Dilemma about political messages on a commercial, non-political web site

[bobweaver]

I maintain my own web site as basically apolitical, because the things that I sell have nothing to do with politics. But since it becomes popular at certain times of the year, I have often felt tempted to include political messages as a way of "helping the cause."

However, I have also come to realize that quite a few of the people that buy from me are very conservative. Probably the same ratio of liberals/conservatives as the general public. But I have had quite a few phone calls over the years with people who were very right-wing (NFA types) and I have received e-mail messages from people complaining about regulations with the usual "f*ing liberals want to take away all my freedoms" rhetoric.

So by including political messages on my web site and in my publications (which are basically non-political in nature) I have alienated some of my customers. During the period where it looked like Hillary Clinton was going to run against Rudy Giuliani for Senator from New York, I had a statement asking people to vote for Hillary, and listed the reasons why Giuliani was unacceptable. I received some hate mail from Clinton-haters who also told me the weren't going to buy my products because of that. (Giuliani dropped out of that race and I was greatly relieved to be able to remove my message about it, and the hate mail instantly stopped.)

Earlier this year, I had a banner ad for Kucinich for a few months, and got only a couple comments about it, but I think most people didn't even know who Kucinich is and it didn't push anybody's buttons the way a Kerry banner would have.

I have considered simply adding links to liberal web sites to my web site. The dilemma is: do I want to risk alienating customers who may lean conservative, and possibly lose their business? I don't mind selling my products to them, their money is just as valid to me as money coming from liberal customers. But I could be harming my own business by bringing political statements into it, even though I may be helping political causes at the same time.

Does anyone who is reading this post have a similar situation? If so what is your judgement about including political messages or links on commercial, non-political web sites?

[eridani]

1. One of the people I canvassed in my precinct--

--ran a day care center in her home. She thought a Kerry bumpersticker was fine, but a yard sign off limits. The question is, how much can you afford to lose? If it's a major chunk of business, you won't be able to do it. If not, then you'll survive, and probably attract as many as you tick off.

[Eric J in MN]

2. You could take a non-partisan approach, like

a banner for www.verifiedvoting.org or www.votersunite.org.

[TreasonousBastard]

3. The answer should be obvious...

are you running a business or a movement?

Over the years, working for myself or others, I did occasionally make choices based on some sort of politics or social action, but it was absolutely taboo to mix partisan politics with business. Nothing good ever comes of it.

Instead of things like Kucinich banners, guaranteed to piss of a lot of your customers for a lot of reasons, why not find some neutral causes to push-- the Sierra Club, League of Women Voters, Lutheran World Relief, the Hunger Site, animal shelters... anything that might lean toward progessive but not a red cape in front of the bull.

There are hundreds of causes and organizations out there that can be supported and show people how you feel without alienating potential customers.

(Just stay away from Handgun Control, PETA, the ACLU and a few others that will piss people off as much a Kucinich ad.)