Christian Bigotry at a Ford Dealership? Info box please

Kieffe and Sons Ford had an announcement of some kind on its contact us page:
This statement is provided in response to reaction prompted by a radio commercial that Kieffe & Sons Ford recently ran referring to issues of God in our schools and on our money. The rest of the message is on their website: http://www.kieffeandsonsford.com click on contact us.


Read the news: http://www.bakersfield.com/102/story/456451.html
I talked at length to Rick Kieffe, who called himself "The other end of the horse's mouth." lol

He's a real nice guy. He wanted me to tell you all that the ad is a part of a series of ads they do every quarter, and it's always tongue in cheek. The whole town where these ads air on the radio knows all about their ads. They're always over the top. So Rick is surprised at how fast word of this spread, and how sorely so many folks are taking this.

I asked if he had it to do all over again, would he run those ads? Would he install a disclaimer? He said he wouldn't run the ads at all. He said he didn't mean to upset or insult anyone, he's sorry that this made so many folks upset. He said that car dealers put a lot of advertising out and it's always boring, the same old thing. So Kieffe and Sons Ford decided about 15 years ago to do advertising differently, to really try to draw peoples' attention. Apparently he had no idea that this particular ad would do that in spades.

He also said that he's received a whole lot of phone calls in the last 24 hours, and a great many of them are short, heated, and even vulgar. Some folks have called him and really let him have it over the phone, hard.

At the same time, he said he's also received a lot of friendly calls like mine.
He said he never expected people outside of that little town to even care about what's in advertising that goes out to a small radio station, only to that little area. I reminded him that we now live in a global community, and that Atheists and other non-Christians are using the internet like America uses cars. Probably too much...lol
In only two conversations with Rick Kieffe, he sounds like a real nice guy. With that being said, he did offer up a potential argument from the side of Christian fundamentalism. The ad started out as a complaint about the Pledge of Allegiance being legally challenged by "one kid in a classroom," which was a vague reference to Michael Newdow's child. He asked me if it sounded fair, and I asked if he knew that invoking religion in a radio ad will eventually make some people upset. No matter what you end up saying. He replied that he was now aware of that.

So the ad was meant to be over the top just to grab our attention, not as an official statement of the attitude of Kieffe and Sons Ford, but in the end, that's their attitude anyway. Rick even said that he's not a fundamentalist Christian by any means, but then repeated the Pledge argument against our side.

So what to think? Some religious bigotry comes draped in friendly smiles with secular intentions. Maybe if we just use this as an exercise. A way for us to respond carefully in a situation that calls for tact and care. They're very aware of their mistake, and they look at it as a mistake, but they do actually agree with the sentiment in the ad.


Text of the ad: "Did you know that there are people in this country who want prayer out of schools, "Under God" out of the Pledge, and "In God We Trust" to be taken off our money?
But did you know that 86% of Americans say they believe in God? Now since we all know that 86 out of every 100 of us are Christians, who believe in God, we at Kieffe & Sons Ford wonder why we don't tell the other 14% to sit down and shut up. I guess maybe I just offended 14% of the people who are listening to this message. Well, if that is the case then I say that's tough, this is America folks, it's called free speech, and none of us at Kieffe & Sons Ford are afraid to speak out. Kieffe & Sons Ford on Sierra Highway in Mojave and Rosamond, if we don't see you today, by the grace of God, we'll be here tomorrow."

Joe's comment: In the immortal words of Alex in the movie A Clockwork Orange, "Quick! Get me something to be sick in!"

By the way, yes I'm aware I misspelled Kieffe in this video. It's "Kieffe" and not "Keiffe" and it's also not "Keiffer." lol I'd fix the video, but you understand now, right? Of course you do. :o)
Their website: http://www.kieffeandsons.com/

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[JonasPlanck]

We have this thing called free speech, which means I'm allowed to talk but YOU AREN'T! It says so right there in the Constitution, it says," Congress shall make no law abridging the freedom of speech UNLESS YOU SAY SOMETHING THAT MORE THAN 51% OF THE POPULATION DOESN'T WANT TO HEAR, IN WHICH CASE YOU HAVE NO FREEDOM OF SPEECH AND THIS AMENDMENT DOESN'T COUNT." Same thing with religion. You have the freedom to believe the religion that we tell you to believe in, but nothing else.

[ndrthrdr1]

I cross out the word "God" on every bill I get before spending it. Now, if they would change the slogan to read the truth, "In a god or gods some of us trust", I'd be OK with that. Christians, on the other hand, are fine with untruths. If they were concerned with telling the truth, they would petition the government to remove the lie.

[imperator332]

It is indeed called free speech, which is why I would tell this ignorant redneck fucknugget that things like the Bill of Rights exist so the country does not become one dictated by mob rule, and in the past the majority DID rule over the minority and tell them to shut up. It was called slavery, and the minority told to "shut up" were blacks.

Maybe he should have stayed in school.

This comment protected by free speech, so if he doesn't like it, he can shove it up his ass.

[skwerl23]

"By the grace of god?" what is he afraid of? with out gods help his company is gonna spontaneously vanish in a black hole? damn those god less physicists smashing particles and shit... LMAO bigotry is hilarious, untill they attack some one. then its ugly

[XSDarkMoonZX]

@13fanboi: You are 38 years old and you have no fucking clue what's going on in the world, do you?

A government (ours) run by fundamentalist Christians went to war in the Middle East to slaughter "terrorists", their families and citizens. These "terrorists" aren't mad at us because we have "freedom". They're mad because we have been over there for years forcing our ways upon them. That is what the Nazi's were doing you dumbass. We are just going about it differently. You = logic FAIL.

[13fanboi]

@XSDarkMoonZX If you trully Christians are anywhere near as bad as the Nazis then either: 1) You are blinded by hate for Christians and cannot see clearly or 2) You have no friggin clue how bad the Nazis really were.

[13fanboi]

@nativenight If you think these folks are anywhere nears as bad as Phelps and his Westboro pukes then I feel sorry for you. Their message was totally uncalled for,but so far from the hateful rhetoric espoused by Westboro it is even funny.

[MsMommaRose]

Boycott.

[pauleypauleypauley]

if i lived close to this dealership, i would go pour sugar in every gas tank on their lot. If you live close, i suggest you give it a shot