John Aravosis of AmericaBlog notes that that the latest episode of the very gay musical series Glee featured characters ringing “Salvation Army Christmas bells on a city sidewalk as a symbol of the true meaning of Christmas: caring about and for your fellow man—except that the Salvation Army doesn’t care at all about your fellow man or woman if they happen to be gay.”
While we’re not sure how Glee missed the memo on the Salvation Army’s long history of discrimination and lobbying for anti-gay causes, but that doesn’t mean that we LGBTs can’t still put something in S.A.’s red kettles this holiday season.
Aravosis also provided these vouchers from the depths of his hard drive. You can print them up and stuff them in some red S.A. kettles as a reminder of why no one should give to their cause. The voucher reads:
This holiday season I am supporting organization that do not discriminate in any way against people based on sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other reason.
I will NOT donate to the Salvation Army, and will instead give to other charities, until the Salvation Army stops discriminating against the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community in hiring, firing and promotion, and in the provision of benefits.
The voucher also has a 2001 Washington Post quote from senior Salvation Army official George Hood claiming that though his organization never discriminates, hiring gay employees would “really begin to chew away at the theological fabric of who we are.”
How about we take this to the next level?
Our newsletter is like a refreshing cocktail (or mocktail) of LGBTQ+ entertainment and pop culture, served up with a side of eye-candy.
Chew away on these, bell ringers.
Mike in Asheville
While I was surprised too that Glee had a Salvation Army bell ringing in their program, my hubby pointed out that it was not a Salvation Army kettle, rather a generic collection kettle. It still raises an interesting point about how best to win over greater public support for equality: another [justified] protest vs. we are part of the community too.
I do wish that Queerty raised the bigger and more important issue regarding the Salvation Army: yes while they do indeed discriminate against LGBT in hiring, and no they do not blanketly discriminate against LGBT in services, BUT, and this is a HUGE BUT, the Salvation Army takes some portions of the cash donations they receive to assist the poor and hungry and in turn donate cash to anti-gay political causes.
Be and let be is one thing; funding our enemies is another thing. Part of every penny every LGBT drops into a Salvation Army kettle goes to fund anti-gay marriage, employment discrimination, anti-bullying campaigns, etc. Fuck that.
Fitz
@Mike in Asheville:
Incorrect. Their shelters do not recognize LGBT families as being families, and they are not allowed access to the family shelters.
Cam
True it was a supposedly generic bell ringing, but it is not generic, everybody knows it’s the Salvation ARmy, just like if they put a generic red can of cola there with no label everybody knows it’s a coke can.
Remember, also…
We have met Fin’s Parents, Quinn’s Parents, Kurts Parents, Sam’s Parents, Mr. Shoot’s family, Sue Sylvester’s sister etc…
And yet….funny how we keep hearing about how overly involved in Rachel’s life her two dads are and yet Glee has never once had her “super involved” dad’s show up to any of her performances.
If that wasn’t enough, when she was being cut from performances because she had argued with the teacher or when other students pelted her with eggs, please don’t tell me that two overly involved gay dads wouldn’t have been at the school.
So again, why is she the one main character whose family has never been shown if Glee is so gay friendly?
Price Waterhouse
I always give to those nice Mexican men dressed up in white uniforms. God only knows where the money goes, but at least it’s not to the Salvation Army.
sergio
just skimmed through the episode on hulu because i clearly remember them saying salvation army in the episode.
at 13:40
“sorry sam, the phrase is merry christmas not morose christmas — thats the vision, thats what you have to buy into into!” – artie
“sorry artie, im not buying into it. im going downtown and see if i can ring one of those SALVATION ARMY bells. come on roy ill give you a ride” – sam
the kettle might have looked generic but they DEFINITELY mentioned salvation army earlier in the episode so…
JAW
When we were flooded out the SA was there with supplies to help clean, a free food truck daily and toys for the kids at Christmas… I am kinda glad that they were and are there…
I encourage people to drop money in the pot… They do a hell of a lot more good then they do bad
Mike in Asheville
@Fitz: Thanks for pointing that out.
I do remain astounded that gay blogs/media do not report more about how the Salvation Army takes cash donations intended to provide food and shelter for the poor use those limited funds for anti-gay sociopolitical agenda such as funding Prop. 8 and other anti-marriage-equity measures.
Cam
@JAW: said…
“When we were flooded out the SA was there with supplies to help clean, a free food truck daily and toys for the kids at Christmas… I am kinda glad that they were and are there…”
______________________________
The KKK also used to donate money to children’s charities in fact used to claim it was a charitable organization, drug dealers have often had food donations and givaways in poor neighborhoods during the holidays and the Taliban set up free schools.
Just because something they do is charitable it doesn’t change the fact that they are bigots and want people like us gone.
Geo
If “Glee” wanted to be truly subversive, they would have made it Kurt and Blaine ringing that bell beside the Salvation Army bucket, associating the SA with “gay.” Think the Salvation Army would have been happy with that image? I’m tempted to say Ryan Murphy and his writers were just lazy and grabbed SA because it’s the most obvious image of Christmas charity, but it is interesting that Kurt and Blaine aren’t there at the end with Rachel, Finn and Sam. Think the show had to get SA’s approval about how their imagery was used? If so, using SA was worse than laziness.
the crustybastard
“Glee” has always struck me as a show that clueless straight people would make “for gays.”
“Those people loooove their show tunes. And we’ll make two cheerleaders lezbo, so the straight dudes will watch, too. And somebody ought to have two dads — that’s hot now. Can someone find one actual gay kid for the cast? Oh, let’s do an ‘It Gets Better’ episode too. They’re all over that.”
Seriously, the Salvation Army? LOL.
christopher di spirito
@Mike in Asheville: Wrong.
http://www.bilerico.com/2011/11/why_you_shouldnt_donate_to_the_salvation_army_bell.php
Bil Brown’s personal experience with the SA:
“I’ve seen the discrimination the Salvation Army preaches first hand. When a former boyfriend and I were homeless, the Salvation Army insisted we break up before they’d offer assistance. We slept on the street instead and declined to break up as they demanded.”
NDR
Yeah the rest of the world loves the Salvation Army so this not only has no impact but actually has negative effects. They’re not going to change deeply held beliefs just to make you happy. Play your childish trick and you look like the ass. And don’t be surprised when gay fundraising gets the same treatment from them. Turnabout is fair play.
CBRad
@JAW: Well, that’s the crux of the whole debate over how gays should treat the Salvation Army. It does get a little…debatable..
soakman
Honestly, the homeless need help. Even if not all homeless are being treated equally by this organization, how fair is it to punish the families the salvation army DOES help because of a belief the organization holds.
The families in need may NOT agree.
Kevin
@soakman: Because the Salvation Army is the only charitable organization that supports the homeless? I would imagine the families in need don’t give a shit what specific organization offers the help, so our dollars may as well go through a more reputable charity.
Georgi
And to add to the SA bad news: they are not even a charity (per IRS rules,) they are a church (tax exempted, per the IRS.) The money donated funds the church, which then funds charitable activities.
Think about it – who gets funded first? I’d bet the church (staff and rent) first and then the charitable arm.
Give your money to a real charity.
Fitz
@soakman: There are better agencies. State side, I suggest giving to either the local Traveler’s Aide or Connecting Point– both of which help homeless families with substantive services, not just photo ops at Christmas time, and both of which include LGBT families.
Mark
Read this : http://www.bilerico.com/2011/11/why_you_shouldnt_donate_to_the_salvation_army_bell.php?utm_source=front_page&utm_medium=top_story&utm_campaign=Top_Story