When you care enough to send the very best

Sometimes these things practically write themselves.

Here’s an idea: We can all send Hallmark thank-you cards to McDonald’s.

Most states don’t recognize gay marriage — but now Hallmark does.

The nation’s largest greeting card company is rolling out same-sex wedding cards — featuring two tuxedos, overlapping hearts or intertwined flowers, with best wishes inside. “Two hearts. One promise,” one says.

Hallmark added the cards after California joined Massachusetts as the only U.S. states with legal gay marriage. A handful of other states have recognized same-sex civil unions.

The language inside the cards is neutral, with no mention of wedding or marriage, making them also suitable for a commitment ceremony. Hallmark says the move is a response to consumer demand, not any political pressure.

“It’s our goal to be as relevant as possible to as many people as we can,” Hallmark spokeswoman Sarah Gronberg Kolell said.

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As one of our perceptive correspondents pointed out, Hallmark could have done this quietly, but is instead seeking out publicity. They have calculated that the positive impact of being gay-affirming outweighs the negative. Perhaps they were even hoping that the American Family Association would launch a “boycott” of them, too – which it promptly did. The over-excitable Don Wildmon issued a statement today in which he accused Hallmark of being “a private company obviously driven by greed.” (I personally suspect them to be driven by the market, which seems not to be in accord with Mr. Wildmon’s wishes. What does that tell us?)

Attracting the ire of Don Wildmon, who repeats nauseating, defamatory lies about members of the greeting card-purchasing public – now, that’s good public relations. Go Hallmark.

Good As You has a link for sending statements of support and gratitude to Hallmark, and also reports that the Virginia affiliate of AFA has bought the domain name “boycotthallmark.com.” More fun is sure to be on the way.