In the 1920's, the KKK held their cross burnings on property adjoining
Coors property. In the 50's, the Coors family were funders of the John
Birch Society.
In 1966, Chicana/os called for the boycott of Coors beer because of its
racist hiring practices. In 1969, Coors was charged with racial
discrimination. Coors was found guilty in 1970. Not until 1977 was Coors
finally forced to settle out of court, paying thousands of
dollars and rehiring several workers.
From 1967 to 1972 Joseph Coors was a regent at the University of
Colorado where he opposed the existence of campus groups such as
UMAS (United Mexican American Students), BSU (Black Student Union), and
SDS (Students for a Democratic Society). He was always known for
distributing John Birch Society literature to fellow regents. He was
quoted as saying the University should strive for quality students and not
quantity.
In 1971, Joe Coors along with Jack Wilson and Paul Weyrich founded
Analysis and Research Inc., to establish a political research entity.
After $200,000 of Coors money and two years, the group failed to attract
supporters. Eventually, Coors and Weyrich started a committe for the
Survival of a Free Congress to carry out political activities and the
Heritage Foundation as a tax exempt educational research entity. Joe
Coors coughed up $200,000. Paul Weyrich was the president. Seems Weyrich
had ties to Josef Strauss of Bavaria Germany who was active in a political
party that coalesced with repentant Nazi's after World War II. Strauss
came to the United States in the early 1970's. Weyrich and Strauss' aid
by the name of Armin K. Haas planned Strauss' schedule. Joe Coors helped
Haas make political contacts in Congress.
In 1974, the Heritage foundation sent an advisor to help Kanawha
County school with a text book protest movement. This political movmement
was portrayed as a parent rights case but the Klu Klux Klan was involved.
The books that they wanted to ban were books on African-American authors
or texts that dealt with the culture of African Americans.
Through their philanthropic donations, Joseph Coors and other family
members have bankrolled a right-wing agenda of union-busting,
homophobia, sexism, racism, and covert operations. The Coors family has
served as the cornerstone of the right-wing movement known as the New
Right. For details, read "Coors Connection: How Coors Family
Philanthropy Undermines Democratic Pluralism" by Russ Bellant (ISBN:
0896084175)
After years of boycotting this racist, sexist, and
homophobic company on a national level, National Council of La Raza (NCLR)
helped broker an agreement to put an end to the boycott. It was signed by
the directors of the GI Forum, NCLR and League of United Latin
American Citizens (LULAC). The agreement called for Coors to provide
sponsorship money to these organizations and help Chicanos become
distributorship owners, i.e. Tom Flores in CA, for which these
organizations agreed to increase Coors' "market share" of Latino drinkers.
That means the promotion of drinking Coors beer and increasing the number
of drinkers and alcoholics in our communities.
Today, Coors can be found giving money to foundations and
organizations in an effort to promote a positive image for the company.
The truth is that Coors only puts on this mask of kindness in order to
make money while poisoning the minds, bodies, and spirits of nuestra
gente. Coors has and will continue to be our enemy. Chale con Coors!