A World of Cheese, For your Pleasure

I think a boycott will stop Heavin dead in his tracks. I totally agree with Pound - Curves CEO Gary Heavin's morality will take a back seat to his pocket book if it comes to a choice.
I do agree with this in theory, but as far as it actually happening, I'll believe it when I see it. (See the update on April 30).

I would say that is the only choice men tend to understand, but it isn't fair to overgeneralize here.
Even though you so clearly want to. ;)

As a man, Heavin talks a good game, but his actions speak much louder than his words. He professes he became wealthy because of his love and concern for women and because of his "christian values". If true, then his public stance on a woman's right to choose is puzzling to me and his stint in prison for failing to pay child support even more so. Come ON - guys who don't pay child support don't go to jail unless they are total deadbeats! Oh that's right - he got religion in jail. That is almost as hokey as his story about looking for his mother in the crowd.
I really do not see this as puzzling at all. He is saying that bcause of his love and concern for women, he is creating a place for them to exercise in a cozy love-fest environment. Big deal. That has nothing to do with abortion at all. Curves wasn't made so that he can kill abortion, Curves was made to help women and make him money. Yes, to make him money. And I don't see any problem with this. There is clearly a need for it, and he filled the gap. Now that he has some power, he can make effective change as he sees fit. I might do the same thing if I had the time and power (although it wouldn't be for anti-choice). So would you, I would imagine, but I could be wrong.
As for the child support thing, well, I am loath to condemn someone forever because of a mistake or even series of mistakes unless I have proof that there is nothing to be redeemed there. If he was sleeping in his bar because he had no place to live, then I doubt that he could have paid for a child. But even if he'd rather drink and party and carry on instead on pay for the child, I believe that people can and do change. I see no reason why he couldn't be one of them. But we shouldn't even be going down this road anyway: child support is about the love for a child, not the love of women, but I guess that's just semantics.

It seems to me that his "love and concern for women" are more likely tied to his pocketbook rather than his morals.
The amount that he can contribute to these projects is directly connected to the size of his pocketbook, yes. If your boycott were to work, then I seriously doubt he could continue to contribute. This seems pretty elementary to me.

I mean, what else WOULD he say in interviews? That there are millions of fat women out there with money to burn and low self-esteem and he has found a way to profit from it?
Is that what he should have said? Does it even need to be said? This is almost certainly true. The question is, is this wrong? Even if he is making money hand over fist, is it wrong? I can't see any reason why he can't have money and concern for women. If he had been giving money to pro-choice organizations, would you be questioning his moral fortitude? I seriously doubt it.

But even giving the benefit of the doubt and saying they're evenly distributed across the board, he must realize that they are all women who are personally and deeply affected by these issues.
Which is why he is doing what he does, I would imagine. He just disagrees with you regarding what these women need.

Heavin is taking a huge financial risk and I am wondering why? If moral issues are the real reason, he could easily donate all the millions he wants in private without making any public reference at all.
It's the same reason why so many people who believe strongly in things (most religious organizations, pro- and anti-choice zealots) tend to proselytize. They believe stronly in something, and are working to achieve what they see as a worthy goal through public promotions. They aren't ashamed of who they are or what people think.

Why take such a huge risk? The whole media thing reeks of plain and simple arrogance to me. What if his wealth was obtained via his "disdain for fat women" rather than the moral virtues he professes and he simply found a way to profit from it?
I have no idea. I guess it probably isn't as media-friendly, so it wouldn't work that well. So? Is that a reason to suggest that the Christianity thing is a sham?

When it comes down to it - business is business and politics are politics. Morality doesn't mix well with either - not that it shouldn't, it just doesn't. Chances are if a businessman is "only looking out for you" they spell morality m-o-n-e-y. If a person is virtuous and moral then he will act accordingly. But if money is important, then you and your pocketbook stand to lose.
I fully agree about business being business. If things are dire, then he will have to do what he needs to do in order to save the business (keep his job, and the jobs of thousands of others). Despite what you think of the man, he has a responsibility to the millions of people who look to Curves as a source of gainful employment or a sanctuary where they can work on their self-esteem in that special way that can only be found at Curves (apparently). Then again, we don't know what kinds of back-room deals he can work out with his powerful friends (the ones that can influence millions of people relatively easily), so for all we know, such a boycott could work out in his favour.

Yes, a boycott is just the ticket to stop him dead in his tracks. The individual franchise owners will suffer first, but they will begin complaining that members are quitting, or not renewing their memberships because of his anti-abortion stance. Some will threaten and actually file lawsuits. Yes, the smell of money will get to a lot of them too. After all, Heavin "gives" away millions why not get a piece of it too?
Lawsuits? What would they sue for? Why would Heavin have to give money to these people? I don't really understand this paragraph.

Ultimately Heavin may not stop funding the anti-abortion cause - who can say - because it is his right to do so, but he will assuredly avoid public disclosure if possible. I personally think he will be too busy funding the blood sucking lawyers to further any private or public funding of ANY moral issue, much less anti-abortion.
Maybe, but I wouldn't underestimate him or his supporters. Or perhaps I should boycott Domino's pizza.