The Salvation Army bell ringers standing outside of local businesses with their hanging donation kettles aren’t just raising money for the homeless, they’re also lobbying against LGBT rights around the world. This Chrismahannukwanza, tell the cooperating business fronts that the S.A. discriminates against queers and give your change to a local LGBT organization or a pro-LGBT politician instead.
Image via Dannysaysnoo
macmantoo
I don’t contribute to ANY organization that puts restrictions on helping people. I do not believe it’s right for the religious groups to make people “join” so they can be helped. I think it’s outrageous and pathetic.
chuck
I stopped contributing to the SA when I found out that they have private clubs and spas scattered over the US for their ‘officers’. So while volunteers stand out in the cold
ringing their bells, the officers can drink mint juleps and get a tan at a free luxury resort. I doubt that few of the volunteers are ever allowed to take a vacation at their golf courses.
Bob
Copy and paste this post onto your Facebook wall like I did so that all your family and friends can see this. Maybe we can make a large dent in their collections and they will have a change of heart next year.
Kurt
there is no virtue in withholding unless you give generously to another charity.
Here is one: http://www.breadforthecity.org/
joec
Anyone know of a place selling paper printed with fake dollar bills on one side so we can leave them notes in their buckets about what they can go do with themselves?
Freddie
I echo Kurt’s point. Give your money to a good charity instead, one that doesn’t have an agenda.
xander
Agreed: let’s not fill the SA’s kettles, but don’t, please, take out any hard feelings on the people who’re out ringing the bells. Many of them are destitute, and for them it’s possibly that job or none at all.
As for the SA, they need to stop effing around with their preaching and intolerance.
FreddyMertz
..been a while since I gave any kind of donation to the SA. I mostly give to causes affecting abused children.
queertypie
Don’t they make the “homeless” and “destitute” people they feed pray before they get any food? Also, don’t they try to proselytize everyone they come in contact with? They seem like another Christian group that promotes hatred. WWJD?
Denguyfl
@joec: You can use this dollar…
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-M2VT-pzFyng/TswOE5T7ayI/AAAAAAAAATs/s_a-FtiBo_s/w345-h146-k/Gay%2BDollar.jpg
Denguyfl
@joec: You can use this dollar if you have a color printer…
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-M2VT-pzFyng/TswOE5T7ayI/AAAAAAAAATs/s_a-FtiBo_s/w345-h146-k/Gay%2BDollar.jpg
Shannon1981
Haven’t given to them in years. Instead, I donate to Goodwill.
reg
The SA isn’t even “free” for their clients; it cost ten bucks to spend the night
with a meal (of some sort) and a shower.
reg
By the way Denguyfl I really like the queer dollar bill !
Dallas David
One of the reasons that corporate America gives to the Salvation Army is that they get lots of good PR from trumpeting their donations. “We give to the Salvation Army, so that shows that We Care.” etc etc etc. In most places, the local United Way organization asks the Salvation Army to add their name to the effort, while most other organizations have to fight to get a piece of the pie. Why? Mr. and Mrs. John Smith don’t really know much about where the charity $$$ goes, and even less about the Salvation Army. But, the S.A. sounds good, like a holiday tradition with the Xmas bell ringers and change pots in front of the department stores. But little do they know where their money goes. Or that taxpayer $$$ pay for lots and lots of all the good deeds that they do, like “Catholic Charities.”
Once Corporate America realize that giving to rabidly anti-gay religious charities like the Salvation Army won’t enhance their own image in the community, they’ll find another charity that will.
Merry Xmas.
Bill Ford
So sad, just saw on Twitter that Joe Manganiello from True Blood has come out in support of the Salvation Army. Who knew he would turn out to be a homophobe? Oh well, that show was becoming tired anyway.
B
No. 6 · Freddie wrote, “I echo Kurt’s point. Give your money to a good charity instead, one that doesn’t have an agenda.”
Also, you can try to do as much Christmas shopping as possible in places like
“Under One Roof” (on Castro Street in SF) that runs as a non-profit, using the
money it makes to support HIV/AIDS service organizations.
http://www.underoneroof.org/about/about.shtml has the details.
No. 16 · Bill Ford wrote, “So sad, just saw on Twitter that Joe Manganiello from True Blood has come out in support of the Salvation Army. Who knew he would turn out to be a homophobe?”
Don’t assume he’s a homophobe for doing that – someone may have just asked him to support it and he could have assumed it was just a charity without really checking into it personally.