Chad Hills, a gambling research & policy analyst for Focus on the Family, has published The Gambling Cartel: Associations, Affiliations & Links which was distributed at the 2007 Conference of the National Coaltion Against Legalized Gambling. The report is posted on Focus on the Family’s CitizenLink.com. Included in Hills’ report are profiles of Marian Ilitch and Michael J. Malik, Sr.Focus on the Family previously called for a boycott Ilitch brands.
In late 2005 Focus on the Family started calling for a boycott of Ilitch Holdings, Inc. brands in light of the casino ownership. On the web pages of its family.org Citizen's Link Focus on Social Issues November 14, 2005, Focus on the Family's Chad Hills wrote:
Michigan Take Action
Pizza! Pizza! Casino! Casino!Before you order another pizza from Little Caesar's, consider the following: Marian Ilitch and her husband, Michael Malik — Michigan residents — are the founders and owners of Little Caesar's Pizza chain. They also own the Detroit Red Wings and the Detroit Tigers (see Ilitch Holdings). Nothing wrong here, as eating pizza and attending sports events are great family
activities.
Unfortunately, the Ilitch's are also partners in putting up the money for a casino bid by New York's Shinnecock tribe, and Marian Ilitch recently won state approval to become sole owner of Motorcity Casino in Detroit. Something is wrong here.
Gambling exploits children and adults, ultimately destroying families.The Ilitch's are sending a mixed message: they are supporting family-friendly activities while investing in an industry that exploits people and ruins families.Maybe Michigan citizens should send them a clear message: 'We don't fund gambling ventures through family-oriented activities.'"
Heading into the 2006 SuperBowl (spotlight on Detroit), Focus on the Family raised the volume. Then suddently Focus on the Family went quiet: (nearly every mention of gaming in Michigan was removed from its Web site); references to MotorCity Casino were removed from the Ilitch corporate website; and a month or so later, it was announced that Mike Ilitch (a member of an Orthodox church) was going to fund some new evangelical-centered million dollar reality TV program pitting church choirs across the country against each other in some sort of "battle of the bands" type competition. One announcement for "Voices of Joy" included:
...Michael Ilitch, the man who came up with the idea of "Voices of Joy" and also the founder of Ilitch Holdings, a family of companies dedicated to creating extraordinary and memorable entertainment and sporting experiences.
Numerous websites noted "Voices of Joy" was the "brainchild" of Mike Ilitch. However, there's no record of any hype on the project coming out of the Ilitch Holdings, Inc. headquarters.
Had Ilitch bought his way out of a boycott? Did the threat of a national boycott raise concern with Major League Baseball?
Dr. James Dobson is the founder and chairman of Focus on the Family.
2 comments:
You guys need to check things out before you post this garbage. Marion Ilitch is NOT married to Mike Malik. An the Mike Ilitch you reference in any possible connection with a churc show MAYBE Mike JR. not senior.
Mike Jr. is not the "founder of Ilitch Holdings" which is how the Michael Ilitch tied to "Voices of Joy" was identified by The Washington Informer, a weekly African-American newspaper serving the metropolitan Washington D.C. area.
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