Gold's Gym CEO gives $2M to Karl Rove's anti-gay-pol-supporting American Crossroads

[Ian David]

Gold's Gym CEO gives $2M to Karl Rove's anti-gay-pol-supporting American Crossroads
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=221x167525

[Touchdown]

1. Methinks he just lost half of his clientele.

:rofl:

[Ian David]

2. Yeah, but they're the half who spend the most time there, so maybe he'll need fewer machines. n/t

[hedgehog]

3. Good one!

[Ian David]

5. Curves for Women gives to anti-Woman causes. So, why should Golds Gym worry about angering gays?

Claim: Gary Heavin, founder and CEO of the fitness chain Curves, supports pro-life causes.
Status: True.
Example:

Just so you know: Gary Heavin, the founder of the Waco, Texas-based chain of exercise studios called Curves, is a heavy contributor to several organizations allied with Operation Save America, the rather more muscular successor to Operation Rescue, the anti-choice group.

The organizations he funds are spreading the lie that abortions lead to an increased risk of breast cancer. Planned Parenthood says its operations in Texas are being threatened by Heavin-funded clinics based on the old therapeutic model "you must carry your child to term."

In an article in Christianity Today, Heavin expressed pride in his involvement with anti-choice groups, to which he donates 10 percent of Curves' profits. You may do with this information what you will.

Origins: With more than 7,000 fitness and weight loss centers around the globe, Curves is the largest fitness franchise in the world. One in four health clubs in the U.S. is a Curves, a stupendous feat given that the company has only been around since 1992. Yet, for the utterly amazing, consider this: Prior to January 2004, Curves didn't have a national ad campaign. Almost all of its customers found out about the chain through word of mouth.

<snip>

Gary Heavin is far from the first successful businessman to underwrite reproductive causes — Tom Monaghan of Domino's Pizza and Carl Karcher, founder of the California-based hamburger chain Carl's Jr., have been very open and public regarding their support of the pro-life philosophy, just as Warren Buffett, ranked by Forbes magazine as the second-richest man in the world, has been forthcoming about his backing of pro-choice programs. In each instance, these men are acting as private citizens who choose to bestow parts of their fortunes on the causes they believe in, not as officers of their corporations. The money is theirs to do with as they please, just as anyone's paycheck belongs to the person who earns it and stops being the employer's money at the moment it is paid out. That a spendthrift employee might choose to gamble away his earnings doesn't mean the company he works for supports gambling; likewise, that a wealthy man financially supports particular causes doesn't mean the corporation that paid him the money favors those movements.

<snip>

More:
http://www.snopes.com/politics/business/curves.asp

[Touchdown]

9. Which makes me wonder if most women know about that.

I would think that Curves would be closed up for lack of patronage by now. Can't see a whole lot of sanctimonious church wives into working out for Jesus.:shrug:

[JI7]

4. Gold's Gym sounds like some porn place

the sign even looks like that

[sakabatou]

6. Yup

I train at home with my own stuff.

[David Zephyr]

7. K&R. We all need to pass this along to everyone we know.

K&R

[catgirl]

8. K&R