Protests Ring Out After Target Bans Salvation Army

NewsMax.com ^ | Tuesday, Nov. 23, 2004 | Carl Limbacher

[flashbunny]

Don't buy it? Whatever. Don't buy my attitude? What? That I demand truth and honest and logic, not just emotional huff and puff? Forgive me for not rolling over and playing nice. How dare I question what someone posts on a discussion board! We should all just nod with approval instead of demanding facts and logical thought!

Look at my post just above yours. It shows that what I have been standing up for is correct, and the target boycott crowd, which has been shrill and insistent, have been dead wrong.

People who do that just drag down the board and make it look bad, just like the nutcases at DU drag down their board. If you're not willing to stand up to it, then you have a hand in any decline of free republic that takes place.

[Skooz]

And to follow, hundreds of shrill cries to 'boycott target'!!!!

Not shrill. I will just refuse to shop there for Christmas gifts this year. I have plenty of other choices.

Hey, boycott fans - how many of you are going to be out there ringing the bell for the salvation army????

I am not sure exactly what you are trying to say, but I will donate to the Salvation Army just as I always do. I may not ring the bell, but I help to fill the bucket.

[Gabz]

ROFL!!!!!!!!!!

I agree with you on your previous post about kids clothes in Target.........I have a 6 year old and never bought clothes for her in there. Cripes, I wouldn't wear some of the things they want parents to buy for kids. Granted, most stores sell that kind of stuff, but at least they also sell normal stuff.

[flashbunny]

Ah, so do I hear your voluteering to donate to target's defense fund? Or do I hear crickets?

Like I said before, it's easy to be courageous with other peoples money.

Why don't you open a store in new jersey or california and announce you're only letting the SA solicit there? Then we can prod the ACLU to file suit against you on behalf of every leftist cause in the country. See how you like paying for even the cost of 'settling'. Attorneys to settle court cases aren't cheap, especially when you're going up against a large and well funded opponent.

Sheesh.

[Mr. Lucky]

Umm, your "source' doesn't support your claim (and something posted on an internet chatroom makes for a pretty weak source, you know).

[hope]

The bell ringers are previous homeless people who are giving back what the Salvation Army did to help them get off the streets and get their life back together. No I won't be out their ringing bells because that job is already spoken for. I will be giving to the Salvation Army though, and I will be picking up a gift for the angel tree.

While you sneer at the bell ringers it is they who make it possible for the Salvation Army to go where many charities do not. Even our brave men and women in uniform have had their needs and their families needs met by the Salvation Army.

[Marak]

Ah, so do I hear your voluteering to donate to target's defense fund? Or do I hear crickets?

Your post is nonsensical and clearly points out that you are more interested in ranting than discussing an issue with reason. I will waste no more time reading your thoughts on issues.

Don't waste your breath replying.

[flashbunny]

Uh, try reading. The source isn't an 'internet chat room', it's from a radio station's news site. The original other didn't provide a link to the article, and the search feature on the WTOPNEWS.com web site sucks, so you'll have to rely on the article.

Anyway, if you want another news source, try this:

http://www.targetcorp.com/targetcorp_group/community/foundation.jhtml

"In keeping with our strong tradition of giving, Target Corporation will give over $2 million every single week to the communities we serve."

ADDITIONALLY to just money, they donate unsold merchandise to the SA, just like the article I linked to said.

[flashbunny]

Hah. Nice. You post things that get shot down with facts, now you get to act superior. Way to go.

[flashbunny]

Where in the Heck did I sneer at bell ringers? Show me where I did or try an apology for your lie directed at me.

I swear, people only see what they want to see.

[LowOiL]

I will be ringing this year at our local Wal-Mart. This is a first time for me. Hope it ain't too cold.

[flashbunny]

"Even our brave men and women in uniform have had their needs and their families needs met by the Salvation Army."

And even target has gone out of there way to help our brave men and women in uniform. Just by doing a simple search I found this:

------

http://target.com/target_group/community_giving/vet_support.jhtml

Our company has supported many charitable causes throughout our history, including veterans' organizations. For years, Target has donated funds and volunteer hours to local and national veteran and military organizations around the country.

National Charitable Giving Examples:
World War II Memorial
“The Wall that Heals” 2003 National Tour, a Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund outreach initiative that honors our veterans and has a strong educational component for schools. For more information, please visit the Web site at http://www.vvmf.org/index.cfm?SectionID=3.
American Red Cross Armed Forces Emergency Services
In addition to supporting veteran and military organizations on a national scale, we also support local organizations.

Local Charitable Giving Examples
Yankee Air Force Museum in Ypsilanti, Michigan
Hays County Veterans in San Marcos, Texas
Kenny Nickelson Memorial Foundation for Homeless Veterans in Manhattan Beach, California
Reservist Benefits:
Target Corporation is proud to count many veterans and military reservists among its more than 300,000 team members nationwide. To help support these team members, Target Corporation provides benefits for activated reservists, including pay differential, that surpass the benefits required by law. The Reserve Officers Association has recognized our company for these benefits, and the National Committee for Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve also lists Target on their Web site at http://www.esgr.org/employers/outstandingEmployers.asp. Target team members who are activated for military service and were participating in optional dependent coverage at the time of their deployment are eligible to continue these benefits if they choose. Target Corporation also allows any Target team member to continue benefits as provided by the 1986 Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA).

---

Heck, target does tons of things to help charity, including veterans AND the salvation army. It gives 2 MILLION DOLLARS a week to charitable causes.

But because they're now ending the exemption for the SA (actually done months and months ago, giving the SA advanced notice) target is an EVIL corporation that can do nothing right.

Some people here are pathetic. If it's not done exactly the way they want it to be done, then it's time for a boycott - facts be damned.

[dljordan]

Target has a right to refuse the Salvation Army and it's fans have a right to boycott Target.

[PAR35]

donating merchandise it doesn't sell.

Not first quality merchandise which could be used for Christmas presents for the needy, but post season, unsalable junk to save the cost of hauling it to the landfill.

Your "source" doesn't say anything about it being worth "millions and millions." In fact, if you read on down, total donations to all charities, including "national partnership" charities total only some $2 million. The retailer also donates $2 million to charities nationwide, including the Salvation Army.

I'm still waiting for you to source a legitimate basis for your comment.

[Mr. Lucky]

The post you rely upon has no link to the article, or maybe radio story, you claim. The burden is on you for this one, especially in light of the fact that your claim isn't supported by anything actually published by Target.

Your heart apparently not being touched by the Christmas story, You might contemplate the Queens' behavior in Hamlet Act III, scene ii.

[Gabz]

Back up there buddy - I started out agreeing with you, just questioning your approach and in turn you attack me?

Your reply to me perfectly explains my position regarding your way of addressing the issue.

While I do agree with other posters that this is a pretty weasely way to get around a perceived threat, I understand why Target has done this. They are a private company (in they aren't owned by the gov't) but have seen the hand writing on the wall of how private property rights are being eroded by NGOs and the government..........It's a truly sad state of affairs when a private business has to make business decisions based on fear.

[MayflowerMadam]

At lunch today I walked past a Salvation Army dude in front of a grocery store. He told me "Happy holidays!" I told him I'd give some money if he wished me "Merry Christmas". He said he didn't know what religion people were when they walked by so he said the holidays thing so he wouldn't offend anyone. I told him I was offended by "Happy holidays". He looked very confused at this basically no-win situation. (Anyhow, I'm thinking that the Salvation Army shouldn't buckle under to the PC stuff; it's a Christian organization.)

[Saundra Duffy]

Front page article Fresno Bee last week about this. It said that the Salvation Army would lose 30% of its donations because of this crappola.

I wrote to EVERYONE at Target and gave them a piece of my mind. We should PICKET THOSE CREEPS!!!

I feel a FReep coming on . . .

[unbalanced but fair]

The Target home site goes into some deail about their charitable giving. The $2,000,000 a week is there but so is the statement..."The Target Foundation charitable giving is limited to organizations in the Minneapolis/Saint Paul metropolitan area." The list they give of these does not include the Salvation Army. They are not on the corporations national list either. Other local charities can apply for grants if they meet the guidelines. "Currently grants focus on three areas: arts, family violence prevention, and reading." Perhaps this could include the Salvation Army, but it's not specified.
So other then some vague references to giving "including the Salvation Army" you posted, I fail to see where Target is as big a supporter of the Salvation Army as you implied.
I frankly don't care what charities Target chooses to support; they do give quite alot to St. Jude's. But I think that consumers have a right to support or boycott stores as they choose. A previous article stated that the Salvation Army stood to lose nearly $8,000,000 by not having kettles at Target. Hopefully other retailers will make up this difference. Oh, and I am a volunteer bell ringer since 1987.

[Dacus943]

Come on Flashbunny! Target caved to appease WHAT fringe element in America. Go back in time, 30 years ago, if Target came out with this policy then - would they be around Today!!!