Just in time for the holidays, the UC Berkeley Student Government passed a resolution demanding that the university kick the Salvation Army off campus because it discriminates against the LGBT community.
Campus Reform reports that on on November 14 the council passed a resolution, SB 176, that read, in part:
“Salvation Army church services, including charity services, are available only to people ‘who accept and abide by the Salvation Army’s doctrine and discipline,’ which excludes homosexuality…
Allowing the Salvation Army to collect donations on campus is a form of financial assistance that empowers the organization to spend the money it raises here in order to discriminate and advocate discrimination against queer people.”
Though the charity maintains recipients of its good works don’t have to abide by its doctrine, official Salvation Army literature refers to homosexuality as “an unacceptable urge,” and the organization has threatened to pull out of New York rather than abide by local equal-benefits laws.
In June, Major Andrew Craibe, a media relations director for the Salvation Army in Australia, told reporters homosexuals should be put to death in accordance with Scripture.
How about we take this to the next level?
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Really? We’ve always felt people who ring bells incessantly on street corners should be hung from the highest tree.
Cam
The Salvation Army is learning that bigotry might not pay. Let them see how much funding they get when they can only collect in places like Mississippi.
1EqualityUSA
We might consider dropping into their bigot-buckets cards with explanations as to why we are not giving them dollars.
BostonLesbian
On the Huffington Post Gay Voices page there is a story about how the SA is anti GLBT.
On the page are printable cards the same size as a dollar bill that explain why we will not not be contributing to the Salvation Army.
The story is:
Salvation Army’s Red Kettle Holiday Campaign Takes Heat From Gay Rights Activists
Found here:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/26/salvation-army-gay-rights-voucher_n_2192085.html
JAW
Don’t take it out on the folks ringing the bell… take your issues to the leaders
2eo
@JAW: I agree, take the issue up with the real power behind it, do not hassle the street walkers.
I also agree completely with anything restricting where disingenuous charities are told to back off.
2eo
^ That should read “I also agree completely with restricting where disingenuous charities are told to back off.” not the sentence above which is clearly a defective joke of a construct. By someone not that bright.
2eo
Fuck sake, I did it again, you know what I mean, I’ve got my own dunce Stetson, I shall sit in a corner and watch Rocky Horror until I have earned re-integration.
1EqualityUSA
BostonLesbian, Thanks for the link.
BostonLesbian
The bell ringers are usually just people hired by SA. The most I will ever say to them is, sorry I can’t donate, I’m still boycotting SA. If they ask why I will say they tried to prevent my marriage to my wife. They’ve usually surprised by the SA stance. (I live in Massachusetts, v. liberal)
Once, last year when the bell ringer was a young man in a SA uniform, I attempted to talk to him about the policy, in a polite and respectful manner. He was terrified of me and just kept yelling, “I don’t make the policy”. I don’t even think I identified myself as a lesbian and I don’t look like one. I just walked away.
1EqualityUSA
The Starvation Army picked up on your gay-vapors, Boston.
I blew past one yesterday at the grocery store. When I returned the cart, he was beckoning me with his eyes. I said, “I like you, but I don’t like the outfit you are working for.” His “Merry Christmas!” and fervent bell banging receded into a quiescent repose, as I blew past him again. No questions asked. (S.F. bell-ringers are likely used to this.) It was cold yesterday. Cold shoulders can lower a City’s temperature by 10-20 degrees…