Coopers backdown is weak as piss

COOPERS’ grovelling backdown in the face of bullying by the same-sex lobby is cowardly and has backfired big time.

OPINION

ANYONE watching the Coopers family’s grovelling apology last night could have been forgiven for thinking Barnaby Joyce had threatened to kill their dogs.

Having put a timid, uncertain foot out on a limb to support Christian values of free speech and civil debate, Tim and Melanie’s scurry backwards came in not one but three steps.

At first we were told Coopers had “teamed up” with the Bible Society for the now-infamous video, which featured Liberal MPs Tim Wilson and Andrew Hastie having friendly discussion putting the case for and against gay marriage.

But in the bearded world of virtue-signalling Newtown/Fitzroy hipsters, “there is no debate”. To even acknowledge the other side’s point of view is forbidden. To give a neutral platform to any debate is therefore seen as giving de facto support for the opposing side.

And so the #BoycottCoopers hashtag was born. Newtown’s Union Hotel said it was taking Coopers off its taps “due to the recent language coming out of Coopers”.

What sort of language? In the video, Wilson urges people to “disagree without being disagreeable”. Hastie adds that “a virtue is to listen, and I don’t think people are exercising that enough”.

“We’re very quick to condemn, very quick to judge,” he says. “We’re reflexively hateful of our opposition, and I think that all comes back down to personal virtue.”

In its first statement issued over the weekend, Coopers seemed to back the video — in which its products feature prominently — describing it as a “lighthearted but balanced debate” about an important topic.

“As a mature community it’s a debate we need to have but in a good-spirited and good-natured way,” it said. “Coopers isn’t trying to push religious messages or change your beliefs.”

Seems fair enough.

But as the boycott picked up steam, the cowardly South Australians began to panic. In a second statement on Monday, Coopers said “we want you to know” it did not sponsor or give permission for its beer to feature in the video.

“Our family brewery is made up of individuals from a number of different backgrounds, all of whom hold differing views on politics and religion, which we think is reflective of the wider community,” it said.

Uh oh. Panic sets in.

By Tuesday night, things had gotten so bad that a video message was required. Melanie Cooper, director of finance and corporate affairs at the company, said Coopers “supports marriage equality” and was “deeply sorry” that “offence has been taken by our recent involvement”.

“We have listened to a range of community views, we acknowledge this feedback and respect everyone’s individual opinions and beliefs,” she said.

“We have consequently cancelled the release of our Bible Society commemorative cans and will be taking steps to show further support for our community, including joining Australian Marriage Equality. Our company brews great beer that we are passionate about, and we warmly embrace all Australians.”

Tim Cooper, left, with Melanie Cooper.

Amber Heard, left, with Johnny Depp.

Coopers managing director Tim Cooper added that the company was “incredibly saddened by the impact our involvement with the Bible Society has had on our valued Coopers drinkers and our extended family”.

“As a longstanding philanthropic company, Coopers Brewery has been passionate about supporting all aspects of our community and has actively and financially embraced many different organisations,” he said.

“Our company’s guiding principles have centred around respect for others, and, as such, the recent activity surrounding the video made by the Bible Society has conflicted with our core values. Coopers never intended to make light of such an important issue, and would never and did not approve the making or release of the Bible Society video ‘debate’.”

That’s right — while he didn’t make actual bunny ears in the video, Tim made sure quotation marks were inserted around the word “debate” in the written transcription.

In a statement on Wednesday, a spokesman for the Bible Society said it was “totally understanding of Coopers’ position and we respect Coopers’ decision, particularly after the events of the last few days”.

“We remain grateful for our friendship with Coopers and for their support of our work,” he said. “We’re sad and sorry that a conversation (not a debate or an argument) on an important issue for our community has provoked such a flame war.”

On Tuesday, Wilson described the boycott against Coopers as “simply absurd”, saying the “over-the-top response” had “only proven the need for more civil disagreement”. “I’m disappointed Coopers appears to have distanced themselves from a sensible conversation that they should be proud to align themselves with,” he said.

It’s hard to escape the conclusion that most people jumping on the boycott bandwagon haven’t actually watched the video. If you haven’t, please give it a go. It’s really not that bad.

“I just watched the video and I didn’t see anything wrong with it,” one commenter wrote on Facebook last night. “It was two people discussing a subject civilly but not agreeing. What, we can’t debate now? Has this become PC as well? These two seemed to get along well and liked each other — what’s wrong with it?”

Leaving aside the laughable claim they had nothing to do with the video in the first place, the sad thing from a business standpoint is the people vowing to boycott Coopers won’t change their minds just because Tim and Melanie scurried like a beaten Pistol and Boo back into their kennel.

All Coopers has done is upset the other side as well.

As one talkback radio caller told 2GB last night: “Yesterday I went out and bought some Coopers — I’ve never bought it before in my life. Today they’ve caved into the alphabet lobby. I’m going to take the stuff back tomorrow and get a refund.”

Honestly, he’s not missing out on anything. Coopers is weak as piss.

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Originally published as Coopers backdown is weak as piss