You might want to think twice about where your holiday donations go

I was dismayed to read this week that the Salvation Army, whose ministry purports to "extend to all, without discrimination" is anti-gay and also anti-immigrant, not to mention anti-abortion. I suppose I'd never researched the issue...but I also must have missed some press coverage.

In 2001, the Salvation Army agreed to give domestic partner benefits, rescinded the offer, and then actively lobbied against them. In 2004 the organization threatened to close all of its soup kitchens in New York City when the city proposed legislation that would require all organizations doing business with it to provide equal benefits to unmarried domestic partners. In return for the Bush Administration making it easier for government-funded religious groups to discriminate against gay people, the Salvation Army agreed to openly support government faith-based initiatives. Here is the Salvation Army's official position on homosexuality.

This article also reports that in Texas, the Salvation Army officials were checking immigration status before serving people and giving toys to children.

In addition to my boycott of Target, now I will think twice about throwing my extra change in those red kettles. Mike's dismayed because he says it seems that no organization is acceptable. I certainly can see his point.

As a consumer, I believe in putting my money into organizations that share my values. I am far from 100% pure on this point, but when an organization or company boldly comes out against something I believe in, it's hard to ignore.

Comments

  1. Thanks for pointing this post out to me. When the situation with the stance on gay rights, etc was pointed out to me, I was dismayed to realize how long the information about the discrimination had been out there. The immigration status thing is distressing as well. I intend to be much more careful in the future about the organizations I support.

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