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Target’s Pick Tom Emmer Confuses ‘Rights Of Free Speech’ With ‘Rights to Consumer Choice’

The sad part to me is, I thought we were supposed to be able to exercise our rights of free speech. We’re supposed to celebrate the fact that we have different perspectives. And it doesn’t seem like that’s what this is about. This seems to be more personal and we’ve got to get over that.

—Minnesota Republican gubernatorial candidate Tom Emmer, recipient of financial support from the Target- and Best Buy-funded MN Forward, misunderstanding the anger toward the retail giants. They are free, the Supreme Court just ruled in Citizens United, to exercise their corporate free speech rights. And we’re free to spend our money with shops that don’t help elect bigots. [via]

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By: Arthur Dunlop
On: Jul 30, 2010
Tagged: Business, campaigns, Elections, Gregg Steinhafel, mark dayton, Michele Bachmann, minneosta, target, tom emmer

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10 Comments

No. 1 · Harold
Boycott Target, Best Buy, AND especially that asshat Emmer.

Jul 30, 2010 at 1:00 pm · @Reply · Flag
No. 2 · Jay
Is there an address we can write too, a number we can call, an email or a website we can visit to let Target and Best Buy know we can no longer frequent their stores because they support homophobia?

Jul 30, 2010 at 1:26 pm · @Reply · Flag
No. 3 · jason
I would support a Target boycott if I knew the people boycotting would start shopping at locally owned, non big box stores. But the majority of them are just gonna hop on over to Walmart. I’d still rather give Target my money over Walmart

Jul 30, 2010 at 1:35 pm · @Reply · Flag
No. 4 · Tim W
@Jay: Jay if you are on Facebook there is a Boycott Target group which also has all the contact info for Target including the CEO.

Jul 30, 2010 at 1:40 pm · @Reply · Flag
No. 5 · slobone
LOL, in a million years I’m not going to boycott WalMart, Target, OR Best Buy. And frankly I doubt that very many of you are either.

Isn’t it time gay people learned started focusing on action that actually leads to results, and stop believing these ridiculous boycotts ever accomplish anything?

PS Cracker Barrel is still in business and is probably more popular with the crackers than ever…

Jul 30, 2010 at 6:53 pm · @Reply · Flag
No. 6 · Mark
Emmer is as scary as they come supporting a group that calls for the execution of Gay folks. Exactly what pro business polices is Target reacting to? How do you justify ignoring his legacy of hate and harm that he has heaped on those group of citizens? Target has also supported Bachmann. She has not been responsible for any legislation getting passed while in office in MN or in Congress- a fantastic failure. Target has a corporate image and credibility problem on in its hands supporting these 2 over all the other possibilities.

Jul 31, 2010 at 7:54 am · @Reply · Flag
No. 7 · LeBeau
Gee,Tom, I never knew that “free speech” precluded anyone from responding to that speech. That’s all I’m doing here, responding to Target’s “perspective” with my own. And my perspective is that I do not want one tenth of one cent of my money ending up in the war chest of any person or group that thinks it’s proper to deny equal rights to a large segment of our society or believes that it’s ok to pay waitstaff wages considerably below minimum wage and tax them on presumed tips because of a completely insane idea that it’s typical for a server to make an annual 6 figures in gratuities.

I am speaking with my wallet.

Jul 31, 2010 at 9:31 am · @Reply · Flag
No. 8 · dvd
@slobone On the contrary, these are actions that do have results. The objective isn’t to run them out of business, but to change their policies or actions that are anti-gay. Crackel Barrel for one had to change their anti-gay hiring policy.

Jul 31, 2010 at 11:36 am · @Reply · Flag
No. 9 · concernedcitizen
@Jay: http://pressroom.target.com/pr/news/contacts.aspx
and for best buy
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/ol.....d=cat12104
Great idea to let them know what you think!

Jul 31, 2010 at 9:41 pm · @Reply · Flag
No. 10 · Queer Supremacist
@jason: I fear for my life when I merely drive by a Wal-Mart, never mind enter one.

Jul 31, 2010 at 11:20 pm · @Reply · Flag