Apr 28, 2006  |  By: BO SHELL  | COMMENTS     

GAY SUSHI LOVERS may want to think twice before picking up their chopsticks, as they could be indirectly supporting a controversial Christian group led by an outspoken anti-gay leader.

New Jersey-based True World Foods, with 21 North American branches, provides sushi-grade seafood products to 6,000 U.S. restaurants, according to its website, making it one of the largest sushi providers in the country.

But the website provides little information about the origins of the company and its link to religious leader and outspoken gay rights opponent Rev. Sun Myung Moon, who founded the Unification Church and whose followers are often called "Moonies."

Moon and his Unification Church own the Washington Times, a conservative publication that regularly publishes news articles with an anti-gay bias, including the use of quotation marks around the word "marriage" when applied to gay couples, even in places like Massachusetts where it is state-sanctioned.

In a June 2004 speech reported in the newspaper, Moon said gay people would be "eliminated."

"There will be a purge on God’s orders, and evil will be eliminated like shadows. Gays will be eliminated, the three Israels will unite. If not, then they will be burned," Moon said. "How do gay people make love? How? You may know. Even animals don’t do this. … We must end the false viewpoint of human rights that is promoting homosexuality."

THE UNIFICATION CHURCH’S involvement with True World Foods was recently documented by the Chicago Tribune. In an article published April 11, the newspaper detailed speeches Moon made to his loyal followers.

Moon’s 1980 "Way of Tuna" speech made clear his intentions to dominate the seafood market, one industry at a time. With the help of his followers, Moon delivered what he promised, building an empire of marine businesses: True World Marine for boats, True World Market for retail grocery supplies, True World Restaurant chains and True World Foods.

The Tribune reported that Moon is not only the author of the seafood strategy, but helped fund its start-up and served as director of one of its early companies.

The most direct connection, the Tribune reported, is that True World’s boat manufacturing division, U.S. Marine Corp., shares its office with the church and lists the church as its major shareholder.

Rev. Phillip Schanker, a Unification Church spokesperson, told the Chicago Tribune that the seafood empire was "not organizationally or legally" connected to Moon’s church, but they are "businesses founded by members of the Unification Church" in line with Moon’s vision.

Neither True World Foods nor Schanker returned calls for comment.

SUSHI RETAILERS EXPRESSED DISMAY at learning of True World’s anti-gay connections. Todd Wheeler, general manager of gay sushi hotspot Dragon Fly in Washington, D.C., said he wasn’t previously aware of the situation.

"It’s a little disturbing," said Wheeler, who later called back to say that the restaurant no longer orders from True World. "I imagine if [customers] knew, they might be frustrated to a point."

Annette Decora, general manager of Atlanta’s gay-popular Nickiemoto’s, was alarmed to find out that her salmon, yellow tail and tuna came from a company with anti-gay ties.

"Not because of the religion thing, but because they are our major purveyors, and a lot of people who come here are not straight, and I don’t like people against us over here," she said.