Cosi Crumbles Under Pro-Gay Pressure

Yesterday, we reported that New Rochelle’s Cosi had crumbled under gaycist pressure and took down the Empire State Pride Agenda-sponsored “This Family” photo exhibit. The traveling show, you may recall, hopes to raises awareness for gay marriage. Well, you guys deserve a round of applause, for Cosi has now crumbled under gay pressure and revered their decision to take down the show. Empire State Pride Agenda had this to say:

Due to your emails to Cosi’s corporate offices in Chicago and a planned rally at noontime outside of Cosi in New Rochelle, Cosi today reversed its earlier decision to take down the LGBT Family Photo Album pages on display in the restaurant.

We commend Cosi restaurants for re-evaluating its decision and deciding to adhere to the terms of it signed contract to keep the exhibit up for one month. We thank all of you who contacted Cosi corporate to let them know about your unhappiness with their initial decision and we thank our local partner, The LOFT (the LGBT community center of the lower Hudson Valley) for all the work they did turning out local supporters.

…After morning negotiations between the Pride Agenda and Cosi representatives resulted in a reversal of their decision, we were very happy to be able to turn the rally into an occasion to thank Cosi for changing its mind.

Well done, readers. Now, write to Cosi and thank them.

We’ve included the entire Empire State Pride Agenda message, after the jump…

Due to your emails to Cosi’s corporate offices in Chicago and a planned rally at noontime outside of Cosi in New Rochelle, Cosi today reversed its earlier decision to take down the LGBT Family Photo Album pages on display in the restaurant.

We commend Cosi restaurants for re-evaluating its decision and deciding to adhere to the terms of it signed contract to keep the exhibit up for one month. We thank all of you who contacted Cosi corporate to let them know about your unhappiness with their initial decision and we thank our local partner, The LOFT (the LGBT community center of the lower Hudson Valley) for all the work they did turning out local supporters.

Today at noontime families whose pages were on exhibit at Cosi, leaders of the faith community, union members, co-workers and friends joined the Pride Agenda and The Loft to denounce Cosi corporate’s decision to take down the exhibit. After morning negotiations between the Pride Agenda and Cosi representatives resulted in a reversal of their decision, we were very happy to be able to turn the rally into an occasion to thank Cosi for changing its mind. We were also able to use the occasion to highlight for assembled television, radio and newspapers the stories of local LGBT families, the love and dedication same-sex partners have for each other, and their need for the same government protections all other families are provided when they marry.

Your voices made a difference! As a result, the Cosi restaurant chain has a better understanding of our families and the broad support they have from their fellow New Yorkers. You have also demonstrated that any individual or group that chooses to take an action that hurts our families will be met with a swift response and significant opposition.

Cosi’s chief marketing officer said at the end of our conversation with him that he felt that, by allowing the Photo Album to remain displayed in its entirety, Cosi had “done the right thing.” They realized this because YOU let them know how you feel. And we won because we demonstrated that we have the love and support of the communities that we live in.