Illegal Immigration Watch: Miller Brewing Company Sponsoring Illegal Alien Protest

Chicago Tribune: Why this immigrant rights march is brought to you by Miller

Marchers had to duck into fast-food restaurants for water when they first took to Chicago’s streets in support of illegal immigrants five months ago. At the next two marches, family-owned grocery stores offered free bottled water from trucks emblazoned with their names.

This time, as demonstrators march from Chinatown to House Speaker Dennis Hastert’s (R-Ill.) Batavia office this weekend, they will have Miller Brewing Co., as a sponsor. The brewer has paid more than $30,000 for a planning convention, materials and newspaper ads publicizing the event.

The support of a major corporation for a controversial political cause shows how fierce the competition has become to woo the growing market of Latino consumers.

For Miller, the march offered a special chance to catch up. This spring the brewer drew the ire of pro-immigrant forces over contributions to U.S. Rep. James Sensenbrenner (R-Wis.), who sponsored legislation that would crack down on illegal immigrants. That prompted a short-lived boycott by some Latino groups.

Now, march advertisements feature not just the organizing committee’s trademark blue globe but Miller’s logo and a Spanish translation of its “Live Responsibly” slogan, a company effort to build goodwill among Latinos.

But this march is no Cinco de Mayo parade. The politically charged event will promote a controversial plan to end deportations and offer legal status for all 11 million to 12 million undocumented immigrants. That creates potential pitfalls for any businesses lending support, experts say.

So, Miller Brewing Company is financially supporting illegal alien protests in order to make a buck with Latinos.

Fine

But, I doubt this is what their corporate marketing fools folks really want? Or is it?

Mathew Romero, the company’s local market development manager, said Miller felt it was important to speak out against Sensenbrenner’s legislation, though his campaign was one of many the company supported.

Romero noted that company founder Frederick Miller was a German immigrant and many current executives are foreign nationals. Miller is now part of London-based SABMiller.

Romero said he wasn’t worried that some opponents of illegal immigration would be upset at the company’s support of “the free movement of people, labor, goods and services.”

“As long as you are stacking facts against facts, they are free to make their own decisions. We will stand by our positions,” he said.

George San Jose, president of the San Jose Group, a Chicago-based marketing company specializing in the Hispanic market, said he understands why companies chase Hispanic purchasing power, which tops $700 billion annually in the U.S. Brewers, he said, have been especially aggressive.

But San Jose would advise clients that there are better ways.

“A company sponsoring one of the two sides of the immigration debate is no different than a company sponsoring groups for or against abortion [rights]. It’s one of those heated political debates that companies should stay clear of,” he said.

Well, Flap disagrees with the Miller Company position – which is MY right.

And my RIGHT says I do NOT support companies with my dollars who work against MY interests.

Flap says BOYCOTT MILLER COMPANY PRODUCTS.

Michelle Malkin has the list:

More of open borders Miller’s beer brands:

Miller Lite
Miller Genuine Draft
Miller Genuine Draft Light
Miller High Life
Miller High Life Light
Sharp’s non-alcohol brew
Red Dog
Icehouse 5.0
Icehouse 5.5
Icehouse Light
Southpaw Light
Leinenkugel’s Original
Leinenkugel’s Light
Leinenkugel’s Red Lager
Leinenkugel’s Honey Weiss
Leinenkugel’s Apple Spice (seasonal)
Leinenkugel’s Berry Weiss
Leinenkugel’s Oktoberfest (seasonal)
Leinenkugel’s Creamy Dark
Leinenkugel’s Big Butt Doppelbock (seasonal)
Leinenkugel’s Sunset Wheat
Henry Weinhard’s Private Reserve
Henry Weinhard’s Blue Boar Pale Ale
Henry Weinhard’s Classic Dark
Henry Weinhard’s Northwest Trail Blonde Lager
Henry Weinhard’s Hefeweizen
Henry Weinhard’s Summer Wheat

Hamm’s
Hamm’s Draft
Hamm’s Special Light
Olde English 800 Malt Liquor
Olde English HG800
Olde English HG800 7.5
Magnum Malt Liquor
Mickey’s Malt Liquor
Mickey’s Ice
Milwaukee’s Best
Milwaukee’s Best Light
Milwaukee’s Best Ice
Foster’s Lager
Foster’s Special Bitter
Peroni Nastro Azzurro
Pilsner Urquell
Sheaf Stout
Sparks
Sparks Light
Sparks Plus 7%
Sparks Plus 6%
Steel Reserve Triple Export 8.1%
Steel Reserve High Gravity
Steel Reserve High Gravity 6.0
Steel Six

Contact Miller Brewing here.

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