The background is here. But, briefly, in case you missed it: radio commentator Paul Harvey made a statement about Islam a few weeks ago that raised the hackles of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), which immediately called for a boycott of his program. Harvey quickly backpedaled, big time. Nonetheless, either in response to CAIR's pressure tactics appeal or perhaps out of concern for some of its more lucrative contracts in the Gulf, GE withdrew its advertising and said it would "look into the matter further."
Since I happen to own a miniscule sliver of GE, I thought they might be interested in my opinion on the matter. Needless to say, they weren't. Here's the (likely) canned reply I received earlier this week:
Thank you for your recent inquiry on ge.com. GE Consumer Products has been advertising on Paul Harvey's broadcasts on the ABC Radio Network since 4th Quarter 2002. As a sponsor of his program we found Mr. Harvey's remarks on December 4 regarding the Islam religion to be inappropriate. As a result, we suspended advertising until the issue was resolved. Mr. Harvey subsequently issued a statement addressing this matter. Given Mr. Harvey's response, GE Consumer Products will resume advertising on Paul Harvey's broadcasts beginning in the New Year.
Thank you for your interest in GE.
GE Corporate Feedback Team
Daniel Pipes also got a reply indicating that GE will resume its sponsorship now that Harvey has displayed sufficient contrition. His conclusion:
The moral of this little story would seem to be this: when Islamists start the pressure game, anti-Islamists can win it.
I can't agree. Harvey capitulated. He as much as regurgitated the CAIR party line that Islam is "a religion of peace." And he still got strung out for weeks while the world's largest conglomerate kissed CAIR's ass. The anti-Islamists didn't win this game. Not by a long shot.
