Mixed messaging...

The American Family Association issued an action alert to its members this morning, laying further foundation for a boycott they instigated against Proctor & Gamble in mid-September. The AFA recoiled at a statement issued by the consumer product mammoth stating the company "will not tolerate discrimination in any form, against anyone, for any reason." According to AFA press statements, the conservative group considers this an affront to the family and a implicit endorsement of the "homosexual agenda."

The AFA's reading-between-the-lines isn't nearly as interesting as the policy argument they employ to make their linkage between P&G's statement and the evil homosexual agenda, however. In a major departure from conservative marriage messaging, their alert states:

What about same-sex marriage? Isn't it discrimination to allow only heterosexual couples to marry, and not homosexual couples? Wouldn't a ban on same-sex marriage violate P&G's own policy to not "discriminate in any form... for any reason"?

The conservative right - including the AFA - has been careful to ensure their messaging on marriage has repudiated the point that their push for hetero-only marriage is NOT discrimination. It's unlikely the group has veered away from its own position; AFA's own talking points feature a section entitled: Defining Marriage is not "Discrimination."

So why would they bend and twist their dogma to meet the needs of the day? Simple. It's the easiest way to draw a line between P&G's support for anti-discrimination legislation and the anti-gay issue du jour: gay marriage.

It also highlights a simple fact: religious zealots will make any concession in pursuit of their goals. Republicans who have ignored their former pledges of local control, states' rights and individual freedoms to support these groups should take note.