N.Y. Group Plans Boycott Of Tea Made By Company In Colorado

A New York group fighting Colorado's anti-gay measure will ask restaurants and stores to pull Celestial Seasonings tea off shelves, the first attack in its economic battle against the Boulder company, a spokesman said yesterday.

"It's a done deal now," said Chip Duckett of New York Boycott Colorado. "We'd rather markets and cafes take it off the shelves than picket them."

But plans for picketing are being made in the tea company's largest market, Duckett said, because Celestial Seasonings ignored New York Boycott Colorado's deadline to join the fight against anti-gay Amendment 2.

Duckett said the boycott will continue until the company puts $100,000 toward fighting the measure, the amount which has been suggested by New York Boycott Colorado, or until the measure is overturned.

Mo Siegel, chief executive officer of the notably progressive company, said Celestial Seasonings would not be drawn into a political battle.

The measure banning anti-discrimination laws for homosexuals continues to spark resistance in Colorado, where at least two more towns are considering gay-rights laws similar to an ordinance passed in Telluride last week.

A campaign to extend civil rights to gays is being waged in Crested Butte and Vail, according to the Colorado AIDS Legislative Association.

Denver, Boulder and Aspen have laws protecting homosexuals enforceable since Amendment 2 was blocked temporarily by a Denver judge last month. Nevertheless, activists continue to press for a boycott against the state and its businesses.

Duckett said the New York group will initially lobby about 40 New York restaurants and stores, primarily those patronized by homosexuals. Duckett expects the cooperation of those businesses to spark a bigger boycott.

A protest in which Amendment 2 foes toss the tea into the East River is in the works, in addition to several undisclosed acts intended to sully Celestial Seasonings' image, he said.