Orbitz in Hot Water

By: Shannon Ralph

Orbitz, an online travel site used by globe-trotting gays the world over, is finding itself in hot water these days. Media Matters, a Web-based, not-for-profit, 501(c)(3) progressive research and information center dedicated to comprehensively monitoring, analyzing, and correcting conservative misinformation in the media, kicked off its DropFox campaign by urging Orbitz to drop its advertising on Fox News. Three high-profile gay rights organizations —GLAAD, Courage Campaign, and Equality Matters— signed a letter to Orbitz CEO Barney Harford requesting that the company no longer support Fox News with its advertising dollars.

Media Matters lists Fox News’s “history of destructive anti-gay language and actions” as the impetus for this action. Among those actions are:

• Giving Mike Huckabee his own show, despite his history of comparing homosexuality to drug abuse, incest, pedophilia, and necrophilia;
• The repeated use by Bill O’Reilly of his prime-time show to warn about the “dangers” of allowing gay people near children;
• Bill O’Reilly’s assertion that gay marriage could lead to polygamy and eventual nuptials with turtles, ducks, and/or dolphins;
• Perpetuating the claim that repealing “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” would have a negative impact on troop readiness, despite reports from the Pentagon itself to the contrary.

Now I don’t know about you, but I have no interest in turtles, ducks, or dolphins—at least not in a romantic context. Bill O’Reilly is quite obviously a nut case.  It would seem that companies—especially those with a known positive track record of LGBT inclusion like Orbitz—would be avoiding the likes of Mike Huckabee and Bill O’Reilly like the plague. Hateful extremism isn’t really conducive to a positive company image. Come on, Orbitz. Get with the program!