Russell Weiner, CEO and co-founder of the energy drink
ROCKSTAR, announced today that the company will be donating significant financial contributions to a variety of LGBT organizations, according to
The Bilerico Project.
The decision comes on the heels of the LGBT community's effort and the new website, thetruthaboutrockstar.com, to boycott the energy drink and publicly condemn the company for its founders' homophobic and otherwise discriminatory public statements. Reportedly, Weiner, who not only allegedly donated $125,000 to Prop 8 last year but is also a host of the conservative radio show Savage Nation, is accused of having spouted hateful words against everyone in the GLBT community from gays and lesbians to transsexuals.
According to Weiner,
ROCKSTAR will give out $100,000 in donations, shared among several prominent LGBT organizations including the Gay and Lesbian Community Center of Southern Nevada, the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN), and The Trevor Project. In addition, to further show support toward the gay community Weiner committed to financially sponsor the National LGBT Bloggers Initiative.
Weiner stated: "It has recently come to
ROCKSTAR's attention that there might be a misconception about our company's policy and my personal support for LGBT rights. We apologize for that misunderstanding, and want to make clear today that our company fully supports our LGBT employees and our LGBT customers."
About the Michael Savage connection, Weiner went on to dispute the allegations saying: "Some have erroneously associated our company with offensive language directed at LGBT people, specifically statements coming from Michael Savage, who is not and has never been a shareholder or officer of
ROCKSTAR Energy Drink. On behalf of our company and directors, including myself and CFO Janet Weiner, I would like to take this opportunity to disavow any offensive statements directed toward LGBT people, including statements from Michael Savage. ROCKSTAR assures our customers and the general public that our brand will never be associated with any language that does not affirm the essential dignity of every person in our diverse national community."
