Political Causes
In 2008, CEO Alan Stock donated $9,999 toward the successful passage of California's Proposition 8, an initiative restricting the definition of marriage to opposite-sex couples and overturning the California Supreme Court's ruling that same-sex couples have a constitutional right to marry. An ensuing campaign, launched by opponents to the Prop 8 passage, encouraged patrons to see the Gus Van Sant film Milk, starring Sean Penn in the title role of gay-rights activist Harvey Milk, at a competing theater in protest. Others called for a more general boycott.
Cinemark was the largest contributor to Richard Mourdock's 2012 Indiana Senatorial campaign. During a live debate, Mourdock was asked if abortion should be legal in the case of rape and incest. Mourodck replied: "And I think even when life begins in that horrible situation of rape, that it is something that God intended to happen.". In the ensuing brouhaha, Cinemark did not ask its campaign contribution be returned or disassociate itself with Mourdock or his views.
Read more about this topic: Cinemark Theatres
Famous quotes containing the word political:
“Men conceive themselves as morally superior to those with whom they differ in opinion. A Socialist who thinks that the opinions of Mr. Gladstone on Socialism are unsound and his own sound, is within his rights; but a Socialist who thinks that his opinions are virtuous and Mr. Gladstone’s vicious, violates the first rule of morals and manners in a Democratic country; namely, that you must not treat your political opponent as a moral delinquent.”
—George Bernard Shaw (1856–1950)
“Circumstances ... give in reality to every political principle its distinguishing colour and discriminating effect. The circumstances are what render every civil and political scheme beneficial or noxious to mankind.”
—Edmund Burke (1729–1797)