With the economy ever tanking, now is as good a time as any to take stock of where your gay dollars are going. You may not have much (or, thanks to prudent investing in gold and shares in Mr. Hobo J. Poverschmidt’s Hobo Sticks Emporium, you may have quite a bit), so why spend it on companies whose executives use their cash to fund anti-gay bills or who refuse their gay employees the same benefits as their straight co-workers? With legislators using the economy as an excuse not to move on gay rights bills, we present this list so that you can vote with your dollar and hit homophobic executives where it hurts most.
These are the 10 worst companies for gays and lesbians, chosen for their national influence, prominence, history of corporate bigotry and the likelihood you can do something about it. Not a single one of them deserves a nickel.
Owned by Terry Caster, A-1 is one of California’s largest storage rental companies, with over 40 locations in the state. The owner and his family donated $693,000 to the Yes on 8 campaign, making then the 2nd largest individual donors to the measure. Caster defended his donation, telling the San Diego Tribune, “Without solid marriage, you are going to have a sick society.” Since November, three protests against the company have been staged by Californians Against Hate and a boycott is ongoing.
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.
How They’re Faring: As a family-owned, private business, there’s little way to tell how the company is faring and there’s been no recent business news about A-1.
What You Can Do: Activists have set-up a website asking people to boycott the company as well as call the customer support line to voice let them know why they are taking their business elsewhere.
“America’s number one retailer of auto parts and accessories” continues to refuse domestic partner benefits for employees. AutoZone, a Fortune 500 company, also has a history of being a hostile workforce to women and in 2006,was sued by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
How They’re Faring: Depends on who you ask. Shares of AutoZone hit a new 52-week high Friday, closing at $146.39 per share, up $3.81 or 2.67 percent for the day, but at least one stock forecaster says AutoZone is ripe for shorting.
What You Can Do: Currently, there is no organized boycott action against AutoZone. Their customer service number is 1-800-859-3282.
A Fortune 1000 Company, Brown-Forman distributes Jack Daniels, Southern Comfort, Finlandia Vodkas, Herradura Tequila, Sonoma-Cutrer Wines, Fetzer Wines, Korbel Champagne, Bolla Wines, Bonterra Wines, but provides no comfort to its gay and lesbian employees, refusing even basic domestic partner benefits.
How They’re Faring: B.F. is currently trading at $41.70, up marginally from their mid-November 52 week low of $38 dollars, but over the past 10 years has had an average of 8.3% growth annually.
What You Can Do: This one makes the list because it’s so easy for you to make a difference. Stop drinking the brands Brown-Forman distributes. If you’re out at a gay bar and see a bottle of SoCo or Jack Daniels on the shelf (which you will at just about any gay bar), let them know that they’re serving up their whiskey with a chaser of hate and ask them to consider taking it down off the shelf—though you may want to do this the next day while sober and not while loudly screaming at your bartender. With so many gay-friendly liquor companies, there’s no reason to put Brown-Forman booze in your gullet.
UPDATE: Sean Wachsman, P.R. Manager for Southern Comfort writes:
“I noticed you have included Brown-Forman on this list, so I wanted to provide you with some updated information. Brown-Forman began offering domestic partner benefits in January 2009, amended our EEO policy to include gender identity or expression and have created a GLBT Resource Group, among other GLBT efforts.
These changes reflect a genuine desire, on the part of our leadership, to create an inclusive organization. We hope you will provide this current information to your readers and revise your top 10 list by removing Brown-Forman.”
7. Cinemark
Regular Queerty readers know our feelings about Cinemark CEO Alan Stock, who donated $9,999 dollars to the Yes on 8 campaign. Operating also under the name Tinseltown, CineArts and Century Theaters, Cinemark delivers the sort of highbrow, artistic films that appeal to gays. Despite multiple boycotts, including one at Sundance, neither Stock nor Cinemark have pledged to change anything, other than to send out form letters saying, “It would be inappropriate to influence our employees’ position on personal issues outside the work environment, especially on political, social or religious activities,” to people who write asking for Cinemark to take a stand.
How They’re Faring: Need proof that boycotts are effective? Look no further than Cinemark. While almost all movie chains saw their stock tumble in the October crash, Cinemark has regained little of its value as competitors like Regal Cinemas have shown moderate improvement. Cinemark now trades at half of what it did in September, hovering at $7.99/ share.
What You Can Do: Continue boycotting Cinemark. Next week, the Supreme Court will hear arguments for and against invalidating Prop. 8 and now’s as good a time as any to renew your commitment to eat your popcorn in a place that isn’t run by a bigot.
Another case of CEOs and management using their prominent position and hefty salary to put down gays and lesbians, Domino’s founder Tom Monaghan is a co-founder of the Thomas More Law Center, which recently defended the San Diego Fire Fighters who won a lawsuit claiming they were sexually harassed by being forced to March in a gay pride parade. Monaghan also financed a 2001 ballot initiative to remove sexual orientation from Ypsilanti, Michigan’s, non-discrimination ordinance. David Brandon, the current CEO, opposes gay marriage and brushed off questions about Domino’s decision not to extend health benefits to spouses of gay employees when asked about in 2006 saying when he ran for Regent of the University of Michigan, explaining why he doesn’t support non-discrimination by saying,
“I don’t understand why we continually have to have discussions about who should and who shouldn’t be included, in terms of our nondiscrimination policy, because I think identifying specific, special-interest groups or specific entities within the institution almost implies that unless you’re on that list, then somehow we think you should be treated differently than people who are on that list. It should not be about lists.”
How They’re Faring: So so. Domino’s lost about half of its stock value in the crash, but has been steadily gaining traction since and now trades at $6.49/ share, down from a 52-week high of $15.33.
What You Can Do: Weirdly, just about everyone from all sides of the political spectrum have called for a boycott on Domino’s. Conservatives decry their decision to open a halal-only branch of the pizzeria in the UK and the National Organization of Women boycott the store for the company’s decision last year to donate $50,000 to a pro-life group.
As a church, the Salvation Army is exempt from state anti-gay discrimination laws and the evangelical Christian organization takes advantage of it every chance they get. The Salvation Army openly says that “practicing homosexuals” aren’t welcome in their organization and they have lobbyists in D.C. and abroad who work to prevent gay rights legislation from being enacted.
How They’re Faring: One of the other benefits of being a church is that you don’t have to reveal your financial documents.
What You Can Do: Come Christmas, don’t drop your nickels in that red kettle, no matter how much Santa Claus tempts you to.
Doug Manchester, owner of San Diego’s Manchester Grand Hyatt Hotel, Grand del Mar Resort and Whitetail Club and Resort in Idaho gave $125,000 to Yes on Prop 8 campaign. PlanetOut Inc., the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, and the Human Rights Campaign all dropped any association with the hotel last year once it was learned that Manchester was using his cash to put Prop. 8 on the ballot.
How They’re Faring: Another privately owned company, another completely opaque ledger book.
What You Can Do: You can join the ongoing boycott organized by Californians Against Hate.
3. Urban Outfitters (with one caveat)
As we were putting this list together, we knew Urban Outfitters, whose chairman, Richard Hayne, regularly supports anti-gay legislation and GOP candidates who vote against gay rights, was going to be on the list. In November, the company quickly removed t-shirts supporting gay marriage from their stores. However, one small glimmer of change occurred last week when the store announced that the t-shirts were back and that 100 percent of its “Marriage Equality” t-shirt sales are going to Equality California and National Center for Lesbian Rights, both major players in the upcoming Supreme Court hearing in California.
How They’re Faring:Urban Outfitters has lost more than 50% of its stock value this year, trading now at just over $16.
What You Can Do: A boycott against Urban Outfitters has been going on for years, but the recent t-shirt decision gives gays and lesbians the opportunity to use the carrot as well as the stick. Write to Urban Outfitters and thank them for their decision to support gay rights organizations.
Wal-Mart does not offer domestic partner benefits except in locations required by law. In addition, while Wal-Mart is the largest retailer of books in the country, it refuses to carry any LGBT-related titles. In 2008, after Christian Conservative groups threatened a boycott, Wal-Mart left the National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce, with a spokesperson saying the company had decided not “to support or oppose highly controversial issues.”
How They’re Faring: Wal-Mart’s growth has slowed over the past few years and like all retailers, the company has felt the crunch. That said, stock-guru and angry man Jim Cramer said Monday, “Wal-mart is the only retailer I’m recommending. I think it’s terrific, I’d pull the trigger under $46 a share.”
What You Can Do: While the conservative threats of boycott forced Wal-Mart to change their limited support for gay and lesbian rights, there’s been no move by gays and lesbians to boycott in return.
1. ExxonMobil
Rated a 0 by the HRC on gay and lesbian worker’s rights, ExxonMobil is the largest Fortune 500 company to offer no domestic partner benefits. In 1999, when the two companies merged, they eliminated domestic-partner benefits for same-sex partners. The company also consistently refuses to ban discrimination based on orientation and gender identity, except where required by law.
How They’re Faring: While the rest of the economy is tanking, ExxonMobil tankers, laden with liquid gold, have helped the company reap record profits. On Monday, major brokerage firm Deutsche Bank upgraded Exxon Mobil Corp. from a ‘hold’ to a ‘buy’.
What You Can Do: Take public transportation to work. You’ll not only be hurting big oil’s anti-gay employment practices, you’ll be helping the environment as well.
What do you think about boycotts? We’d love to hear about your own personal financial decisions and if you ever choose to shop elsewhere because of a company’s policies. Let us know about it in the comments.
gayvirgo
WONDERFUL! Thank you so much for giving the information and an opportunity to learn more about the effect our spending dollars have on our civil rights!
Mike Diamond
Love it. I would add RockStar energy drinks which I believe is owned by that hateful Michael Savage douchebag. Plus it tastes like goat piss.
POP MUSIC FORUM
The only one we have in Australia out of those is Domino’s so I’ll boycott them. I prefer Pizza Hut anyways 😛
tavdy79
Of those ten, at least five (Brown-Forman, Dominoes, Sally Army, Wal-Mart/Asda and Exxon-Mobil) could be boycotted in the UK. Southern Comfort and Jack Daniels are both hugely popular in the gay community here though, in some areas ASDA is the only major supermarket, and most people buy their petrol or deisel through intermediaries like supermarkets or local garages rather than direct from the oil companies, so it may not be an easy thing to accomplish. Also, unlike in the US we have nation-wide Civil Partnerships and almost-comprehensive hate crime and anti-discrimination laws (they don’t yet cover the trans community) that are far stricter than could be permitted under the US constitution, so actually convincing British LGBTs that a boycott is a good idea in the first place will be damned hard work.
Sebbe
Thanks for the article, I do not patronize any of these business anyways, but I was unaware of Urban Outfitters practices. My guess is that lgbt have not moved to boycott Walmart is because they do not shop there (in large numbers) anyways.
I personally have really made an effort to funnel my pink dollars to lgbt business whenever possible. When not, my second choice is companies that employ lgbt in significant numbers. I also think it is important when donating to reevaluate your giving and the charities you are contributing to depending on what your individual criteria are, always be informed.
It is arguably harder (and possibly less apparent) for our brothers and sisters who do not live in big urban cities. I’d be curious if they have changed their spending habits at all and how so?
Automobile services, religious organizations, fast food, oil & gas companies. Shouldn’t we try to to boycott these companies as a general rule always?
Geoff
What a great article! This is the kind of news I really appreciate! (Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy the rest too, but this is great!)
Matt
I’m still going to donate to Salvation Army. They help a lot of people and children. I’m not going to possibly hurt others because they don’t like me.
As for the others, if it’s the cheapest or I can get a good deal there I’m still going to shop there. I’m not going to blow money to support a gay business just because they are gay. If a gay business wants my money, then get competitive and offer me either a good price or better service.
Debby
Thanks for the list! I would actually like to see what other companies are against gays so I can boycott them too! I know Cracker Barrel has had a few instances that they have fired gay employees.
anyankafan
nooooo not dominoes! i too am in australia and so its the only applicable one 😛 but thats depressing. i love dominos deep pan 😉 yummerific.
oh well i need to eat healthier anyway
Sampson
@tavdy79: are you sure that Brown-Forman operate in the UK? I don’t konw if they do. Of course, people could refuse to buy the products that are distributed by this company. I don’t think this is likely to happens since it doesn’t involve a company that is trading directly in the UK. I’m more than happy to avoid shopping in Urban Outfitters (and I sent them a message congratulating them on selling the ‘marriage equality’ t-shirts; Wal-mart/Asda; the Salvation Army; and, Exxon.
Avoiding Exxon shouldn’t be too difficult as I don’t know how to drive so normally walk or take public transport everywhere.
There are, however, important differences between the UK and the US about same-sex benefits. In the UK, companies are not allowed to discriminate on the provision of benefits to married and civil partnered couples. I will need to check for myself, but I would be reluctant to avoid shopping at Asda if they have previously had a history of supporting gay rights when there was no legislative or statutory obligation to do so.
Timmeeeyyy
@Matt – You may be willing to help the Salvation Army, but they may not be willing to help you. Salvation Army regularly turns homeless gays away from their shelters. I think it’s great you want to help folks, and I bet there are some amazing groups in your area that help people regardless of sexual orientation.
Charles J. Mueller
Salvation Army is at the top of my hate list.
Chitown Kev
@Timmeeeyyy:
not only homeless gays…Thge Salvation Army also has turned away gays with substance abuse issues. Plus even if you are in those substance abuse programs (some of which are residential) there are church requirements, etc.
Chitown Kev
I have followed up on the Cinemark boycott. And I live near the really nice one in Evanston, IL that has both big studio releases and art-house releases. It’s a little inconvenient, yes, since many of my friends like to go there but they understand my reasons.
Alexa
@Matt: I don’t think anyone needs to bankrupt themselves supporting gay/gay friendly businesses, or avoiding ones who are anti-gay, but I would hope we would read these articles and take the companies’ viewpoints into account when deciding where to spend our money if there is a viable alternative. How difficult is it to change the brand of vodka or tequila you drink? Or to avoid getting gas at Exxon? (where I live, Exxon is the highest priced gas anyway) And there are many more deserving charities than the Salvation Army.
Tim McIntyre
Hi, I’m the VP of Communications at Domino’s and I have to say that how the company is being portrayed is inaccurate and unfair. The founder of the company sold Domino’s Pizza in 1998 – more than a decade ago. What he does now has nothing to do with us…in fact, the pizza company has never discriminated. A few years ago, in fact, we were listed as one of the “most improved” companies on the Human Rights Campaign’s list buyer’s guide.
I also just clicked on the link to the NOW story and I’m shocked that that web site is passing off as “current” something that took place more than TWENTY YEARS AGO. The issue with NOW took place in 1987. It’s irresponsible and unprofessional of them to do that, and I’ve asked the editor to explain his reasons for a decision so ridiculous. Thank you.
Bill Perdue
Wal-Mart is on top of my list. Sam Walton had a litter of five, each of whom has a fortune of over $20 billion dollars. They get their obscene income employing over a million workers but underpaying them and denying them benefits. Many Wal-mart workers qualify for Medicare, a program for those living in poverty.
The sign should read : Wal-Mart – Always Lowest Wages ?.
Is it any surprise that Hillary Clinton spent 6 or so years as a member of the Board of Directors of Wal-Mart? Here is the link to the AFL-CIO’s Wal-Mart organizing site. http://www.aflcio.org/corporatewatch/walmart/ ?
Nick11
Great list thanks.
I think a gay boycott of Jack Daniels is in order! Makers Mark is better anyway 😉
I don’t, however, think Urban Outfitters should be written to and thanked. Why? They’re so desperate to increase their market share they now are willing to exploit us and then spend the money we give them to refuse us our rights? It’s still owned by the same jerks, makes no sense to me. It’s like Manhunt, if half of all profits are going towards our oppression why would we want to support them? Obviously not everyone thinks this way.
We have the power to create change by how and where we spend our money, always a good message to reiterate as it is so easy to forget and do what is easy. How about Home Depot? That guy is hugely homophobic and insane.
markl
As #2-MikeDiamond notes, RockStar Energy drink is owned by wellspring of hate, the Weiner family. More info here:
http://www.thetruthaboutrockstar.com/familytree.html
Mark
@Chitown Kev:
We also live near that theater in Evanston. Parking in that deck is convenient and cheap, and there’s plenty of other businesses nearby to stroll thru. It’s going to be difficult to stay away from there since it’s been our favorite theater for quite some time.
Chitown Kev
Yeah,
And there is an Urban Outfitters right next to it. I may have to go and see if they have those Marriage Equality shirts.
Mark Remigio
@Tim McIntyre: Does the company offer benefits to domestic partners nationwide or only in places that require it by law?
ChristopherM
According to the HRC’s website, Brown-Forman was a sponsor of some dinner hoo-ha they had (because aside from compiling useful lists, having dinners is sort of all they do). Odd considering that they only scored a 20 on this survey.
Bob R
@Bill Perdue: WalMart workers qualify for Medicaid, which provides health care for many of those in poverty. To get Medicare, you collect Social Security Disability or retirement. WalMart employees usually also qualify for Food Stamps, so in essence the American taxpayer greatly subsidizes WalMart. Many local governments offer WalMart big tax breaks or subsidies to build stores in their towns because it “helps increase” employment. I hate WalMart, but I live in a rural area in Appalachia and although I can get my groceries at Kroger, I’m forced to go to WalMart for other things because they’re pretty much the only game in town, although I do try to minimize my purchases there whenever possible.
Bill Perdue
@Bob R: You’re right, it’s Medicaid.
John M
@Matt:
So if you were a Jew in Nazi Germany, you’d still support Nazi businesses because they offered you the best deal – before shipping you off to a gas chamber? I guess you’re not a “big picture” kind of guy. Brilliant.
Marcel Danvers
Thanks for this enlighting list. As I assume a lot of companies where we can spend our money alternatively, also support, to a lesser extent, anti LGBT issues. Maybe it would be good to create a white list with companies that do support us?
This will give us the reassurance we are spending our money to serve us, and maybe we’ll create a conglomorate of companies the above mentioned blacklisted ones want to be a part of?
Thanks!
DMAKron
Okay check it, here I am on my lunch break reading my Queerty and chomping on my Domino’s sandwhich when I read that they are one of the bigger corporate haters out there. i choked. Warn someone next time! lol Seriously, made me nauseous that I gave money to those A-holes now.
Rachel
fortunately i don’t support those businesses but someone really needs to let the teen community know about urban outfitters… they are big supporters and i know that all the ones my daughter knows are gay and/or gay supporters and would think twice about buying there.
Bill Perdue
@Bob R: You’re right.
Urban supporter
Your information on Urban Outfitters is carelessly pulled from other bloggers and not from reality. The viral rumor of UO pulling pro-gay tshirts is false. The Tshirt didn’t sell well and therefore was marked down and taken off the shelves. The President of UrbanInc is Gay, the men’s Tshirt buyer is Gay and Dick Hayne supports the gay community in other ways that are never posted on blogs. What news spreads fastest…gossip. The good that Urban does gets no recogition by independent bloggers which is sad, because it’s alot more interesting.
Sebbe
It’s always fun when the corporations come to defend themselves and post comments. Some of these companies must long for the days of old media, while others have benefited from the information that is now publicly available to all!!
Matt
@John M: Really? The Nazi comment is the best you could come up with. I highly doubt any of these companies are going to kill me for being gay. Wait, my company doesn’t offer benefits or has anti gay discrmination in it’s code of conduct. I guess they are going to probaby kill me shortly.
getreal
Thank you queerty those companies just lost my money until they make substantive changes and apologize.
dfrw
I knew about ExxonMobil and Domino’s. I won’t go near them and I live in New England where both are everywhere. I didn’t know about some of the others. I love these posts because I do pay attention to what the “corporate citizens” are up to and try to avoid spending money there if I can.
Sebbe is right, I am sure that companies don’t like it that the public can find out what they’re up to or where they stand on an issue.
Charles J. Mueller
Dang. And I had pizza for supper the other night at Dominos.
I feel an upchuck coming on.
Dawster
i have a question about Brown-Forman Corp.
according to the HRC buying guide (which is certainly commercialism at its best) Brown-Forman isn’t doing good… but it’s still better than half the companies out there. there is an issue that they are not going out of their way to don the rainbow flag and tiara… certainly not when compared to fantastically supportive companies like Diageo.
but to put Brown-Forman on a “hate” list of any kind is hypocritical, isn’t it? because they don’t cater to the gays as much we assume that they absolutely hate us and should be shunned, boycotted and… dare i say… hated in return.
i mean, they sell Jack Daniels, Southern Comfort, etc. – think of their target market here. plus, in our area… the Jack Daniels people really do a lot, working with our gay bars and such… so personally, i don’t see the ‘hate’ being displayed.
everyone else on the list have made active, anti-gay movements. B
Roger
Great informative article, but I think you went over the line a little in a couple of cases.
For one, supplying customer service numbers for the purpose of voicing your opinion on corporate policy is just plain unfair. The people who have to work those lines have nothing to do with the top brass’ decisions, and they sure don’t feel like hearing about it.
I also don’t appreciate you recommending that you boycott Salvation Army’s Red Kettle program, as that money goes to those who need it, not to The Salvation Army. I’m not opposed to my money slipping through my enemies hands to go to those who need it. Granted, they probably wouldn’t give to gay and lesbian individuals who need it, but are we against helping anyone but our own? If you want to recommend boycotting a charity, perhaps you should supply a good alternative to donate to.
Chuck
Great article. I aways had a warm feeling about Salvation Army because Roz Russel donates her last dime to them in Auntie Mame and then meets Bo. Well, no more! Now I and all gays should openly sneer when we see them begging for money and as we walk away, mutter something like “up yours.”
I knew about Auto Zone from personal experience with them being fairly rude and redneck-y, Pep Boys is better anyway.
Wal Mart is the only one of these that I have been to in the last year. It is one of the only places that carry the hair dye I like and they have self checkout. Of course, I have always disliked Wal Mart instinctively, and continue to, but good hair is the best revenge.
Sebbe
Chuck – “and they have self checkout” – lol
Jason
I am absolutely shocked at the Salvation Army! Almost unbelievable! Wal-Mart I can believe. Those people are bastards to everyone.
Let me add to the list: Chik-Fil-A! or as I call it, Dik-fil-A. They are raging homophobes!
anonymous
Does anyone know an alternative to the Salvation Army that also collects clothes? Preferably one that also operates in Europe?
echelon
Wow, Urban Outfitters? I used to love that store. When are these companies going to embrace the 30 year back stroke that Coors has gone through. Gays/Lesbians don’t forget.
http://www.echelonmagazine.com
GranDiva
Wait a minute: people still order from Domino’s?
I live in a hippie neighborhood, and I can get affordable — often the cheapest in Austin — gas at an independently-owned convenience store that is friendly to just about everyone who walks in the door. Exxon/Mobil has been off my list since the merger.
I’ll find a way to make things up to Santa. I just met a really hot professional gay Santa, and I’ll be very very very good while sitting in his lap.
Chitown Kev
@anonymous:
Try Goodwill as opposed to a Salvation Army.
http://www.goodwill.org/page/guest/about
Chitown Kev
LOL. and the H8ers come out.
guydads
This is the same list I wrote about last December. (http://guydads.blogspot.com/2008/12/anti-gay-companies.html) I came up with it by doing google searches. I was hoping you had some new ones to add. I have several other great ideas for stories too, if you want to use them. Let me know.
petted
I’ve never bought from AutoZone before because their prices are terrible and most of the stuff they sell isn’t in the slightest bit useful unless your messing around with a truck. Guess I have reason now to stop even going over for price comparisons – they’re never better but it’s hard not to compare when there are 5 auto part stores in 2-3 mile radius.
Rick
True, Domino’s has improved, but it still has a ways to go. You’re currently at 60 on the HRC Buyer’s Guide. Add domestic partner benefits and I’ll start eating your pizza again.
Rick
I dropped Alltel years ago because of their low HRC Corporate Equality rating. I wrote HRC a few years ago and suggested they partner with one of the brokerage houses and start a Corporate Equality Investment Fund (mutual fund). We could buy shares, and the fund would invest partiall in pro-gay companies but also buy shares of anti-gay public companies. Then, as shareholders, we could submit shareholder proposals every year seeking revision of the corporate policy to provide things such as domestic partner benefits. It may not pass, but we/the fund could be aggressive shareholders. HRC said they’d pass it on, but nothing ever came of it.
Chitown Kev
@Rick:
Maybe it’s because I live in Chicago but the idea of eating Domino’s Pizza under any circumstances is revolting.
kansastock
Salvation Army is the original ‘hater’ before the Baptists and Phed Phelps even knew what a blow job is. I worked for them almost 30 years ago and they were a bunch of cloned cotts even then.
Rick
Kev: Who’d eat Domino’s when you could eat Uno’s!!!
Thor
I’m reading this post while wearing an Urban Outfitters Hoodie I would feel really guilty, but I got this Hoodie for 19.99 so it was an excellent deal. Though when I went to buy that hoodie from Urban Outfitters all the guys that worked there were quite flamming and they even inquired about what cologne I was wearing and ya. It was pretty gay.
David Hauslaib
@Roger: Wrong. All money you donate to The Salvation Army gets split up. Some goes to worthy causes, yes, but some also goes to overhead, including administrative costs and staff salaries, as well as to their lobbyists. So every penny you put into those red kettles goes toward supporting their homophobia. There are plenty of other charities that use their money for good without trying to enact anti-gay legislation.
sal
@Nick11: amen!!!
sal
@Bob R: wow,damn.
sal
i say lets spread the word,everyone needs to know this…heck,i didnt know some of this stuff
Chitown Kev
It’s also a good thing that LGBTs have established our own charities for those LGBTs that really need help.
When someone-anyone-needs help they are usually indifferent as to the source. And a lot of BS indoctination/prosletyzing happens. A lot of GLBT-specific resources were not available prior to the AIDS crisis. Thankfully, these services are available now so that we can step up to the plate and lend our people a helping hand.
Fact-check
You may want to take Brown-Forman off the list. According to their Web site: “we are pleased to announce that Brown-Forman will be offering domestic partner and adoption benefits to employees beginning in calendar year 2009.”
Check it out yourself at http://www.brown-forman.com/responsibility/employee/diversity.aspx
DaveO
How is A-1 ($693K donated to Yes on 8) ranked below Cinemark ($10K from CEO)?
Where is Emirates?
Donsnyc
Please make you voice heard in Hawaii. Today the Hawaii State Senate is in hearing regarding the bill giving civil rights to gay unions. Please contact their locals officials here:
http://capitol.hawaii.gov/site1/senate/members/members.asp
Also, please take the poll/survey here:
http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/
sal
@gray hunt: thanks for coming on a GAY website,u just supported us u fool.lol
sal
@Donsnyc: i just voted,thanks for that
Jim
@Tim McIntyre: Honey, if you were really “most improved” a few years ago and you’re still at 60 out of 100 on the HRC list, then that’s what I call damning with faint praise.
Also, I’d bet Tom Monaghan still owns quite a bit of stock in Domino’s, doesn’t he? Which would mean our pink dollars are still funding his haterade. Care to comment on that, confirm or deny?
Too bad, too, because I’d actually been ordering a bit from y’all lately, esp. those new sandwiches. But they’re definitely not good enough to make me spend money there in light of this.
angela cullins
Thanks for the great information. Too bad we can’t make a real change in Utah unless for run for office!!!!!!! Didn’t know this state IS NOT A DEMOCRACY. Lets work to change a church run state or they will run tar and feather anyone who isn’t brain dead.
Charles J. Mueller
@gray hunt:
How do you feel about equality for women and blacks? Wanna start a proposition to take their rights away too?
Matthew
My uncle works for Advance Auto, and his partner just received partner benefits. Not sure when all of this data was compiled. Advance was started in Roanoke, my hometown, and has done a lot for my community, and family.
Kari
@gayvirgo: Wonderful now I know who to support since they are against gay rights! I will tell all of my friends who are against gay rights to go to these places. I have so many since I have lived in so many states!
Charles J. Mueller
@Kari:
Huh?
S Dawg
@Matt: I totally agree with everything you said
DAVIDnHOUSTON
@POP MUSIC FORUM:
I don’t buy gas from Citgo, a Venezuelan government-owned company. You’re financing Hugo Chavez’s illegit regime when you fill up at Citgo.
Charles J. Mueller
@DAVIDnHOUSTON:
Depends….
http://www.snopes.com/politics/gasoline/citgo.asp
Bill Perdue
@DAVIDnHOUSTON: Thanks, I’ll look into that.
If it’s true I’ll get all my gas from Citgo. I admire Chavez’s attempts to kick US businesses and empire builders out of Latin America, his friendship with left wing regimes in Bolivia and Cuba and most of all his economic program to end the abject poverty caused by foreign, mainly US over-exploitation.
I think what he can accomplish is limited because no one can lead a revolution from the top. The only time revolutions are genuine is when working people and farmers organize a new state. Chavez is no Fidel but he is a radical who’s made some impressive gains for Venezuela and for Latin America.
Sebbe
@Bill – I also would buy gas from Citgo if that is true, well if I bought gas. Go Chavez!!
As soon as someone yells socialism everyone has to drink.
michael
@Matt: Matt, you can find other organizations that help women and children. Even the Nazis sent kids to summer camp and helped unwed mothers. I am going to have my partner try to find a letter that he was sent written by the director of the Salvation Army and post it. Its terrible and make no mistake, they hate our guts, think we are going to hell, and don’t mind helping their God out with putting us there.
michael
@Matt: Also Matt, thanks for being a great example of how so many of our own kind put our needs as LGBT’s behind everyone elses needs. It shows just how low our self worth is among many of our tribe that we see everyone else as more worthy than we are.
Bill Perdue
@michael: “Its terrible and make no mistake, they hate our guts, think we are going to hell, and don’t mind helping their God out with putting us there.”
I know Vietnam vets who spend a lot time helping homeless and totally disoriented vets from the Clinton-Bush Oil wars. None of them have a very high opinion of the SA because its whole culture is based on condemning the people it ‘helps’, blaming them instead of a dog eat dog society that chews people up and spits them out. They have to listen to that garbage and then they get fed.
The SA is the worst of all possible cults – a military religious cult.
Bill Perdue
@Sebbe: Good for you. It’s not socialism yet but they’re on their way. Bolivia has a mass movement and could go even further and create a new state.
Cee
That sucks Walmart is on the list. I hate their employees. They are stupid as hell. But I like Walmart. I don’t do business with any of the other companies on the list.
Charles J. Mueller
@michael:
I am so glad that you caught that, Michael.
I had wanted to reply to Matt’s post as well, but was not desirous of igniting yet another firestorm as I seem to have been doing with all of the “Let’s get down on gays” crowd as of late.
You are absolutely right when you take note of how low our self worth is among many of our tribe and that we see everyone else as more worthy than we are.
But the comments that really get me are the people who say things like “With all the other more important issues we have to worry about, aren’t we being a little selfish just thinking about ourselves and un-necessary same-sex marriage?”
As another poster so astutely said, when “other issues” take precedence over the civil-rights of all American Citizens, we are well on our way toward becoming a dictatorship or totalitarian regime.
Then none of the “other issues” will be of any import either. Just like in other dictatorships, the official government policy will be, let them eat cake.
Sebbe
@Bill Perdue – Is the US socialistic yet or just on our way? Social Democracy = good!!
Bill Perdue
@Sebbe: We’re not even close.
The closest thing we have to a socialized infrastructure is the military, for the time being, hasn’t been privatized. Well, except for Haliburton and Blackwater. Actually I think Reagan and his gang did try to sell the Navy or the Coast Guard.
You’ll know we’re on our way when we have a constitutional guarantee for a good living wage for working people, retirees, students, etc. Something around $25.00 an hour adjusted for inflation.
And you’ll know we’re on our way when we nationalize failed banks and other businesses without compensation.
And when we get there the bigots who advocated violence against GLBT are going to jail.
Sebbe
@Bill Perdue – oops, I meant to sent that at the anti-socialism DavidinHouston.
I agree with you.
Kirk in San Francisco
IGNORE MATT ALREADY!
He’s not gay, he’s just a toady for one of the companies listed in the article trying to keep his pathetic ass from getting fired because of the economy. You don’t hate slime because it needs a putrid environment to survive…
michael
@Charles J. Mueller: Its amazing at how angry, shaming and critical some gay folks are toward the general gay population. I recently attended a screening of the Milk Documentary made in the 80’s that was also a fund raiser for a gay youth organization. There was a panel discussion afterward and people were really fired up about participating in a march that some youth had put together in a small town near by to protest the local school boards anti-gay policies.
It was so cool to see our brothers and sisters ready to go down there and march with those young folks. But there was a guy in the audience who writes on a lot of the local blogs negative comments about gays being vocal, doing marches, holding hands in public, being to effeminate etc. He basically believes that we are offensive because we are visible. Of course my take on his opinion is that he is self loathing and ashamed and does not like the mirror he sees when we all are visible to the public. Its really sad, cause the more I heal myself, the more I grow to accept myself, the more joy I feel when I see my brothers and sisters being who they are. We are all so fucking beautiful and we have no idea of it. Our time has come to shine, and shine we will.
Kirk in San Francisco
THERE’S SOMETHING ELSE YOU CAN DO with each of these companies. Every time you buy a DON’T patronize them, let them know it. Send them a copy of your receipt from the competitor you DID patronize, and tell them why. Even calling the customer service line, or emailing and letting them know how much you spent elsewhere can make a difference. Especially if you do it on a regular basis. Bookmark their website. Put their number on speed dial. Be a pain in the ass that makes a difference! Go team!!
david
I completely agree with Exxon being number 1 on the list of boycotts. To actually take away benefits is a first for any company.
Sebbe
@david – I’m not sure if Exxon is the first, the only, or the last to take away benefits, but yes, I too believe they deserved the number 1 position.
Charles J. Mueller
@michael:
Thank you so much for our heartwarming reply. I especially enjoyed the last two closing lines of your commentary. Beautifully stated.
I also liked your comment about the mirror image and what you say, is so true. What we dislike in others, is what we see in ourselves that we are not comfortable with. How we view the world begins with how we view ourselves.
And the same holds true for acceptance and love. Before we can accept or love anyone else, we need to accept and love who we are first. As you pointed out, when we are happy with ourselves, we are happy with everyone around us.
We are, indeed, very beautiful and the quicker we recognize that in ourselves, the sooner others will recognize that fact as well. Whatever message we put out, is the one that will come back to us.
jamie
Rick I think that’s a great idea – I wonder why HRC hasn’t done that already. I’d love to be able to choose to invest my mutal funds with companies that are not only growing, but are gay friendly as well!
Sarah
Although The Salvation Army gets a bad rep, and yes, Salvationists do not agree with homosexuality, not all Salvation Armies turn away LGBT Homeless. I worked for one for over a year and they were ok with LGBT people coming in and utilizing their services. These people were also never subject to sermon’s or lectures trying to “turn” them straight. As a person in the LGBT community, I was NOT ok with coming out to my co-workers, however, when I left, I did take quite a few of them with me to a drag show! So, I’m just letting people know that not all SA’s do “take advantage of” the LGBT community every chance they get.
As far as Cracker Barrel (from a comment above). I was recently told by a very out gay man who is a manager at a local cracker barrel that the anti-LGBT intstance was localized to one restaurant and that Cracker Barrel over-all isn’t ant–LGBT. I’m not sure that they have domestic partner benefits though.
I agree, Exxon, Wal-Mart and Auto Zone, who I believe is actually owned by a Wal-Mart family member should all be avoided at all costs.
That’s my two cents. :o)
Sebbe
Well that’s just great news that one SA location was “OK with LGBT people coming in and utilizing their services”. OK? Screw them, I’ll never drop so much as a penny in the red tin again.
Chitown Kev
@Sebbe:
Yeah, I work pretty actively with people who are recovering from drug and alcohol addictions. In SA rehab facilities, they ARE taught the typical fundamentalist line about homosexuality (homosexuality is treated as part of their drug addiction).
Not all faith-based rehab facilities are like this. My own recovery from addiction began in a faith-based rehab center and it was extremely gay-friendly from top management down.
Katya
Brown-Foreman isn’t the only liquor distributor for some of those brands. I know that Fetzer and JD are distributed in Texas and a few other southern states by Glazers. While BF may be the main distributor, a boycott of at least these two brands might hurt other, more tolerant companies.
Alan
Are you crazy?
Why donate to an organization who hate hays and if they find out you are will not let you be part of their organization.
Donate to gay friendly oranizations who will help all the needy.
How simplistic are your attitdes?
Salvation Army won’t even disclose their assests hiding behind the Church. Another Church cover up………….
Tim McIntyre
@Jim: Hi, Jim. In fact, Tom Monaghan sold all of his shares when the company went public in 2004. (He owned 7% from 1998-2004.) Are we all the way there yet? No, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t people in the organization who support gay rights. We shouldn’t all be painted with the same wide brush.
For what it’s worth, the majority of our stores around the world are owned by local independent operators who live and work in their communities, support their communities and provide jobs for their communities. There are a number of employees and franchisees who are gay. There are 125,000 people who work in some capacity for the brand in 60 countries around the world. We are diverse, in every sense of the word.
But, I’m not naive enough to expect that you will believe me, no matter what I say, nor that you’ll change your opinion. That’s cool. Feel free to order from whomever you want. But if you’re going to make a decision based on these “facts,” I would just ask you to reconsider. As I noted in my original comment, the NOW reference in the link above was written 22 YEARS AGO. Just because something gets posted on a blog doesn’t make it true.
Bill Perdue
@Tim McIntyre: The above comments by McIntyre are proof positive of the effectiveness of boycotts.
Forrest
I think some of these are tough calls. Our local Urban Outfitters is staffed by dozens of gay employees. They have alway sold gay affirming shirts. So for me, to boycott this store on my local level makes no sense to me and would hurt people that don’t earn much money to begin with.
Like Tim says, many of these companies are franchise based and don’t discriminate. It’s not so easy to judge.
Spike
Great list.
A few of those were a surprise, but I knew that Urban Outfitters was on MY list. They’ve supported Rick Santorum, which is about as low as you can go.
Anna
Oh. Hee Haw!!
Sebbe
@Chitown Kev- I’m glad to here it sounds like you are doing well and were able to receive treatment yourself in a positive environment.
@Tim McIntyre – After listening to you I am more convinced of ever to boycott your products and have been spreading the word in Boston to gays and straights alike. The truth of the matter is that there are people in every organization that support gay rights. What I am concerned with it the corporate policy and like you said yourself you are not there yet. To me the argument that you are a franshisor is completely irrelevant. A portion of the profits are still being funneled to the corporation.
I actually do believe what you say and what you have said has confirmed my support of this boycott even more so. I hope one day soon your corporation will become a responsible player and a supporter of human rights for both your employees, franchisees, and customers alike.
nicocoer
@Timmeeeyyy: Unfortunately, in rural areas Salval is the only resource for the populations described.
I’m also curious as to how low income families would be able to boycott WALMART? the others I can see, but for those of us who have recently lost our jobs Walmart is the only affordable place for some things. Heck, around here it is the ONLY source for things unless you can afford to drive an hour for any time you need anything.
Charles J. Mueller
@Sebbe:
Hear. Hear. Good post to Tom McIntyre. You beat me to the punch, and I am glad that you did.
Excellent post. Well said.
Sebbe
@Charles J. Mueller – LOL, I love when we agree!!
Charles J. Mueller
@Sebbe:
*Hands Sebbe a nosegay* 🙂
GL
Unfortunately, the Gay Community has become too mainstream to organize any boycotts.
Where there were once whistles and yells from groups such as “Act Up”, there are now cell phone ringtones and selfish attitudes from people who can’t be bothered and simply don’t care.
We are now connected better than ever (e.g. Internet, cell phones) but we have never been further apart. Do you think African-Americans would boycott a bus line or lunch counter today? The answer is probably not and that’s my point.
Go see “Milk” and/or “The Rosa Parks Story” and you will know what I mean. Sad but true.
John
@Tim McIntyre: @Tim McIntyre:
With all the restaurants and fast-food places I *could* choose to patronize, why should I spend my money at one that has *ever* been associated with antigay values? How do you address the recent actions of defending the San Diego firefighters and refusing to extend health benefits to same-sex partners of employees? How do you defend your CEO’s recent insensitive comments regarding nondiscrimination policies?
And what are you *talking* about when you say “I also just clicked on the link to the NOW story and I’m shocked that that web site is passing off as current something that took place more than TWENTY YEARS AGO.” You’re completely full of it: the story is dated *April 2008* and refers to recent events. How exactly is that “twenty years ago”?
If Dominoes doesn’t like having a bad reputation in the gay community, it should *stop its antigay practices* rather than whine about the gay media reporting truthfully about what Dominoes stands for.
jacob
@Matt: With all due respect man, there are PLENTY of other places you can donate too that help the needy…open yourself up a little bit
Shanese
I can see why gay people would be kind of pissed about companies not really accepting gays. I, myself have gay friends and a couple family members that are gay, so I have no problem with the gays and have hung around them quite a bit. Here’s the thing folks, not everyone is like you. Not everyone is going to be SUPER gay friendly. Some people just dont know anything about gay people or havent been around them. if you know nothing about gay people you will not be gay friendly. This is AMERICA So dont like…boycott a business because they dont fully acccept you. dont be mad at buisnesses when they arent openly armed and ready to FULLY accept gay people. thats pretty unrealistic.
Chitown Kev
@Shanese:
“the gays”?! Shanese, you ignorant…you know the rest!
Chitown Kev
Miss Shanese, let me back up, that was wrong.
You SHOULD NOT come onto a gay blog with a silly-ass phrase like “I have no problem with the gays.”
Furthermore, you trot out your gay friends and family members as if they were your personal puppy dogs to give you the boardwalk cred only so that you can work up the nerve to tell us “this is America, get over it” when it involves our civil rights. That’s not cool at all!
Charles J. Mueller
@John:
May hat is off to you, John.
Obviously, you are a man who checks the facts out and is not afraid to challenge a vacuous statement made by a bigot who wishes to pass himself off as “supporting gays”, when it’s apparent, by both their choice of words and actions, that they definitely do NOT support gays.
If one feels the need to explain how they are NOT a bigot, instead of giving proof of it, then the chances are pretty good that they ARE a bigot.
As the old adage goes “Actions speak louder than words.”
Charles J. Mueller
@Shanese:
Now, you, Shanese, are a real piece of work. If you do not come off sounding like a bigot who loudly proclaims “I’m not a racist; one of my best friends is black”, I don’t know what does?
Just for the fun of it, let’s turn around what you just said and see how it plays back to you, sonny boy. *Intended to be snarky*
“I can see why straight people would be kind of pissed about companies not really accepting straights. I, myself have straight friends and a couple family members that are straight, so I have no problem with the straights and have hung around them quite a bit. Here’s the thing folks, not everyone is like you. Not everyone is going to be SUPER straight friendly. Some people just dont know anything about straight people or havent been around them. if you know nothing about straight people you will not be straight friendly. This is AMURICUH, So dont like…boycott a business because they dont fully acccept you. dont be mad at buisnesses when they arent openly armed and ready to FULLY accept straight people. thats pretty unrealistic.”
Does this piss you off as much as your unthinking comment pisses gays off?
If it doesn’t, it should. Think before you speak.
And, NO. “This is America” does not justify the bigotry, ignorance and discrimination you just displayed. That’s not what the founding fathers of this nation had in mind when they penned the Constitution.
I suggest you try reading it. I mean, really reading it so that you get the full thrust of what life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness means. It’s not just for a selected few.
It’s for everyone! Even straights.
Chitown Kev
@Sebbe:
Thank you. I mean it’s been awhile (before the turn of the millenium)since I was out there like that but I have worked with enough people from SA programs to know this to be the case.
Overall, as with everything in life, do research in a little bit of depth wJaphy presented here. Then of course, make decisions that you can make. It’s more convenient to do boycotts in the big urban area than, say, a smalltown in the middle of nowhere.
Sebbe
@Chitown – I agree, it also depends on what coast you are on. I live in Boston in there are only three of those stores within my easy reach as it is. So I guess in regards to this list, my job is quite easy. If anything though, I have looked into (or started to) for the other companies that I frequent and that is really the point of the article. imo
Jack
@Matt: There are plenty of other charities to which you can donate. Salvation army is crap anyway. I knew someone who worked for them, ringing that bell and asking for money. They paid her 8 dollars an hour and she never raised as much as she got paid. Seems like a joke. Give your money to an organization that actually gets the money into the hands of people who need it. As for the rest, if your pocket is more important than civil rights and equality, good for you. I have higher morals.
KittyFace
@GranDiva: Where is this magical gas station of which you speak? I recently moved to Austin and would love to not fill up at Exxon, Shell, Valero, etc. Thanks!
Thanks for this list, Queerty!
displaced kiwi
@POP MUSIC FORUM:
Actually…
http://www.exxonmobil.com/Australia-English/PA/default.aspx
http://www.b-f.com.au/BFA/index.aspx
and the Salvo’s.
djl
Unless the british gays realize that hate doesn’t stop at their borders…
A boycott in Britain could help all over the world. Seems a little “i”m comfortable in england so screw the rest of you” to think in terms of just your local rights. It’s the same type of thinking that let the holocaust happen and Darfur and….. what’s the next one folks? @tavdy79:
djl
@Roger: regarding the salvation army (ironic name huh?)
They have the pots a Christmas and their donation centers for thrift stores. If that person doesn’t think the money goes to them directly (and most DOES NOT got to the people but to administration costs) think again.
Luckily in the Los Angeles area we have “out of the Closet” for a thrift store that always needs donations. They get the slightly used clothes and household items that would have before gone to the SA. There is Aids project LA that until there is a cure, will need money. There are in most areas GLBT support centers that give directly to our own (charity begins at home) UNFORTUNATELY there are also GLBT substance abuse centers that are struggling to make ends meet that could use any donation you can spare.
Take care of our own first. After all, if you’re having trouble financially, do you pay your own bill or someone else’s first? right. Pay to support the local GLBT community first. Then the neutral vendors and ONLY when forced by situation, others. If you’re not sure, then just put the money back in your own account and simple save it. No need to buy most of the crap we do anyway.
swandiver
@Urban supporter:
It’s true that rumors do spread fast on the Internet which is why I’m surprised I have not seen any counter media from the company defending its policies. I get regular emails from them and (until now) visited their site at least once a week. It would be so easy to put a link on their site explaining the situation.
A TRUTHFUL GAY
WOW. You are now in the same category as Sen. Joseph McCarthy – does that surprise you?
YOU IDIOT. Our CIVIL RIGHTS have not and are not at jepoardy, only the SPECIAL rights you are trying to get.
I for one don’t want or need special rights — look how wonderful special rights have worked for the black community.
A shameful article.
Charles J. Mueller
@A TRUTHFUL GAY:
The only thing shameful…..is YOU!
Now, back into your closet and close the door behind yo…quickly.
The stench emanating from it is unbearable.
Excuse Me
Boycott all the companies mentioned. Sorry but screw The Salvation Army. Give me a break. as a veteran, I donate to the Wounded Vets Assoc. Whether the military accepts me as gay or not, we have served our country with a greater pride than you will ever know, fighting in bred obstacles as well as our terrorism foes here in the US and everywhere. i truly love our country and wish peace throughout the world. Yes, I’m a softee.
Jeremyrh2387
Well all of those places can be boycotted easily! There is many movie theatres besides Cinemark, I worked there and it sucked anyway!
Instead of Exxon go to 711 instead of walmart go to Target! Auto zone is not the only place that you can go for your car.
Here are some more people in Cali who donated to help pass prop 8!
Jan Pinney / Insurance Broker, Pinney Insurance Center, Inc. / Granite Bay, CA / $10,000
Bruce Andrus / Hotel Owner/operator, Huntington Hotels / Park City, UT / $20,000
Container Supply Co., Inc. / Garden Grove, CA / $250,000
There are many more so if you want to know I have the list on my gay rights myspace blog:
http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.ListAll&friendId=429363798&page=2
Jeremy Herring
Excuse Me
Ok, What are Cracker Barrell policies these days? Are they not owned by a religious right group that actively protests gays?
Excuse Me
@Charles J. Mueller: Amen brother!
Trix
For you people who still would donate to the Salvation Army, despite the fact they refuse to hire gays and exclude them from their programmes, what about the fact they *actively* lobby to deny you your rights? They have carried out quite specific anti-gay-rights campaigns in three countries I know of, including those where we are not accustomed to having churches interfere in national politics.
The year I came out in the late 80s was also the same year we got anti-discrimination legislation enacted. The Salvation Army passed petitions nationwide, brought over hate-mongering speakers from the US and lobbied long and hard against the legislation. Those arseholes have never seen one cent of mine.
Paul
@Tim McIntyre: Thank You Tim, If they are trying to get people to boycott companies, They need to have updated and acurate information.
leigh
wow we just perpetuate our own hate don’t we
do you know what a douche bag is? can you tell me why that is sexist? and now find the link between sexism & homophobia
Charles J. Mueller
@leigh:
Your comment obviously has something to do with something, does it?
Nik Radtke
Now that we know where we shouldn’t be spending money, what are the top ten gay/lesbian-friendly places to spend?
ksubaru
Thanks for this list! I agree with Nik Radtke, are we going to get a list for the 10 top gay/lesbian friendly places? 🙂
Ron in New York
@Matt: About a year ago, I received a piece of mail from the Salvation Army telling me that a donation of $25 would feed a family of four. I sent them a check and they spent all of it on more mailings and postage to me asking for more money. They’ll never get another dime out of me!
Then I saw some phony money (Gay Dollars that look like the real thing) that said “This would be real money if you didn’t discriminate against gays” and sent them a couple of those. In turn, they thanked me for my contribuation and even sent me a plastic membership card. Are those people smoking rope?
kerntastic
@Matt: Would you support any other company that was violating someone’s human rights? “Oh these people promote genocide, but their t-shirts are really cheap!!” Put your money some place where it can do some good!!
Thank you for the article!!!
haleyjane
come on people, where is the love?!! Really, do you give a shit what straights or gays think. Ooooh wait, Kanye can’t buy Versace coz he’s not Italian!! Are we not perpetuating the “us and them” mentality that is so desperately in need of a boot up the ass?!! We have the power to vote, and the strength to change. Just keep living your life however it suits. If u like Dominos, eat the shit, if you drink Southern-drink it!! Gay, straight or twisted, a dollar spends the same and feeds the same economy. Just be patient, thhings will change.
John
Thanks for the info. Now I know the stores where I will be spending my money!
Daniel
I’m happy to be boycotting all the companies listed. It may be difficult as a minority group to make a dent in the bigotry of the minor majority (most of the majority is not bigoted, just indifferent), but when we ban together and our friends and family join with us, it can send a real message. 🙂
Votadini
@Sebbe:
Lot’s of gay people shop at Walmart. What is the alternative? Another grocery chain which isn’t any better for their gay employees and which charges you an extra $30 on $100 of groceries?
Keep an eye on Walmart. We may hate their politics, but Walmart will push for National Single Payer, which is better than DP benefits anyway.
Sebbe
@Votadini –
Trader Joe’s is a good example, they contribute to their employees retirement. Part time employees are eligible for medical and dental benefits. Consumer reports ranks them second best in the nation out of grocery stores. TJs sells gourmet foods, organic foods, vegetarian food, imported foods, domestic and imported wine, “alternative” food items, and basics.
Whole Foods is another great option they only sell natural and organic products. Whole Foods is constantly ranked as one of the most socially responsible companies in the country. The EPA rated them 2nd of their top 25 Green Power companies. Full time employees are given free health care insurance.
Of course if you are not on a coast or near a large city you of course don’t have these choices, but if you do, it is well worth any extra price increase for a better quality product that treats its employees better. For me, luckily I would have to go pretty far out of my way to even go to a Walmart. I wouldn’t buy anything from them under any circumstances. They are the epitome of what is wrong with corporate America.
I Know Too Much
THANKS for this information. I didn’t know about a few of them. The Salvation Army preaches one thing and does another. They have active officers/ministers who are homosexual and involved in the lifestyle – many are married too. Some are in executive headquarters positions. I know, I was involved in the organization for too many years. I Know Too Much!
David
The Salvation Army (USA) back tracked a few years back on an attempt to offer benefits to an employee’s partner regardless of sex. i.e. same sex partners would have received benefits. The Commissioners conference (the executive administration) voted to grant these benefits. Major donors found out about the provision (I could name them for you later) and forced the “Army” to pull the provision for fear of losing millions of dollars. The Army (USA) is a $3 billion USD organization. It is the largest non-profit in the US and quite possibly the world. (It is the 2nd largest provided of services, after the Government in the UK) You can access their financial statements, but granted they are limited (not SEC filings).
I am happy for you to take a shot at The Salvation Army as I would like to see them change some of their positions, but in effect they do provide a needed service to many worldwide. I grew up in the Army and my parents are very senior officers (part of that Commissioners conference). So I know a few things about the organization. I would love for the Army to be a more inclusive organization. It was progressive and accepting once, one of the first Churches to allow Female ministers. But like most large organizations it is driven by its need for resources (money). Needless to say as a gay rights activist now living in the UK, I don’t have any association with the Salvation Army. My parents are still “Officers” at a very senior executive level in the organisation. I love them to bits, and strangely they are hugely accepting of me, my boyfriend and my lifestyle. I argue with my father about the Army’s stance constantly. I wish he would do something, maybe one day.
For the record your article on the Salvation Army is not 100% accurate, but your point is noted. The organization should be at the forefront of acceptance and it is not.
Kris
Although, I agree with most people on here. I’m on Social Security Disability, and so far the cheapest prices on food items out there is at Wal-Mart. I don’t purchase from anyone on the top 10 list, except for Wal-Mart. I wish there was another grocery store out there that offered better prices, so I wouldn’t have to give the store my gay dollars. I’m without a car,without a job,and am in poor health. Unless anyone can supply me the info. on another grocery store, I have to keep buying from Wal-mart.
Bill Perdue
Kroger
jay
This is some important information. But there are two side to every story and how recent are some of these claims? Either way the claims are made , if these companies care about how they are portrayed pertaining to equality, it’s up to them to prove ’em wrong. The proof is in their actions.
jay
@Matt:
how was anything you just wrote helpful in anyway? Gays “proven” child molesters, really. That old claim went out with the 80’s, that is about as accurate as saying all murderers are African American. Your narrow minded views luckily aren’t shared by the majority. If you’re going to try and make claims that you think are “proven”, at least make an effort to educate yourself before you open you mouth.
Bill
I think boycotts are ineffective and kinda a waste of time. We are less than 10% of the population and 90% of us don’t pay attention anyway. Hell, the USA can’t effectively embargo Iran and Cuba. What chance to we have?
Better to write and petition than to boycott
greatwhitebear
@Mike Diamond:
Rockstar is now owned by PepsiCo after a recent buyout. I was furious that the pig made such a killing off the deal, but PepsiCo has an outstanding record on diversity, including LGBTQ issues.
Mindy
I did a few minutes of digging, and here’s what I came up with as far as gay/equal rights friendly companies.
Also, for those people who defend shopping at Wal-Mart because it’s cheap and convenient, please note that both Target and Kmart are listed as “gay friendly”.
http://www.diversityinc.com/public/department289.cfm
http://www.advocate.com/issue_story_ektid60835.asp?page=3
http://bloggernista.com/2008/02/22/top-10-pro-homosexual-sponsors/
Connor
@Matt: Salvation Army is a fraud. That money does not actually go to what they say it does.
James Breazeale
@Matt: I’m sure there are gay organizations or other charity need groups that you can donate to.
Kirsten
All this talk about Salvation army makes me think about a movie, specifically the turning away of gays with substance abuse problems. Have any of you seen the movie Save Me? It came out in January and it stars Chad Allen (Who i absolutely love…) as a gay man addicted to drugs and alcohol. His brothers sends him to a place called Genesis House where the fix the mens “sexual broken-ness” I love this movie, it’s so emotional and shows the controversy between “The church” and the gay lifestyle. The 1990’s movie Priest is good too. I know this doesn’t really fit into the subject of businesses to boycott but the list made me think of these movies.
Gloria
Wow…Thank you so, very much for this article. I’m definitely taking note of this homophobic companies and I’m NOT going to give a dollar to them. I’m sad about Cinemark and Walmart because I used to go there all the time, well, I’m going to Fred Meyer and Regal Cinemas then 🙂 Our money talks. I hope you can keep us current about homophobic companies. Many huggies!!!
LN
I was a Red Roof Inn employee and I would like to tell the customers that go there to not sleep on the comforters or even sit on them. The employees who clean the rooms do wash the sheets, under blankets and pillow cases everyday, but they are told to only wash the comforters once a month, which is absolutely nasty. Especially knowing what people do in the rooms from weird sexual things, to rolling on the ground and beds in the room doing somersaults while crapping and urinating on the furniture, prostitution, and drugs. Also for locals who like to stay in there towns Red Roof Inn be ready to be discriminated against, although it is not company policy to take credit cards from guests, locals were subject to providing one with every stay because we were told from management that locals are “drug dealers, prostitutes and drug users.”
I was a Red Roof Inn employee and I was grabbed in the chest and my breast was shook, it also happened to another employee. I was chased by the manager while she was holding a sausage in front of her crotch screaming that its not big enough for me, while she was drunk partying with the renovation crew and some corporate employees during the renovation of the property. I was also called a queen who hit on every male guest that walked thru the door, at a company meeting with every employee there. I was also told by management that she was so horny she wanted to bring me to a room, it was too bad I was gay. After reporting all this to human resources, they told me there was going to be a investigation a month later human resources showed up did a investigation. During this the investigator told me that she knew there was wrong doing and something was going to be done to wait to hear from my district manager. When she left the manager started scheduling me for two shifts in one day, she tried to write me up saying that my drawer was short while I was having other employees count, sign off, bag and put my cash in a safe. Then I had other employees that were working with her that the district manager was calling her up and talking with her on the speaker phone on ways to have me fired, and things that my manager could do to try and write me up. I waited for a month to hear from the district manager, I kept on calling human resources to find out what was going on, they told me she was going to be in after a month had passed she finally showed up only to have meetings with every employee on how to do there job. During my meeting with her and the manager I asked her what would be happening with my case, she told me it was all in the past and she didn’t want to talk about it any more. I have filed a suit with the EEOC and I am waiting for a right to sue know. I just want to let everyone know how they treat there employees and for a company that has a zero tolerance policy there was alot of tolerance. Also, while filing for unemployment because I couldnt stand to work there any longer, they denied my unemployment and during the hearing, they said that grabbing my breast and the other employees was a play by play action, because she was explaining a story to us. The company also said that she was written up with something called a possible step for termination while they were saying they did nothing wrong.
Please know this is a bad company to stay at or work for.
Jonathan
@Matt: Regarding skipping Salvation Army – there are many other groups that are willing and ready to process your donations. Goodwill Industries, for instance, has an admirable mission of providing dignity and income to marginal populations. And while you’re dropping off your junk, throw them some coin too.
Pam
@Matt: If the other posts (didn’t read them all) change your mind, Matt, then, so be it, but I like this sincere expression of the kindness of your heart, Matt.
AL
Boycotting Wal-Mart? I am sorry, but Wal-Mart beats all of its competitoes on grocery items. Unless you folks send me a check to compensate my losses for not shopping at Wal-Mart, I will continue to shop there!
strumpetwindsock
@AL:
You’re free to shop at WalMart, and I could get stuff even cheaper than that if I became a thief.
But you won’t catch me going into that store. Their anti-labour practices, and their tactic of muscling and shutting down small competitors is bad enough.
When they built their latest store in our city they actually tried to get city council to take money from our library budget to pay for an overpass to their store. The largest company in the world begging for cash.
I’d rather pay a fair price to local business that pay a fair wage than give a dime to those thieves.
schlukitz
@strumpetwindsock:
And, I’ll bet that this creep probably sent a letter of appreciation and thanks to his local NBC TV affiliate who aired the despicable and unprovoked attack on the LGBT community, “Silencing Christians” on June 27th at 7:00PM.
It takes all kinds.
AL
@strumpetwindsock: I’m pretty sure there are smaller Walmart’s competitors whose gay record is probably even worse than that of Walmart. You people just love to single out Walmart because of its national influence. Again, show me a company who can offer better prices and has a better record on gay rights, then I might reconsider my shopping preferences. The fact that Walmart drives out smaller businesses is irrelevant. Yes, if they offer cheaper prices for the same kind of products, the will win, more expensive competitors will loose. That’s the nature of business.
strumpetwindsock
@AL:
It is relevant if they break the law and use their size to drive out competition (and they do both of these things). When faced with a successful union drive they just close down a store.
I am not just singling out WalMart, They are the largest corporation in the world, and they have a terrible record. They have even been driven out of countries like Germany which would not put up with their shenanigans. Also, they are big enough corporate whores that they accepted a union in order to move into China.
You have every right to shop there, but the nature of business is the way you describe it only if you choose that way for yourself.
If you want to go for the cheapest price, fine, but you should be aware that that price break is coming out of someone else’s paycheque, or out of your own taxes. And don’t complain when your city centre looks like no-man’s-land because there are no local stores left.
To bring it back to the theme of this thread, how and where you spend your money is probably more important than how you vote, and you bear just as much responsibility for it. You get what you pay for.
strumpetwindsock
@AL:
AL, I expect a fair wage for myself, and I assume you do as well. The only way we can do that is by making sure we do the same for others.
Paying a little bit more to someone who is part of the local economy is going to circulate that money back to you. It brings a lot more benefit to the community than giving it to a company which is sending most of its profits away, putting the squeeze on its workers and your local government.
And you know what… locally made and locally grown usually makes up for cost in quality. And often it DOESN’T cost more, especially if you factor in things like time and transportation.
AL
@strumpetwindsock: I guess we won’t agree on Walmart’s business practices since we obviously belong to different schools of economic thought. But one thing which we can both agree on is that it’s all a matter of choice. You are free not to shop at Walmart in order to support local companies in hope that someday they will get back to you. I am free to shop at Walmart to fulfill my financial objectives in a more direct way. Thankfully, we have that kind of right in America.
AL
@schlukitz: No, I did not send a letter of appreciation to NBC affiliates. So, stop spewing out a bunch of nonsense.
schlukitz
@AL:
My lips are sealed. Enjoy the sale at Walmart this Fourth of July.
I wouldn’t worry too much about the poor slobs who cannot even afford to take advantage of that sale because the mom and pop store they worked for for years was put out of business by Walmart and they no longer have a job.
Happy shopping.
Vanhattan
@tavdy79: “so actually convincing British LGBTs that a boycott is a good idea in the first place will be damned hard work”.
It really is not all about you. We are talking about equal civil rights for all people on Earth. Glad the gays have it good in the UK, love it actually, but why not be supportive of the GLBTQ global community that does not have it as good as you???
Ben Wilson
I’m happy to boycott companies. I already boycott Dyson and ITV, but not for LGBT-related issues. However theres not much I can do to boycottany of those companies on the list because non of them operate near me, besides Heinz, fortunatly I only ever buy thier salad cream. Not any longer.
I’m in the UK so we have Asda rather than Wal-Mart? Wal-Mart owns Asda, so should I boycott them?
God-fearing American
Thank you for this list, so I can SUPPORT these companies that take the moral high road despite the liberal lobbyists. I think the more important issue should be weather or not companies 1) are based in the US, and 2) sell goods in the US. Freedom of choice is fine, but the United States of America was founded on Christian principles, homosexuality not being one of them.
vernonvanderbilt
@God-fearing American: Shut the fuck up and go rape some more babies. That’s what you people do, isn’t it?
schlukitz
@God-fearing American:
Thank you for sharing your blatant homophobia with us.
Your screen name says it all. You stand for the moral majority.
Discrimination. Bigotry. Hatred. Anti-queer. You know, all the good stuff that goes with mom’s apple pie and your motto “Amurika, love it or leave it.”
Adam
Wow, seriously? Seriously? I used to feel for the “oppressed” gay community. However, seeing how much HATE I’ve seen from the gay community, I don’t feel the desire to support your cause anymore. The Salvation Army? Really? You’re going to attack the man/woman out on the curb in 40 degree weather, shaking a bell trying to get money to get coats for innocent children who don’t care about who your sexual preference is, they just want warm clothing and food. Wow, thats very honorable. Lets say your boycott works and Salvation Army crumbles. Do you know how many people that will affect?J(just because you don’t like the way a non-profit church, WHO IS NOT FIGHTING AGAINST YOUR CAUSE but has different beliefs is running their organization)
I am seriously disgusted with some of the things I’ve seen on this post. My best friend is gay, I am not, but I’ve always supported him. I’m still best friends with him. What it comes down to, is its a church! Let them believe in what they want to believe! Yes, some church going folk will bible thump you and tell call you a sinner and tell you to repent.(ex: God-fearing American) However, I know for a fact that not all church people are like that. Most churchs don’t treat gay people like that, its the few that ruin the image for the masses. Now, I thought you wanted change in how people treated you, (regardless of their sexual preference), well being HATEFUL is not a way to accomplish that. If you are mean to a straight person, aren’t you just sinking to their level? I don’t condone the mistreatment of anyone, straight or gay. Lashing out just makes your road more difficult.
I am seeing more and more hate in the gay community and frankly I think if it keeps teaching hate, (I find this ironic and disappointing)then it will lose more support from the community’s straight friends.
schlukitz
@ No. 172 Adam:
The Salvation Army? Really? You’re going to attack the man/woman out on the curb in 40 degree weather, shaking a bell trying to get money to get coats for innocent children who don’t care about who your sexual preference is, they just want warm clothing and food.
You, Sir, need to withdraw your head from your anal cavity long enough and do a little research on the Internet. It’s called Google and it’s positively amazing what one can learn on it.
I’ve done the leg work for you for gratis on this one.
http://www.americablog.com/2004/11/details-of-salvation-armys-rabidly.html
Similar descriptions of what the Salvation Army is really all about are readily available, if you really want to speak intelligently on the subject.
Hate begets hate…and it starts with the churches and people like the Salvation Army. And if they weren’t so all-fired eager to not only prevent us from having rights but taking the rights away from us that we have already won like they did in California, we wouldn’t have a reason to hate these people, would we now?
If support from straight friends like you is so easily lost because you can’t or won’t open your eyes to the reality of what hateful and discriminating organizations like the Salvation Army are really up to, then we never really had an ally in you to begin with, did we?
Adam
@ No. 172 Schlukitz:
I appreciate your “constructive” discussion. However, you miss the point. I’m not talking about the Salvation Army Organization as a whole. I’m talking about the small time operations on the street to help the poor. I guarantee you money from those people on the corner doesn’t all go straight to fighting the “cause.” The money that was earned in my home town went to clothing and the soup kitchen. I know for a fact thats where 90% of it went to. They are a non-profit organization whose belief is that homosexuality is wrong. Ok. Fine. They can think that. You can’t control that, just like how they can’t control how everyone else acts. I understand you don’t like that, but they are entitled to their opinion. But you can’t tell a non-profit “religious” organization how to run themselves, even if you don’t agree with how they run it. Thats why you CAN sue a public business for discrimination. I support you for banning all of the public business, but thats because there isn’t supposed to be the religious factor involved. Just because they are expressing their opinion about homosexuality doesn’t mean they are attacking the gay community, they are expressing their reason why they don’t want it to be a part of their organization. So what if they donated money to Prop 8? They have the right to support their own cause too. Right? You also can’t tell me that someone gay won’t benefit from proceeds of the Salvation Army. Even on your link it states they don’t discriminate against who they deliver their services to.
Hell if you want to give to another cause, I’m fine with that I don’t care. But think about this, when are they out on the corner collecting donations? The holidays. That is when all the money goes to the needs of the community. At least thats the way it was in my hometown. I can’t speak for ALL locations. I’m just speaking from my experience. I knew one of the volunteers (the guy on the corner with the bell), it that goes to the charity.
Don’t EVEN begin to say I wasn’t an ally. This has been wearing down with time, not just something overnight. I walked with friends at the rallies, marched in the cold, voted, commented and done my fair share of trying to help you out. You don’t even know me, so how can you judge me? Its unreasonable people who want all or nothing and have a “either with us or against us” policy in the struggle for gay rights. Thats what burns me away. Instead of trying to find a resolution, they would rather shit on everyone they can for their cause. How can I be fighting for someone’s freedom if I feel their shitting on someone else’s rights? Just because someone violates your rights, doesn’t make it fair to do it back. I’m all for equality, but that means you have to be for equality too, even if it means for your enemies. I’ve been discriminated against before due to my color. I don’t try to trample on someone else’s rights just because it happen to me. There are ignorant people out there, but I don’t sink to their level by spouting more hate. That doesn’t fix it. It doesn’t help at all.
Let me ask you something. In California, when same sex marriage was legal,(I was happy it passed) a same sex couple approached a pastor and requested him to marry them. (Two men) The pastor politely told them same sex marriage was against his beliefs and the could not marry them. He even recommended a pastor that may be willing to marry them. What did the couple do, they FREAKING sued the pastor for discrimination. I can not believe that. That was so hypocritical! Even my best friend (who is gay) thought that was Fucked up! They actually won that case too. That is completely retarded. Don’t you think that is wrong? How can you respect their rights when they’re shitting on someone else’s rights? This is the kind of stuff that makes me want to quit helping.
Why do you get the idea that just because they don’t agree with homosexuality it = hate? It doesn’t, they are allowed their opinion as long as its respectful. Do some church people cross the line,(aka God fearing American) YES, just like SOME advocates for same sex marriage do also. Hate doesn’t start at a church. (Not all churches) Thats ignorance sir. I don’t even go to church and I know that much. You can’t make a blanket statement like that and expect to call it an intelligent conversation. Don’t you hate people making blanket statements about you?
Bottom line, just because someone (or a group) doesn’t support your cause, doesn’t mean they are ATTACKING you or your cause.
By the way, most of those links are dead. I appreciate the effort to show me though. And this article is very opinion based, even for the articles it cites. Nowhere have I found “And they come right out and admit that “practicing homosexuals” are not welcome in the “church.”” Nobody practices discrimination hiring. Since it is a religious group, they should be allowed to decide if people who believe in something against their religion work there. You wouldn’t want a “gay hater” working for the GLAA, would you?
In the end, I hope the gay community gets the rights they deserve, but not in this (hateful) manner.
Jennifer M.
Good for you – great information to have. I will share with all my friends.
Amazing intolerance is still OK in 2009.
I’m a straight middle aged woman. My uncle grew up in Seattle in the 1930s. He knew his mother wouldn’t be able to handle his homosexuality so he moved to Chicago and underwent psychotherapy in an effort to get ‘fixed.’
Thankfully he met his life partner there. They moved to LA and led long, happy lives.
I’ll always fight for gay rights because it’s the morally correct thing to do, but my uncle inspires me. No one should feel their inherent self is wrong – how horrible to have to fight against yourself.
Matt
Not a true statement that the Salvation Army does not have to reveal it’s books. My brother-in-law was a tax auditor for the Salvation Army for years before he retired. If you thought the IRS was tough, you should have been on the end of one of his audits.
Before you let your bitter ramblings get out of hand, please check your facts before you post untruths.
Fred
@Matt: If Company A provides benefits to only its hetero mates and not common law or gay, then
my Company B providing benefits to all mates is at a financial disadvantage in competing, because my overhead is greater – understand now?
Fred
@Jennifer M.: What a wonderful lady you are. We all wish you long life, good health, and properity if you want it.
matt
WOW THANKS NOW I KNOW WHO I “WILL” SUPPORT LMAO!!! NOT ONLY ARE GAYS GAY BUT ARE STOOPID! ROFLMFAO!
matt
NOT TO MENTION I JUST DONATED $175 TO THE SALVATION ARMY AFTER READING THEY WERE AGAINST GAYS.
jason
This list is a great service. We need to exercise our right of boycott. Please, more lists like this.
Ron in NY
How do you spell bigot? M-A-T-T.
Don’t forget what Carl Jung said, Matt…”The things that irritate us about others is often a reflection of ourselves.”
Whoops! Sounds to me like you have some unresolved homoerotic issues of your own.
MegO
Thanks for the list. I will be sure to support ALL TEN of those businesses.
MegO
“Adam” makes great points here. I too have friends in the gay community. I can be tolerant, without ‘accepting’ a lifestyle that I do not agree with. I can love the person and not love everything they do. A Democrat and a Republican can be friends without agreeing on everything – yet they are ‘tolerant.’
Every single human being has issues that are difficult and stressful for them to surmount in life. As a woman business owner who raised 3 children with zero financial support and paid $1,200 a month for the most ‘basic’ of health benefits – I seriously am sick of hearing the whining.
You make a choice to lead a lifestyle or a decision about how you are going to behave and want everyone else to foot the bill and give you some sort of affirmation. Grow up.
Can anyone say “special interests?” THAT sort of entitlement attitude is what is dragging this country to it’s knees. Not a place most Americans want to be.
Ron in NY
You do that! And be sure to pass the information along to all your other bigoted friends. It’s nice to know you’re not hiding behind sheets and burning crosses on our lawns these days.
PS – Hate causes cancer.
Ron in NY
Just a reminder. It’s not a choice. The only choice is the decision to not live a lie and pretend to be something we’re not. We didn’t choose to be gay any more than you chose to be straight. We came that way. Wanting the same rights that all other Americans have is not what I would call ‘special interests’ or ‘special rights’. If I’m correct the Declaration of Independence says something about all of us being ‘created equal’ – there is nothing in there that says ‘except gay people’.
“To be ignorant of one’s ignorance is the malady of the ignorant.’ – Amos Alcott, educator and father of Louisa May Alcott.
mike Fitzpatrick
You can add P&G to this list. They are cowards!
Ron in New York
@Mindy: Change.org has a petition you can sign to tell Target to stop funding an anti-gay candidate in Minnesota (the wonderful folks who gave us Michelle Bachmann – or, as Joan Walsh of Salon.com calls her “Joe McCarthy in Lipstick”).
Ron in New York
@MegO: Please note the difference between ‘lifestyle’ and ‘orientation’. If I referred to the heterosexaul lifestyle, that would put you in the same category as that woman on Jerry Springer who sleeps with her daughter’s boyfriend.
Tom Parks
@Bill Perdue: Tom
Perdue, You’re confusing Medicare w/ Medicaid. Medicare is for retirees and those that are disabled.
Thenevermaker
@John M: I see someone’s not a country boy. When he says Wal-Mart is the only place to buy certain products, he’s being literal. There is no other place to buy certain things. Also, any place that sold those products before might have gone out of business since the Wal-Mart came in.
Grace
This is great information because I do not support companies that support homosexual agendas or causes. But, all I here is the ones that do so I know to not to do business with them but, I would like to know the companies that feel like I do so I can patron them. The whole homosexual lifestyle makes me sick!!!
I pray for a better world. Where everyone can be normal and not queer with what there natural bodies and lifestyles were meant to be lived.
Soupy
Wow, you are one unhappy lesbian.
declanto
@Nick11: It’s not Jack Daniels, it’s the distributer Brown Foreman.
declanto
@Grace: WTF are you doing here? Troll horns,everyone!ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ!!!!!!!!!
Ron in New York
Grace, something tells us that you were plenty sick already.
And judging from your colorful (if not embarrassingly rotten) grammar and spelling, I would guess you have the IQ of a fruit fly.
Can’t understand why a so-called self-proclaimed straight person would be hanging out at a gay website in the first place. Maybe you have some homoerotic issues that you need to deal with instead of trashing us. Or, you’re just one of those bigots who needs to constantly remind everyone how incredibly stupid you are!
man
1where the best place to find what you sodomites hate.ah wrong answer. here the right answer here on your site
2 how do you destroy sodomite spirit in a person. aah wrong answer, here the right answer i rebuke you in jesus christ be bound till you hear the gospel of jesus christ GOD almighty in the flesh again this time listen.
3 we kicked all the sodomites out of goverment tonite nov2
next we are gathering list of all companys that support you people and sending them around the world.
4 we out number sodomites 100000 to 1 in the world world is tried of the filty life styles. gangs are waging war on all sodomites everwhere they are tried of you too.
5 every country that has embraced sodomy and the like has fill it with disease and has had to burn the citys to the ground like rome, create, london etc tomany to list its the only way you can get rid of that much germ at one time read you history youal see im right. besides in war if you want to bring a country to it knees first thing you would do is promote sodomy to destroy the country from the inside every war lord knows this then you promote famine starve women and children with destroyed crops thenn you come in with armies and destroy the rest easy take over then burn all the germ infested sites .so see you sodomites have been duke thinking that you were born that way when you have been programed to think that way for generation just like evilution rereducable complexity has proved dawinism wrong and people believed that crap for are since the 1850s and it all been wrong from the being.so turn are burn jack ,,i mean jill know that was the devil.god/jesus said repent of your sins and go sin no more.oh and for all that dont know what a sodomite is it is aman that has anal sex with a male are female just clear the air.
Ron in New York
Rebuke THIS, you brain-dead bigot! When I see comments such as the one above, I realize these clowns are just spouting a lot of stupid rhetoric, and have probably never even read the Bible.
When Christ returns, He shall deal with people like you modern-day Pharisees in the manner He dealt with the money-changers in the temple. Hate is NOT a family value, but Hitler ran very successfully on it in the 1930s.
When the Bible is understood as it was written in ancient times to serve those people, YOU are the true Sodomites! Next time, try reading ALL of the Bible and not just the verses that appear to justify your own narrow-minded HATE!
Jan Brewer’s re-election only proves that you can be a blithering idiot and still be elected. Water seeks its own level.
Pigbitin Mad
I am not gay myself but I do support gay causes. In the matter of Brown Forememan. I think they still support Mitch McConnell. I think everyone should Boycott them until they convince MM to stop blocking legislation that is good for everyone (like Universal Healthcare that takes the Fat Cat CEOs out of the picture entirely).
I have written to the NY State Bartenders Assn/Liquor Authority/Restaurant Assn to encourage them to ban these products until they somehow impress upon Mitch McConnell to stop being an obstructionist.
I think you should too, especially as the Repubs have completely taken over the House with their Teabagger Nonsense.
Alex
First of all, just because they do not have benefits for domestic partnership does not mean that they “hate” gays..
Also, dont these companies employ a lot of people without discriminating sexual preference? As for the donations, those are made by an individual not the organization in whole.. So point that finger at the head CEO or board of directors.. I think the writer failed here, he should have given us more reason why these companies are not G&L friendly other than, individual donations and lack of benefits that is new to America to begin with, heck you cant even get married in the “land of the free” you have to go to Canada..
rob
I guess ill have to buy from these places more often, especially Wal*mart and domino’s, my two new favorite places haha
Ron in New York
Hey Rob, let’s play ‘horsey’… I’ll be the horsey’s head and you can just be yourself. haha
But seriously, Folks…as far as Walmart is concerned, I do shop at their stores when I’m near one, and I’ve started ordering from them online since I heard that AMAZON dot Com was buying time on Faux News. Walmart have everything and their prices are good, although their prices have been going up steadily recently. Call me a hypocrite all you want. As a retiree, I shop my wallet these days.
Walmart should charge an admission fee to get into their stores to see some of the trash that shops there. Someone recently sent me some hysterical photos of Walmart shoppers. They sure have some ‘interesting’ customers.
Once, right after Bush was re-elected, I was verbally attacked in a Walmart store because I was wearing a sweatshirt that featured an actual headline from the London Times that read “How Can 97 Million People Be So Stupid?” (referring to the number of people who voted for him). All I said to the creep was “Go read the First Amendment and get back to me.”
You will not find a Walmart store in New York City because they are anti-union, and the Retail Clerks Union is fighting them to the end and so far, they’re winning. I think the closest Walmart to NYC is Kearny, NJ.
Oh, and Pizza Hut’s pizza is far superior to Domino’s any day. Order the stuffed crust. Domino’s pizzas taste like paint chips. Eat up, Rob. haha
Ron in New York
@God-fearing American:”Weather or not”? Too funny whether you agree with him or not.
Dear God, protect me from your followers…Amen.
One man One woman
Thank you for this list. I will make sure and GIVE them EXTRA support, call them and thank them for standing up for morality, and give more money to show them that moral Americans put their money where their mouths are.
Jeffree
@OneManOneWoman: By posting on this site, you’re adding to the coffers of gay media, for which we thank you! That’s what capitalism is all about. You’re now officially part of the LGB blogosphere, and will receive targeted ads whenever you fire up your browser. Enjoy!
Shannon1981
@One man One woman: You do that. And Jeffree is right, now you’ll have gay ads all over your pages! People are gonna think you’re one of us!
justiceontherocks
@One man One woman: Are you a top or a bottom? Do you swallow? Which televangelist do you think about when you’re having sex with your wife?
Barack Obama
Hoorah for those “Conservative Corporations” with High Moral Standards.., I will buy even more and more from them…
Clay
Wow great article now I know where to shop and spend all my money. I was always afraid I would support the stupid fags. Now I can shop and not worry about supporting fags.
Ron in New York
Gee, Clay, I might be really offended by that…if it were original…but two or three other bigots had already posted that.
Let’s play ‘horsey’, Clay…I’ll be the horsey’s head and you can just be yourself.
LOrionmd
THIS IS OLD NEEDS UPDATE!
Scott LePage
How did Target not make this list?
RICHARD RALSTON
@David Hauslaib: I KNOW IN OKLAHOMA IF YOU ARE HOMELESS AND NEED A PLACE TO CRASH FOR A NIGHT AS I DID ONCE YEARS AGO WHEN I WAS DOWN ON MY LUCK DON’T RY SALVATION ARMY.EVEN WITH OPEN SPACE THEY DENIED ME AND THE ONLY REASON MY SEXUALITY CAME UP WAS THE FACT I WEAR PRIDE BANDS ON MY WRIST! AFTER THE HOSTILITY I’VE FACED IN MY LIFE OVER BEING GAY THERE IS NO WAY I’D REMOVE THEM. I AM NOW A GAY CHRISTIAN MINISTER WHO REACHES OUT TO MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN OUR COMMUNITY!! I PRAY THAT THE SALVATION ARMY HAS A SPIRITUAL AWAKENING THAT THE LORD LOVES ALL HIS CHILDREN EQUALLY!!
DeaconMac
Two that should be added to the list:
New Directions – whose Chairman of the Board and primary owner donated half a million dollars to the Mitt Romney campaign — the candidate who signed a pledge to write anti-gay discrimination into the US Constitution. Details here: http://getsatisfaction.com/newbalance/topics/new_balance_statement_on_political_donation
Target – who gave $150,000 to a GOP candidate for governor in Minnesota, a candidate closely aligned with a group that literally calls for the stoning of gays.
jj
Did you guys see the most recent Domino’s TV campaign? If features “Jess” – an employee of a Dominos restaurant. She’s a bull dyke for sure. A sweetheart – but obviously a lesbian. I think if it was an (obvious) gay male, more gay blogs would have picked this up right away. Anyway, that makes me question Dominos place on this list. I see the commercials all the time which leads me to believe they spent a lot $ on exposure for “Jess.”
Phil
Surely there are other, more worthy local organizations giving food, clothing, and comfort to those in need without the religious kick-back required by the salvation army. (lower case showing my disrespect)
@Matt:
Lorita Nixon
I knew about Wal-Mart and Domino’s, and am absolutely heartbroken about the Salvation Army. I’m always amazed at how people who call themselves “Christians” are usually the ones with the most hate. Not all Christians … don’t want to start a flame war here. I’m kind of in a dilemma about Wal-Mart, though. I am on SS Disability but don’t qualify for Medicaid because I get $100 each month above their cut-off, and Wal-Mart has the best prices for prescriptions. And when you’re dealing with 3 autoimmune diseases with other health issues, it can get pretty pricey. These are prescriptions I need just to live. I do, however, definitely keep it to a minimum my other purchases, though.
Jana
Walmart should NOT be on this list what so ever. They are very LGBT friendly. Where is Best Buy and Target on this list? THEY are the ones who need to be on here. They have been anti-LGBT all along; which has even made headlines. I think this ‘article’ is just basically a list of companies that someone decided they didn’t approve of themselves, and is not based on actual facts.
Alex
This is such a load of nonsense, Walmart is not all at gay haters and should not be in number 2. That is ridiculous. Walmart does offer domestic partner benefits for health insurance, discount card and many other services. Instead of worrying about the companies that can’t do this or that, why don’t we worry about the states and cities that won’t allow it. Then maybe laws could change. I guess that isn’t a concern. I am disgusted that everyone slanders Walmart, when they are one of the most gay friendly business out there today, much more than Target. Who purposely support gay bashes in their homestate, which I guess everyone seems to forgotten about so very quickly. When Target was paying $100,000 to government officials to ban gay marriage in states, no one stopped shopping at Target and frankly no one even cared. Walmart a company that goes out of their way to provide support, benefits and rights to Gay and lesbian individuals is bashed. Last time I checked most companies do not state that they can’t not hire someone based on sexual orientation, most companies do not even have that in their information. Walmart does offer that. Also speaking on a different subject Walmart is the only reason the oil companies out of their mess to clean up that oil, maybe someone should praise Walmart for lending the country their logistic team.
Hobbyist
Nobody has mentioned Hobby Lobby, who is owned by a fundamentalist Christian family and whose entire leadership team is also fundamentalist. They took over Oral Roberts University and regularly support anti-gay candidates.
Karin
Of course a conservative boycott worked against Wal*Mart where the gay community hasn’t even thought of it – you’d have to shop somewhere first in order to boycott it.
yyc403
Thank you for the list. It’s my understanding (perhaps wrong) that Target is anti-gay. Is this true? Target is moving to Canada (where I live) in 2013, and I was not sure about supporting them when they locate here, or when I visit the US.
Patricia
@Mike Diamond: And you would know that because….?
Kat
Those firefighters never should have been forced to participate in a gay pride parade. How would you guys like to be forced into a Tea Party parade?
Mike in SLC
If it’s any consolation with Wal-Mart, knowing several people who do or have worked at Wal-Mart, they treat all their employees like shit, not just their gay ones.
Peg
Gentlemen: NOW is the National Organization FOR (not of) Women. And if you foolishly wait for the editor to contact you, you’ll be waiting a long time (“I’ve asked the editor to explain his reasons…”) — get a clue, the editor is going to be a woman.
Dan
I don’t understand the purpose in articles that are almost 2 YEARS OLD being posted AGAIN. Have none of these places changed, is none of the information different, and WHY ISN’T TARGET CORP ON HERE….I really don’t like it when I read articles that were originally posted almost 2 years ago….
please
“How did Target not make this list?”
Because Target was and is gay friendly company.
Liz Siler
Thank you for this excellent post. I learned a lot. Fortunately I don’t actually patronize any of these businesses, but I did repost on FaceBook and I hope my friends will learn as much as I did from this post. The companies are abhorrent!
Dallas David
@Matt: Speaking as a former bookkeeper for The Salvation Army, other charities can give more bang for the donation.
Here in Dallas, for instance, the City of Dallas didn’t renew its contract for a homeless shelter with the Salvation Army, because they found another group who could do more for less.
And it might interest you to know how many $million$ they’ve been collecting over the years from estates, wills, people dying and leaving them $$$ like Ray Kroc (of McDonald’s fame). Plus, they still get lots of government money to run most of their detox centers, so it’s really American Taxpayers who foot the bill — it’s not like their membership do these things out of the kindness of their hearts.
And . . . keep in mind that while they take charitable contributions on one hand, they spend lot$ of ca$h on lawyers to battle equal rights for glbt people.
These are weasels masquarading in Victorian self-righteous fundamentalism. Not worth a contribution, especially when there are so many other charities to support who do more with less.
Best wishes,
a Former Salvation Army Soldier / Sunday School Teacher / Bookkeeper / Fundraiser
Frank
I will buy there, ’cause I hate gays.
Alex
I’ve never heard of Brown-Foreman Corp before, but it seems you included them for a reason which is no longer the case (that they refuse domestic partner benefits). I strongly encourage you to take them off the list unless you can come up with another reason for them being included. It’s counterproductive to put them on a current list for past mistakes, especially when it sounds like they’ve made up for it.
beloved Dyke
Optivest properties owner is a homophobic owner who runs 44 site across the country. Email him at [email protected]. tell him what you think. call the corporate office 949-661-8686 or him directly 949-616-9148..
feel free to look up the site and owners there are 3 of them on the prop 8 list and you may be renting from them..
Noel
I just cant believe that the stores that i sometime buy at are so discriminative.. I gues i wont be shopping in those stores…
rob morgan
brown foreman gives lots of money to gay rights organizations through “just fund kentucky” every year..they are a major source of funding in ky for all that is GOOD ABOUT GAY..TAKE NOTE…!!!
Bev
@Matt: I’m with you Matt. The Salvation Army does great work and are right on the spot in disasters. I don’t think they will ask a trapped flood victim about their sexual orientation. As for Wal-Mart, even though their presence shut down so many small businesses in my hometown, I buy where I get the best prices – I have to.
Mel Gibson
Thanks for the list. Eff all those a-holes!
Tyr Jung
And from last I heard, “Target” is also on the do not shop list… mea culpa, mea culpa, mea maxima culpa…
Donna Gasper
Thanks for the info.. Now I know where to put my money and where to SHOP.
Mark Sappenfield
Citgo is not a Venezuelan-owned company. That is a right-wing rumor which refuses to die.
anthony
Good, I will support these groups, thank you! They have backbone to not give in to pressure to do what is obviously WRONG-regardless of the times, there are some things that are never gonna be right.
Lisa
Thank you now I know what companies to support!! gland to see Anthony and I are on the same page!! you cant even make babies, you have to adopt!! not how god wanted it.
Ron in New York
Oooh! How cute and clever, Lisa! But if you’ll read all the posts on this page, you see that you’re not the first narrow-minded, halfwit bigot to say that. Nice to see that you have so much respect for God that you spell His name in lower case. I’m sure if Christ returned today, you’d be at the top of the list of those He’d disown. Shame on you! God’s message is one of LOVE, not HATE. Hate is not a family value. As for you and Anthony, water seeks its own level, and the two of you and those who share your views are part of that water that is swirling down the drain into oblivion.
Matthew 7:21: “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father in heaven.
v. 22 “Many will say to Me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?
v. 23 “And then I will declare to them,’ I never knew you, depart from Me, you workers of iniquity!”
Robin
I’m boycotting Cinemark because they forced me (and my pregnant sister) to leave during the middle of a movie because I was nursing my son. Businesses should not have the right to discriminate against anyone for any reason. Shop local handmade and you’ll know what kind of people and values that your money is supporting. Much love!
Jason
we need to expanded this list because chick fil a isn’t on it nor are several others
Alex
Thanks for the article. I love all of these establishments even more now. Homosexuality is wrong and unnatural.
marta
Kudos to these companies for not caving! Why should a company have to support anyones sexuality? I will be sure to frequent these busineses when I can.
Ron in New York
@Alex: Remember Alex, we become what we hate. You could be in real trouble.
Ron in New York
@marta: Spoken like a true bigot.
Darla
I personally will never buy another domino’s pizza just because perverts are now running it!!!!
Darla
@Alex: I agree completely, getting so tired of a minority of perverts pushing their lifestyle in our faces at every turn. I hate to see companies cave into their pressure, can’t understand why they don’t realize that conservatives make up a majority of the voters here in America.
Ron in New York
Ah! Feel the hate! As Barney Frank said, YOU made it into the Ten Commandments we didn’t.
The very fact that you refer to “their lifestyle” tells me how uneducated you are – and remember all bigotry is rooted in ignorance (according to a number of sources, including Dr. Joyce Brothers).
I think you meant “their orientation” since there are many different ‘lifestyles’ just as there are among heterosexuals. If I referred to YOUR lifestyle, that would put you in the same category as that fat old broad on Jerry Springer who sleeps with her daughter’s boyfriend.
With a very small percentage of kids growing up in homes with both parents tells me that YOU are the perverts!
KEN SHEPHERD
ONE MAJOR COMPANY LEFT OFF THIS LIST IS CHIK FIL A RESTAURANTS. NUFF SAID
Chad Westmoreland
Great, the author just told me what companies I SHOULD be buying from! Thank you very much! They all have my support now and I will be sure to spread the word to SUPPORT these companies not pandering to the political left wing adgenda. Homosexuality is wrong I don’t care what anyone says.
Ron in New York
@Chad Westmoreland: If you’ll read some of the comments from the other bigots who have posted here, you’ll see how very unoriginal your snotty comment is. Left Wingers have agendas, Right Wing Fundie Nut cases don’t have agendas…they have movements (as in bowel) because they’re so full of it. Beware! Homophobes are often closeted homosexuals. Whoops, Chad!
Kate B.
I would like to add Chick-Fil-A to this list in light of this article:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/11/01/chick-fil-a-donated-anti-gay-groups-2009_n_1069429.html
Ron in New York
Kate, you’ll be interested to know that Chick-Fil-A wanted to open a store on the NYU campus and the students protested and got up a petition to stop ’em in their tracks. Chick-Fil-A is not popular with NYU students.
Billysees
Glad to know these things.
Desiree
Thank you! Now I know who to buy FROM. 🙂
Antigay bill
Thanks for the list! I have been seeking to send my “straight dollars” to companies that stand their ground and cease to cave into the demands of the gay movement. I am always looking to shift my dollars to anti-gay companies, so keep the lists coming!
Ron in NY
We gays wonder what all you bigoted right-wing Fundies are doing on a gay website? Shouldn’t you be reading your Bibles?
Christophmelbourne
Wow there are so many unevolved so called ” straight” red necks commenting on this site. First I would like to know why they are on a gay website, I can only come to the conclusion that they are all closeted raging homosexuals. From my experience you hate most what you long to be. Chad Westmoreland, Antigay bill how long has it been since your last glory hole :). Great article QUEERTY, and great mag, just try a little harder to keep these last century rednecks off the site, I know they are a dying breed but I still don’t like reading their uninformed christian comments.
Billysees
@Ron in NY: No 186
Well said Ron.
Laura
Did anyone notice the Domino’s advertisement that presently resides at the top of the page????
big tino
I invite you all to join my page and stand together in our case.
https://www.facebook.com/pages/They-Hate-Gays-Dont-shop-here/387182728011709
Lorrie
Sooooooo if I dont support gays then I am a hater and a bigot?? what do you think you are for NOT supporting MY beliefs? A BIGOT AND HATER!
Stina Pope
@Sebbe: not all religious orgs are anti-gay, my partner and I are both Episcopal priests, totally out and well supported, and got married in the church. Although there are clearly those in the pews and hierarchy who are not pro-gay, the majority are tolerant to pro. Among other very important items, our pension board is supportive, and they have worked to move to full equality for pension benefits.
Steller Firm
I didn’t know this info, I will certainly favor any of these firms in my purchases.
marc
I suppose I have reached the age where I purchase the best I can, at the most moderate price, and I no longer have the energy or time to trace down the entire prodcution chain of a given product, nor boycott it based on comments by one man, or woman , or even the owner. I learned a valuable lesson, if we want acceptance, respect, and to be allowed to live as typical Americans with out the pointless drama, then we need to pay attention to by far and away the largest single group in the entire world, heterosexuals. I shop at Walmart because it gives me the best bang for my buck on specific items. I go to the theaters nearest to my home (gas prices) and I suppose I will continue to do so. My partner and I have managed 32 years together, and with smart lawyers, have developed an iron clad series of living wills, medical rights, joint property ownership and powers-of-attorney. While it was more complicated, and more tedious, we have the exact same rights of any married couple and live that way. While boycotting may serve a local opponent well, national or international boycotts have little to no affect on most corporations. save your powder for meaningful arguments we can win. I have found that more politically sound, and counting up a win is always better than a long drug out action that leads no where.
Billysees
@marc: No 268
What you say makes sense.
Linda
“do you know what a douche bag is? can you tell me why that is sexist?”
http://www.blogher.com/dont-be-douche-vaginas-should-smell-vaginas
“…While dumb douche commercials may be hilarious, douche really is no laughing matter. While I was in high school, my friend’s mom (who was a nurse) would fly into a rage whenever she saw a douche ad. ‘Douching is like bathing a cat,’ she’d seethe. She explained that the chemical solutions strip the vagina of its natural lubricants, distorted the normal pH balance, and left the nether regions ripe for infections. ‘Don’t ever use them,’ she needlessly cautioned us. (And definitely do not use douche as ‘protection’ from unprotected sex – the fluids merely push sperm further up into the vagina.)…”
http://womenshealth.gov/publications/our-publications/fact-sheet/douching.cfm
“…The word “douche” means to wash or soak in French. Douching is washing or cleaning out the vagina (birth canal) with water or other mixtures of fluids. Most douches are prepackaged mixes of water and vinegar, baking soda, or iodine. You can buy these products at drug and grocery stores. The mixtures usually come in a bottle and can be squirted into the vagina through a tube or nozzle…
“…Most doctors and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) recommend that women don’t douche. Douching can change the delicate balance of vaginal flora (organisms that live in the vagina) and acidity in a healthy vagina. One way to look at it is in a healthy vagina there are both good and bad bacteria. The balance of the good and bad bacteria help maintain an acidic environment. Any changes can cause an over growth of bad bacteria which can lead to a yeast infection or bacterial vaginosis. Plus, if you have a vaginal infection, douching can push the bacteria causing the infection up into the uterus, fallopian (fuh-LOH-pee-uhn) tubes, and ovaries…”
Bryan
Thank you now I know to give all these places my business!
Ron in New York
Very original, Bryan. And another bigot rears his ugly head on a gay website. So, what brings you here, Bryan? Cruising?
F U GLBTs
AWESOME! I’ll shop at every one of those places.
Ron in New York
Sure are a lot “Fundie” closet cases visiting these gay sites. These are the kind of people who fantasize about their own gender while they’re having straight sex and probably watching gay porn on the Internet while their spouses are out shopping. Seems there are more Fundies on this site than gays and lesbians (not counting you closet cases who passed the word around to your f**k buddies at church to visit this site). You’re not fooling anyone.
Marjorie 0120
@Bill Perdue:
You call a person’s children a litter? What the hell is the matter with you? Perhaps you think your mother was a bitch and your Dad a dog, but I come from a large family and resent the implication that I am out of a litter!
Insulting the family only reflects how little you think of your own.
Marjorie 0120
@Timmeeeyyy:
I agree, I was trying to help a man who was wheelchair bound with horrific leg deformities. We went to the Salvation Army to attempt to furnish an apt for him. We were given very high prices for the delapidated furniture they had for sale and when I questioned the clerk about it she informed me that the lower prices were for families with children only.
While families with children need whatever help they can get, this man was not a drunk, drug addict but a man dumped by his family because of his costly care. I wouldn’t give them the time of day, much less a dime.
Marjorie 0120
@Linda:
Sorry but is douching a relevant post for the topic being discussed? I doubt that most guys douche but I could be wrong, lol. Most women already know about it.
Billysees
Paul wrote, “Beware of evil workers and dogs”.
That applies to any fundamentalist who comes here to “sit in the seat of the scornful”.
Hypocritical feasts of mockery they are.
He also wrote, “Follow after the things that make for peace”.
Every good and mature Christian knows and understands the above.
Betty Potter
@Charles J. Mueller: hmmm, let me see if I am understanding you. It is OK for you to “hate” people who do not actively support and/or participate in your personal choice of lifestyle, but it is NOT OK for someone else to run a private business guided by their own principles and sense of integrity? Do I have a clear picture?
Cyn
Good to know, thank you. I don’t shop at Walmart anyway, and I’ve boycotted Dominos forever based on their financial contributions to abortion clinic terrorists. Another reason to not eat their icky pizza. Salvation Army gets a note from me, around the holidays I carry pre written notes with me in cute little envelopes. You should see the greedy smiles when I drop the envelopes. They tend to pocket them, thinking it’s a ‘special’ donation. Snort, it sure is. The others, I’ll talk to my friends.
Nepote
I cannot believe how shallow gay’s and their allies actually are. Are they so f-ing stupid as to believe that a boycott by less than two percent of the population has any affect on straight businesses? These threats just codify normal peoples contempt for homosexuals and their agenda. Wake up we are never going to accept them as any kind of normal. Once you all realize that you are so far from those who enjoy natures pairings, you will be able to keep your mouths shut.
Joshua
@gayvirgo: @Cyn: awesome thanks for the info ! Now I know exactly where to give my money to I applaud these companies for standing firm on there beliefs. Just because your a loud minority doesn’t mean your agenda has a future. May God continue to bless these companies ( including chick fil a ).
Philip
Living God, the Creator of heavens and the earth, The God of Israel; He alone decides what is right and what is wrong, what is permissible as per His law and what is against His Law. His Law states that homosex is SIN and He destroyed entire city of Sodom for this grave sin. Present day Dead Sea with no fishes and living beings clearly declares his vengence.
REPENT AND SEEK HIS FORGIVENESS..HE WILL MAKE POSSIBLE TO HAVE A NORMAL LIFE…MEANS A MAN WITH WOMAN AS MARRIAGE PARTNER.
Ron in New York
To Phillip and Joshua: Do you guys always hang out on gay sites or did some of your closeted gay pals (lovers, boyfriends, etc.) tell you about this site and to come here and make fools of yourselves?
I don’t think Christ had in mind the kind of Christian behavior that goes on today when he told Peter, “On this rock I will build my church.” As Barney Frank has said, “YOU made it into the Ten Commandments, WE didn’t!” Christ never mentioned homosexuality. So, you have to dig into the Old Testament, the same books and chapters that admonish us not to eat pork or seafood, to not cut our hair or shave, and to stone our children if they sass their parents. Stop trying to use the Bible to justify our own narrow-minded biases!
When Christ returns and I suspect it will be sooner rather than later, the two of you will be at the top of His list to tell, “I know you not!” Twice in Matthew’s gospel, relative to His dealings with particular groups of individuals at a future time, the Lord specifically stated that He would say, “I never knew you” (7:23), and “I know you not” (25:12).
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’ (Matt 7:21-23) Sounds like He was addressing both of you guys. Bet you two guys are buddies. The Bible has a lot more to say about self-righteousness than it does about homosexuality.
One thing gays and lesbians DON’T do is interfere with YOUR lifestyles or try to stop your ability to enjoy life. We don’t try to shut down churches or stop your millions of Christians who are committing adultery, with kids growing up in broken homes. And why do church leaders look the other way when priests molest little boys and then trying to cover it up by paying over two billion (correct) dollars in hush money to parents of abused altar boys and settling lawsuits against the church. You might want to clean up your own houses before you attack ours. Bunch of hypocrites! Hardly a week goes by that I don’t read where some church leader has been caught with his pants down or having sex in some sleazy motel with some younger person, usually of the same sex.
Phillip, your ignorance of the Bible is astounding. You shoot off your mouth with Biblical text but apparently haven’t read or understand any of it. Sodom wasn’t destroyed because of homosexuality, it was about the attempted mistreatment and ‘lack of hospitality’ of visiting angels who Lot was trying to protect. Maybe you should spend more time in Bible study and less time on gay and lesbian websites pontificating!
The Declaration of Independence says, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness.” No where in that document does it say “Except gays and lesbians.” It does, however, allow southern bigots to keep their slaves. And some of your Christian lifestyles are anything BUT normal. Hate is not a family value.
Phillip and Joshua, ignorance is bliss and you’re both blisters! Kindly go and thump your Bibles and exude your hatred elsewhere. You’re embarrassing yourselves. Go ahead, eat at Chick Fil-A. We choose to spend our money where people aren’t using it against us.
Billysees
@Ron in New York: Re 284
Ron,
You’ve said many important things that need to said. Written in a style equal to reverse fire-n’-brimstone, these points should be made more often but sadly are too often ignored by angry and quarrelsome fundamentalists.
Whenever I encounter these folks, I’m too often reminded that, “better to live in the wilderness than with an angry and a quarrelsome woman”…..Proverbs 21:9 and 21:19. Fundamentalists are oh so similar to that kind of woman.
We’ve heard it sounded many many times before that we should remove our own faults before we think to admonish others to remove their faults. Strangely, fundamentalists have not and cannot do this, and so in their own personal cynicism and contempt, continue with their hypocritical and scornful jabs at those they do not like.
It should be realized that scripture quoting isn’t the answer simply because it is so often not applicable enough. It is just “not applicable” in each and every case.
As an example, we wouldn’t want to give a married couple a hard time because they feel the need to divorce for their own personal reasons even if those reasons are beyond whatever is scripturally allowable. Most of us would simply accept that the Holy Spirit, who knows much more than the scripture reveals, will guide them in their decision making. Maybe they’ll wind up getting divorced and maybe they won’t. The leading of the this Spirit will prevail.
The work and ways of the Holy Spirit will dominate or trump over scripture every time.
Thank goodness scripture doesn’t dictate to this Divine Spirit what it should do or not do.
Paul wrote, “the KINGDOM OF GOD is “not” in word (the scripture), but power (the Holy Spirit)……..it is not food or drink………but righteousness (doing good works and deeds) and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit”.
And in like manner, gay and lesbian folk shouldn’t be admonished scripturally simply because — they know themselves better than anybody else and if they “know” that their sexual orientation is best for them, then GOOD FOR THEM, and shall they go off into the sunset and live happily ever after…..lol….lol.
Ron in New York
@Billysees: Billy, my point in addressing the subject of divorce was not to condemn it (getting out of a rotten marriage that isn’t working is certainly preferable to staying in it and making everyone’s life miserable). Those who attack gay marriage are being hypocritical. If anyone is destroying the so-called sanctity of marriage, it’s them and not us – with only a very small percentage of kids in this country reaching the age of 18 with both parents under the same roof. My understanding of marriage is ’in sickness and in health ‘til death do us part’. Now, they’re ready to hire a divorce lawyer if one or the other loses the fight over the remote.
Most of the Old Testament was written for a bunch of men living in the desert 4,000 years ago and much of the New Testament was written by men long after the birth, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ and went through a number of translations (ever play that old parlor game Telephone?) over the centuries (Read “The Jerome Conspiracy” by Michael Wood). Fundies can quote any Biblical reference to ‘man lying with man’ like Pavlov’s dog at the mere mention of gays and lesbians, but somehow miss or overlook the parts that step on their own toes. Even if they’ve never read the Bible, by golly, they know it’s in there! Problem is, most of them have never read anything except the Sunday funnies. It’s like art – they know what they like and they know what they hate.
As for homosexuality itself, I highly recommend “What the Bible Really Says About Homosexuality” by Daniel A. Helminiak, a Roman Catholic priest. He clears up a lot of distortions about what the Bible says and what it really means, and in a language that even a closed-minded Fundamentalist standing in line at Chick Fil-A can understand.
Billysees
@Ron in New York: Re 286
Hi Ron,
I reread your No 284 and didn’t find any reference to divorce. I mentioned it my comment No 285 as an illustration that probably few married couples who are considering divorce allow themselves to be put through the scrutiny of whether their desires, motives or reasons are Biblically approved or not.
But when gays and lesbians and their sexual orientation or their relationships are in the picture, behold…the scripture quoters of negativity seem to come out of the woodwork. This is unfair and unnecessary. I believe from my own personal experience and observation that most gays and lesbians are confident and happy in their gayness and are not interested in any other life options. Gays and lesbians, and really all LGBT’s (and any other applicable acronym), should be included here.
——————————————————
Here is how all of us LGBT’s should be treated and there should be “NO” ifs, ands, or buts here….NONE, don’t know what the verses are, 3 are from Paul and one from Peter —
1. Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in your brother’s way.
2. Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.
3. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.
4. Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble.
————————————————
Gay marriage is one of the best ideas to ever come down the pike. I remember reading about it many years ago and I wondered where did this come from. Its impact actually caught me off guard. But it grew and grew until I realized that something “good” was in the works. Marriage is so great that there should never be any effort to withhold it from worthy people, and that includes any or all LGBT’s that want its blessings.
You see, I believe that, “Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven” and add to that the other comment Jesus made that, “The Holy Spirit will lead and guide us into all truth and all the other good things we should have” will determine the future of us all. We’ll see more in time that He “is” the savior of the “whole” world especially those that believe.
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I understand your comments about the Old Testament writers. Fundies as you say and the woman in Proverbs 21:19 as I would call them (lol…lol) should do more to perceive the worthy things about them and be more encouraging to gay and lesbian folks. It can’t be that impossible for them to do that. But when I read those utterly hateful things those Baptist preachers and others said about gays should be put to death and so forth, I would be embarrassed to think of myself as a fundamentalist. Why didn’t they remember what Jesus said about being the first to cast a stone. Is it that hard to remember His words? Good heavens…
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I’ve heard of Daniel Helminiak and read some comments by him. He gets around quite a bit.
See — https://www.google.com/search?q=Daniel+A.+Helminiak&sugexp=chrome,mod=14&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8
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Here’s something I read from Queerty or The Huffington Post some time back that I think you’ll find interesting. I did.
“Protestantism represented St. Paul’s victory over St. Peter. Fundamentalism represented St. Paul’s victory over Christ. ”
– Will Durant ( an American writer, historian, and philosopher ), from “Caesar and Christ”
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Finally, check out an effort of mine to cause a stir, if that’s possible.
See — http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jaweed-kaleem/faith-shift-what-religion-stories_b_1412331.html
Start at April 24, 2012. I ran out of things to continue to say at the time and then they closed all further comment entries.
Maybe you’ll find interesting what little I did say about Bruce Barton and his books. If you can get a chance, read the book called “The Man Nobody Knows”. It’s about a happy camper Jesus, a party animal of sorts. Very different, respectful and may be better than anything you’ve ever read. “A Discovery of the Real Jesus” is the subtitle of the book.
My “handle” is still Billysees. The cat in the logo is my cat Scooty….lol.
Billw
Billysees
@Ron in New York: Re 286
You are correct when you said — If anyone is destroying the so-called sanctity of marriage, it’s them (straight folks) and not us….
And I would add this — How can “what God has joined together…” wind up nearly failing 50% of the time? I use the word “failing” rather than divorce because it has a more shocking impact. Gay folks cannot possibly be associated with this kind of statistic. Only straight folks can answer this question. No one else can answer it for them.
Sorry for my impolite comment about Daniel Helminiak as getting around. I really meant to say that because of the many references to him in my Google search of his name, He has undoubtedly attained the respect and recognition of many well known sources of knowledge and information.
I read with interest his article titled, “My Take: What the Bible really says about homosexuality”. See — http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2012/05/15/my-take-what-the-bible-really-says-about-homosexuality/.
He does simplify what the Bible says about homosexuality. And it’s a shame that the “woman of Prov 21:19 (fundies)” don’t seem to be interested in recognizing the insight of the Holy (devoted) men of our age. The Holy Spirit is very busy working in these people to help us lay people or novices understand the things that we should know and understand.
Lastly, I prefer more of the New Testament than the Old Testament because I feel that these newer scriptures better represent the “newness of the Spirit”, a quote from Romans 7:6.
DBBromberg
Add safeway to the list
Godgirl1
I would be glad to shop at these companies I do not support gays it is not right. i believe in Gods word and Christians are going to make a stand for what is right.
Ron in New York
What are you, Godgirl1, about 12 years old? Does your mommy know you’re hanging out on a gay website? God is watching you, Godgirl.
I believe in God’s word too. God’s word says “Judge not!” Now, why don’t you go stand over there out of the way.
PS – God also believes in punctuation.
tidalpool
sheer foolishness, any one of us would demand the right to free speech, the right to our own personal expression, and the right to associate with those we choose with out penalty. I am not sure where my community got so *%&#@ stupid, but far to many well to do gays begin these foolish boycotts, forgetting a great many gay men live far to close to the edge to be concerned with financial boycotts. They buy where they must, where ever their dollar goes the furthest. If you feel all that rich, send a few hand written letters to each company headquarters, go visit the CEO, make your voice heard in person. If you are unwilling to invest that type of cash, time or effort, quit making others feel they too must go without because you have some beef.
Ron in New York
Geesh, Tidalpool…who peed on your M&M’s?
Billysees
@DBBromberg: 290
“Add safeway to the list”
Why ?
Billysees
@Ron in New York: 292
“PS – God also believes in punctuation.”
Lol…….lol…….lol…
Billysees
@Godgirl1: 291
Coming here when you don’t like the nature of this website and what it represents is kinda dumb.
And getting on a soapbox about your personal beliefs can be thought of in the following manner —
1. Resentment kills a fool…..Job 5:2
2. A stone is heavy and sand is weighty, but the resentment caused by a fool is even heavier…..Proverbs 27:3
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Now here comes the good news —
This is how we lgbt’s here and everywhere else should be thought of and treated —
1. Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in your brother’s way…..Romans 14:13
2. Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God…..Romans 15:7
3. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love…..Ephesians 4:2
4. Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble…..1 Peter 3:8
Cheer…
Ron in New York
Great Scripture references, Billy! So many of those who call themselves Christians seem to overlook all the passages that apply to them. My guess is that if Christ returned today (and He could!), he would reject many of his followers with “I know ye not!”
As a friend of mine likes to say, “Lord, protect me from your followers.” There’s a little more to being a Christian than calling yourself one. As Dr. Lawrence Peter (The Peter Principle) said, “Going to church doesn’t make you a Christian anymore than standing in a garage makes you a car.”
tidalpool
@David Hauslaib: the salvation army, a christian based organization has the lowest overhead of all American registered charities…….minor point, albeit a significant one. When I donate to a charity, I do it because of the issue they support or are involved in, not their political views on sodomy. Come to think of it, its darned near impossible to find any one who actively supports arse-pokin except a few gay organizations, which almost never seem to be involved with charitable works.
Marjorie 0120
@Dawster:
I see what you mean and agree with you. Hurting a business even if we had numbers great enough to count also hurts their employees some of which are gay. The reaction is also likely to increase negative feelings and reactions. When looking at charities, the Salvation Army was the first to show up after the Sandy hurricane and without them many people would have suffered greatly for lack of clean drinking water and food. I think we need to remember that like all businesses each location has separate management each with their own point of view, I refuse to haphazardly boycott any business based on what upper management does and especially a charity like S. Army just because one or two locations are managed by jerks. Plus let’s remember they are a religiously based org. can you really expect them to openly embrace the gay community? If I were in an area where a real disaster hit, I’d want them at the scene immediately because waiting for FEMA can be a long wait.
Marjorie 0120
@Billysees:
Ron if more gay men who share your opinions and logic were in the forefront of the gay movement, finding acceptance would be a much easier task. “Let God be my judge not you” is a very powerful yet simple message. Instead, the public sees the gay parades with grown men parading around and making themselves a bizzare as possible. Or they read sites like this and read posts where gays express vitriol and hatred towards any kind of religion especially Christianity. The New Testamentis the result of Christ’s appearance on this planet with his undying love for everyone, even gays if we read it as written. Even more important was his message of not being judgmental towards each other and is so important, it’s one I know I personally need to work on in my little corner.
Thank you and the other posters approaching issues with an intelligent, caring approach and not just mindless anger. We can be as guilty of being judgmental as those who pass judgment on us.
Ron in New York
For those of you who missed it, my complaint with the Salvation Army has to do with a letter I received from them begging for $20 they promised would feed a family of four for Thanksgiving. Instead, they spend every dime of my twenty dollars and more in junk mail and postage begging me to contribute even more money for their causes. I haven’t sent them a dime since and never will. Sorry. I’d rather hand a ham sandwich and a cup of coffee to some homeless person in a doorway. At least then I know he’d get it.
Oh, and while all of you self-righteous do-gooders are at it, tell your One Million Moms (probably 3200 of them tops) to get off J. C. Penny’s back for using Ellen DeGenerous as a spokeswoman. Can we say ‘hypocrite’ boys and girls?
Ron in New York
Correction: Apologies to Ellen DeGeneres for misspelling her name. To err is human – to moo bovine. Truth be known, Ms. DeGeneres is probably one of the most ‘generous’ people in show business.
Billysees
@Ron in New York: 298
Christians are very fault prone folks like all of us.
That’s why they too easily (or conveniently) forget or ignore the verses that instruct them on how to treat other people including those they don’t like for whatever reason.
The desire to “sit in the seat of scornful” using scripture is dumb and they should know that.
That seat is nearly impossible to stay out of. It’s the worse place to be.
“I know ye not!” as you said, may include many many people who are not aware.
That statement, “Lord, protect me from your followers” is a beauty that I well remember seeing often printed in different ways on T-shirts of those who wore them at the Gay Pride festivals here in my home town. I always loved that one.
My second favorite was a response to an major nationwide advertising campaign some years ago about, “Where’s The Beef?” The T-shirt had a big arrow on the front pointing downward with the caption, “Here’s The Beef”. It was really funny.
I wish our churches and all other worship places would teach ” WITH EMPHASIS ” about those 4 verses I mentioned here earlier.
I’ll repeat them again cause they’re so good and edifying and uplifting and fully accomplish what Paul said, “Follow after the things that make for peace.”
They are stand alone beauties.
This is how we lgbt’s here and everywhere else should be thought of and treated —
1. Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in your brother’s way…..Romans 14:13
2. Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God…..Romans 15:7
3. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love…..Ephesians 4:2
4. Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble…..1 Peter 3:8
Billysees
@Marjorie 0120: 301
You’ve spoken very well here Marjorie.
Thank you for your intelligent assessment of the issues you mentioned.
As far as some of the seeming silliness of what the gay parades depict, I’m afraid that folks are just gonna have to get used to that.
It’s a part of our beautiful landscape.
And that is, “great souls doing lighthearted things in an entertaining way”.
StraightUSMC
Thank you for posting this list. I realize it may be a bit outdated as there are other companies that don’t support homos. Now I know who I can support since I see them here on this list. I will keep up my research and will continue to boycott those that support anything but NORMAL traditional marriage. Thank you again for your help. It is appreciated. Have a MARVVY day!!!
StraightUSMC
@Ron in New York: Oh ron. I love how you quote what only fits what you want, but not the Truth. I feel sssssooooo sorry for you. The Bible says that we are to admonish one another as well….so the gays think that we’re judging, but according to the same Bible that you so eloquently quoted we are to admonish one another in love. We love all of the gays and that is why we want you to be aware of your sin. You are the only group of people that combine your sin to your person. Murders aren’t crying because we don’t like what they do….rapists are saying that we are bullies because we don’t like their sin either, but somehow the gays always find a way to say that they are being bullied. You are sinning. It is in the scripture. The ENTIRE Bible counts or it wouldn’t be there so the old testament states that marriage is between a man and woman. We love the person and hate the sin. It is that simple. If you can’t separate your person from your sin then you have a bigger issue. We love all of you so we beg you to turn from your sin and repent. We all know what happens to those that don’t. If you say you are saved then you have to bear fruit according to your salvation. Are you bearing the fruit of a Christian? I think you know that answer that only you can face in the dark alone when it’s only your and your Creator. You don’t have to say it out loud. Know that the Christians are obeying the Word by standing up and saying that gays are wrong in what they practice, but we love them as people. We can see the two as separate things. I just wish you could do the same. Stop forcing your sin on us…we don’t want it and we don’t want our children to see it. They witness enough bad things in this life and it is up to us to protect them.
StraightUSMC
@Ron in New York: How are they hypocrites exactly? Why don’t you cite some sources before you go on a tangent?
Ron in New York
@StraightUSMC: Well, give a bigot enough rope and you don’t really need to respond…they just hang themselves with their own mindless rhetoric. Save your pious pontificating for someone who appreciates it. And save your pity for someone who really needs it – YOU!
I prefer to allow someone much more knowledgeable than you to size up the situation. I refer to the former Bishop of Newark, Dr. John Shelby Spong who put it this way:
“I will no longer listen to that pious sentimentality that certain Christian leaders continue to employ, which suggests some version of that strange and overtly dishonest phrase that “we love the sinner but hate the sin.” That statement is, I have concluded, nothing more than a self-serving lie designed to cover the fact that these people hate homosexual persons and fear homosexuality itself, but somehow know that hatred is incompatible with the Christ they claim to profess, so they adopt this face-saving and absolutely false statement.
“I will no longer temper my understanding of truth in order to pretend that I have even a tiny smidgen of respect for the appalling negativity that continues to emanate from religious circles where the church has for centuries conveniently perfumed its ongoing prejudices against blacks, Jews, women and homosexual persons with what it assumes is “high-sounding, pious rhetoric.” The day for that mentality has quite simply come to an end for me. I will personally neither tolerate it nor listen to it any longer. The world has moved on, leaving these elements of the Christian Church that cannot adjust to new knowledge or a new consciousness lost in a sea of their own irrelevance. They no longer talk to anyone but themselves. I will no longer seek to slow down the witness to inclusiveness by pretending that there is some middle ground between prejudice and oppression. There isn’t. Justice postponed is justice denied. That can be a resting place no longer for anyone. An old civil rights song proclaimed that the only choice awaiting those who cannot adjust to a new understanding was to ‘Roll on over or we’ll roll on over you!” Time waits for no one.'”
You can read the full text of Bishop Spong’s “Manifesto” at this site: http://www.sbnr.org/a-manifesto-the-time-has-come.html
Calling yourself “StraightUSMC” makes me wonder if maybe you’re not as straight as you like to think you are or want others to believe you are. You certainly spend a great deal of time checking out a gay website to be as straight as you claim to be. Oh, and Marvvvvy? Really? That is SO gay!
Ron in New York
@StraightUSMC: Not you again! Don’t you know any STRAIGHT NORMAL sites you could be haunting or have you been banned from them?
As for what is and is not NORMAL: “What’s normal for the spider is a calamity for the fly.” (Morticia Addams) I don’t think it’s normal for a so-called ‘straight marine” to be hanging out at gay web sites. Does your commander know?
Billysees
@StraightUSMC: 306
Here’s a good admonishment —
“Fools exhibit or show off their displeasure and immaturity pretty fast if not at once”………Proverbs 12:16
Why should anyone who doesn’t like this kind of website, and what it represents, come here to “sit in the seat of the scornful” ?
Stop forcing your sin on us, you say.
Stop forcing your scorn and mockery on us, we say.
Follow after the things that make for peace, Paul says.
This is how we lgbt’s here and everywhere else should be thought of and treated —
1. Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in your brother’s way…..Romans 14:13
2. Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God…..Romans 15:7
3. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love…..Ephesians 4:2
4. Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble…..1 Peter 3:8
Cheer…
Ron in New York
@Billysees: Excellent Bible references, Billy. Excellent and wise. Thanks for posting. It’s abundantly clear to me that the ‘straight’ marine has some unresolved issues about his own sexuality. That’s often the case with those who bully and/or protest the loudest.
As the old Irish blessing says, “May those who love us, love us; and those who don’t, may God turn their hearts, and if He can’t turn their hearts, may He turn their ankles so we’ll know them by their limping.”
Billysees
@Ron in New York: 312
As the old Irish blessing says —
“May those who love us, love us; and those who don’t, may God turn their hearts, and if He can’t turn their hearts, may He turn their ankles so we’ll know them by their limping.”
Oh that’s really cute.
Love it……lol……
echelon
Exxon does offer domestic partner benefits, but only after years of dismissing us. http://www.hrc.org/blog/entry/exxonmobil-offers-benefits-to-all-employees-spouses
lameusername
hey billysees ur dipping ur soap in ur crackers u got it all backwards here’s a bible verse that mite help u
If a man lies with a male as with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination; they shall surely be put to death; their blood is upon them.
Leviticus 20:13
theirs many more verse then just that one if u don’t like that I made u ppl realize homosexually is wrong.
ChildOfChrist87
It’s childish to boycott a business that doesn’t agree with your personal opinions. I shop at businesses that provide the service I’m looking for, could care less what personal beliefs are. I do think it’s funny these companies get these gay facists all in a tizzy though. Lol. Thanks for the list, I now like these businesses even more now, on top of the fact I like them for their services.
arthurb3
@lameusername: Did you read the one after that? It says if you have sex out of wedlock you should be stoned and it said if you shave or cut your hair its is an abomination worthy of stoning, too!
rogerjones12
Thank you for this article. I will now be spending my money at every single one of these places!
tedj1956
I support same-sex marriages, but I do not support bulling. You say that everyone should be able to believe what they want, I guess that means as long as they believe what you believe. You say that it is wrong to bully people because they believe different than you, but that is exactly what you are doing here. It seems that you are no different than the bullies I had to put up with in school. I guess it is ok if you do it! That is the same excuse as all bullies through history used. What this all boils down to is that you are the true Bigots.
asylumzone
It’s so sad that we are still dealing with this. We are a new gay owned Halloween costume company wwww.asylumzone.com and one of the things we talk about is that as we grow, we want to make sure to offer all our employees inclusive friendly policies that allow them to be who they want to be. The fact that we are living in homophobia is shocking but we can make a difference if we put our money toward gay friendly or gay owned businesses. Our gay money is powerful!