getting my decaf espresso fully ‘caffed sealed the deal. I kept busy until after midnight then went to bed and did something I swore I wouldn’t. I turned on CNN.

I turned the sound down to a level barely audible and rolled over with my back to the screen. I figured the glow of the television screen would ease me to sleep. The fourth stringer at the anchor desk was talking about the Asian impact on the election. I was drifting as my head sunk deeper into my pillow. Then a clip of Barack Obama’s speech from Manassas came on. I had to hear this. I propped up and turned up the sound and was as inspired as ever listening to this amazing, transcendent man talk about common direction, hope and getting fired up. I was reminded in an instant of what he did to capture my imagination and spirit four and a half years ago. I flashed back to his keynote speech at the 2004 Democratic Convention. The goose bumps returned to my skin as they did that night. The audacity of hope. How profound and brilliant to take something so humble and unassuming and attach a word of conviction and expectation. I was reminded of how in an instant I was hooked. More than being hooked on Barack Obama, I was hooked on his message and his ability to inspire and connect to something universal and greater than I or any of us.

I remembered receiving his first book as a gift and on my birthday a month or so later and devouring it in a way that I had not taken in a book of this sort. I heard him as I read the pages. I remembered thinking, “2012 can’t come soon enough,” thinking that he probably wouldn’t be ready for a run in 2008. I was wrong. Nearly two years ago later he announced his candidacy for President. One day later; on February 11, 2007, I signed on as a campaign volunteer. Not only was I hooked, but now I was invested.

I had gotten used to losing. All my candidates seemed to lose. Bill Clinton won, and I was proud to support him. But in the 1992 Democratic primary I supported Bob Kerrey then John Kerry then Al Gore until each of them bowed out, leaving me with my party’s nominee. In 2000, I threw my support behind Bill Bradley until he too left the race. I proudly supported Al Gore in November and suffered along with everyone else as the first Republican hijack of the new millennium took place in the weeks following the election. I, along with the rest of the Democrats and the country was left feeling beaten and angry. By the time 2004 rolled around I again backed a talented and inspired candidate who lacked whatever it was most of us were looking for. John Edwards came close to finishing the job, at least as far as my primary candidates were concerned. But for reasons I still don’t quite understand, we nominated an awkward and uninspiring John Kerry to rescue us from a vulnerable George W. Bush. Once again, we found a way to blow an easy layup and lost yet another election.

So when Barack Obama came along, I was already conditioned to lose. I was inspired and moved by him, and I thought others would be too if they gave him a chance. But would they? Would he have the money to survive the Clinton machine in the primaries? I was hopeful (as usual) but not confident. I was used to and ready to lose.

At every turn during the historic Democratic primary season I waited for what seemed to perfect to fall apart. As I worried and worked on the grassroots level as a Precinct Captain, the campaign raised record amounts of money. By the time any of us noticed, He had won Iowa then later eleven primaries in a row and the Clinton machine was sputtering. Still I patiently waited for the sky to start falling.

I grew up a fan of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Bucs lost their first twenty-six games – all of their games in their first season and the first twelve of their second. I was trained early how to lose. My high school football teams never won more than five games in any season. My baseball teams were consistently below .500. Losing was something I had grown used to.

Even in the late days of the primaries as civility had been abandoned between the Obama and Clinton campaigns I was worried that the nomination that seemed secure would be wrestled away in a legal battle. Once the nomination was secure and Clinton conceded, my worry shifted to the unrest within the party and how so many of the Clinton supporters vowed to never vote for Obama. We seemed fractured.

As the Obama campaign moved into full swing against John McCain, my confidence grew and even flourished. His message focused even more and the clarity of his direction and purpose seemed to reach people that I never thought he could. We were winning.

Then, I came out to my car one morning to find that the ‘Obama 08’ sticker on my car had been defaced in black marker with, ‘no black prez!’ Of course! It was just a matter of time; wasn’t it? While I had certainly conceded that race could always play a role in this campaign I assumed that we were beyond it. By in large, we were and are beyond. Certainly there are pockets of ignorance and vile racism left in this country, but they are shrinking. Race would not be his downfall in this election. Barack wasn’t worried about it and neither was I.

As the Obama war chest continued to grow, his campaign kept growing and enhancing their ground game, registering new, enthusiastic voters. But we had done this before. Democrats had put their collective eggs in the young voter basket before only to have them blow off voting sealing the second Bush term deal. But this time, the Obama campaign, run by the brilliant David Plouffe took the effort a step further. They engaged the young voters and gave them a sense of investment and purpose, putting them to work. These folks would not stay home. They were going to drag their roommates out of bed on November 4th.

As election day approached, my confidence grew to unprecedented levels. I actually expected to win – I expect to win. My worry shifted from Obama/McCain to House and Senate races and ballot initiatives. My guy, my candidate and boss of nearly two years was ahead by as many as twelve points on the night before the election. So why couldn’t I sleep at 3:13am?

I turned off the television, shut down my computer and focused on sleep. I squinted my eyes as if that would really help. In the glow of my charging cell phone and laptop I saw images of Kathleen Harris calling Florida for George Bush in 2000. I had premonitions of CNN calling Virginia for McCain. I saw another close race in Florida and a McCain surge in Pennsylvania. Oh shit!

I thought about getting us and heading out to hang the sign that I made for my precinct. I had planned to hang it off of the overpass over Intestate 5 headed toward Los Angeles. Over the Obama name and logo it says, “Today, hope becomes change.” I decided to wait. My alarm was set for 5:30am so that the northbound commuters would see it. The last time I remember seeing on my phone was 3:23. I woke confused two hours later to my alarm. I grabbed my help: Thomas, an eighteen year-old, first time voter and his eleven year-old sister Kat and headed for the overpass to hang the sign. I felt good about involving a new voter and a future voter in something that they will probably never forget. They felt passion in what we were doing, and it was their own passion. It wasn’t manufactured or brainwashed into them. This was their guy too and they were playing a part in electing him.

Still with just two hours sleep and a ton of pent up anxiety I am a lot more relaxed now. Hanging the banner put me at ease. I would love to write that it doesn’t matter how it turns out, I’m just honored to, blah, blah, blah. That would be a lie. It does matter and it matters a lot. Over the last couple years, my memories of losing candidates have started to fade with every won primary and debate. The Bucs are consistently good and even the Rays are winners now. Maybe we’re beyond all this. Actually, I think we are. We as a people are beyond all this. We’re beyond an inability to elect a black man President. We’re beyond the acceptance of campaigns run on fear and divisive rhetoric and we’re certainly beyond the Constitutional rape and pillage of the last eight years. Starting tonight we are all, as a people beyond it all.

For me, my precondition for political failure has been replaced by the most focused and positive and inclusive message of our time. I believe with nearly all of my head and heart that we will win tonight. When we do, I cannot imagine a greater sense of pride and emotion coming over me. Barack Obama and Joe Biden are the perfect team to lead us out of this unimaginable darkness and into a new chapter. I am enormously proud – more than I can articulate – to have been along for the ride for the entire time.

Five Important Minutes on Proposition 8

Dear Friends and Loyal Readers:

I am asking for your attention. I’m not asking for much; just the next five minutes or so of your life. Sit down, focus and read what I am sending you. I believe that other than the choice you will make for President, Proposition 8 is the most important issue on the ballot this year.

If you are a California citizen, I am asking for your careful consideration of what I am about to lay out. If you are not a citizen of the great state of California, you certainly know someone who is. I am asking you to pick up the phone and call that person or those people you know and encourage them in the way that I hope that I encourage you.

Proposition 8 is a ballot measure that will in essence reshape the California constitution to define marriage as only between a man and a woman. If this is an issue that makes you uncomfortable, I certainly understand. Marriage rights for same sex couples is not something with which everyone is comfortable. However, instead of allowing your own feelings to guide your decisions and position on this proposition, I would ask that you pick up the United States Constitution and give it a read. Read through the beautiful and groundbreaking purpose of perhaps the world’s most perfect and forgiving document.

The US Constitution has been described as living and breathing for its ability to change and grow with our culture. It has changed with the times to make amends for a country’s early failures and shortcomings. It has corrected mistakes and evolved over time. As we as a people have recognized our own failures it has allowed us the flexibility to correct course while moving forward.

There are twenty-seven amendments to the US Constitution, all of which go to great lengths to fix that which was broken by virtue of its own infancy and improve the lives of the people for which it was written. Each amendment stays true to the spirit of the preamble in its effort to establish justice, ensure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty. How beautiful is that? Who should be denied the blessings of liberty? You? Me?

Nowhere in the Constitution will you see anything even slightly exclusionary. Nothing is designed to limit or remove the rights of Americans. The only time discriminatory policy is addressed is when it is being corrected.

The first amendment protects us from discrimination on the basis of our religion, protects our speech and the integrity of a free and open press. The thirteenth amendment abolished the horrors of slavery. In the fourteenth amendment our civil rights are bravely and clearly defended; “No state shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges of citizens of the United States; nor shall any state deprive any person of life, liberty or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the law.”

Sit on that for a moment. Read it again. It is providing civil liberties and protection under the law to all citizens. Consistent with the rest of the Constitution, it does not exclude anyone and it does not take back rights. It is designed to protect and ensure the protection of every citizen of the United States of America. Whether, Christian or Jew, Muslim or atheist, you are protected. It doesn’t matter if you are black, white or any shade in between, you are protected. Straight, gay, a-sexual, nonsexual, it does not matter; you are protected.

The Constitution, whether state or federal is no place to amend or write into law anything that adds an asterisk to any rights afforded to any citizen. In this context, the word, ‘except’ does not exist. If something applies to me, it applies to you. If you are protected, so am I. Amending the constitution to define marriage as anything is simply not appropriate and should not happen.

The supporters of this bill in California are attempting to muddy the water by scaring us. They are telling tales of gay marriage being taught in public schools and even elementary classes being taken to same-sex wedding ceremonies as field trips. Does any of that sound right? It is nothing more than a lie. The California Superintendent has said very clearly that there is no curriculum that explains marriage of any sort – nor will there be.

Supporters like Rick Warren and others have said that Barrack Obama and John McCain support Proposition 8. This also is a lie. While both candidates personally define marriage between a man and a woman, neither McCain nor Obama support amending the Constitution to define marriage at all. They agree that it is just not appropriate on any level.

This proposition says nothing about churches rights. They can continue to deny the rights to marry anyone. They will not be obligated to marry same-sex couples nor will they be required to so much as accept them as members. Nothing changes in this regard. Proposition 8 is an issue of law and civil rights – nothing more, nothing less.

While this is a state measure, California is often a national trend setter with regard to legislation such as this. You have the opportunity to speak loudly and very clearly to the rest of the country that California is a state where the Constitution is honored for all people. Together we can say with one voice that we hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Everyone has these rights under the law and everyone is charged with the duty of protecting them. You are your brother’s keeper in this case. You are your sister’s keeper and must defend her rights as you would your own. Stand up and stand strong and say in your loudest voice, NO! No to California Proposition 8 on November 4th. History will judge your discernment and wisdom kindly.

Thank you most sincerely,

Mickey Griffith