Donald Trump is poised to become the next U.S. presidential candidate for the Republican Party. And that is, in part, because corporations like Coca-Cola will stand beside him.

Coca-Cola is a regular sponsor of the Republican National Convention (RNC), and is poised to do it again -- unless we do something about it.

By sponsoring the RNC, Coca-Cola is essentially supporting a candidate who has encouraged hatred and violence, looked the other way when Black people were targeted at his rallies, and has only grudgingly distanced himself from a known Ku Klux Klan leader.

Let's make sure Coke can't sponsor hate without us holding it accountable.

Tell Coke to stop sponsoring hate.

This isn't just about U.S. politics. The choice of who is selected as the presidential nominee has global ramifications. Not all of us can impact Trump with our vote, but we can influence global giants like Coca-Cola who depend on a diverse and growing customer base outside the U.S.

Republican Party organizers depend on big sponsors like Coca-Cola to pull off their national conventions. And that's why it's so powerful when major sponsors pull out of the RNC. It sends a clear message that hate speech isn’t acceptable.

It’s easy to dismiss Trump as a buffoon, but his policies and rhetoric are as real as they are hateful. If Coca-Cola is willing to pay millions to sponsor the event that sees him chosen as the Republican presidential candidate, it is paying to distribute and amplify these views.

Join us in demanding that Coca-Cola stops providing a platform for hate speech.

Corporate sponsorship is not neutral. Coca-Cola has built its brand on global unity and harmony, and that is inconsistent with sponsorship of the RNC. During the Sochi Olympics in Russia, almost half a million of us called on Coke to condemn Russia's brutal anti-gay laws -- and Coke felt the pressure from every corner of the planet.

When people’s lives are at stake -- and let’s be clear, we are talking about people of color, undocumented workers, migrants and other vulnerable people -- our message is clear. Coca-Cola can't stand idly by while a xenophobic demagogue takes power. And Coca-Cola certainly doesn’t get to pay millions for the privilege and not get held accountable.

Tell Coca-Cola to pull out now.

**********
More information:

As violence erupts at Super Tuesday Trump rally, it’s only a matter of time before someone gets killed at future events, NY Daily News, Mar 2, 2016
Critics lash out at Trump over white supremacist backing, Raw Story, Feb 28, 2016