You can ring my bellllllllllllll, ring my bell...

[jesus_h_biscuit]

Discrimination, faith-based style
Salvation Army Lobbies for Religious DiscriminationIt’s almost time for those red kettles to go up in front of grocery stores across America, and all across America, people get all rosy cheeked just thinking about doing good… forgetting about all the organizations that do as much good without making such a big show

Comments

[devils_sidekick]

Thank you, I posted it on my blog

[lytebryte]

I posted this on my blog and this is what someone had to say:

"those evil bastards at the salvation army!!! how dare they help all those hurricane katrina victims!!! what assholes!!!!

(ps STOP POSTING YOU GULLIBLE TWAT)

(pps i hope you get raped)"

From a Christian...you'd think whoever it was would have been a little more polite.

'From a Christian'

[djinnthespazz]

Oh, so not. Those folks who say 'Christian' and have thrown out everything Christ ever said and did? Not Christian.

Hope you don't get too many of those.

Re: 'From a Christian'

[lytebryte]

It just makes me see the truth behind the deceit. I know TRUE Christians and it seems that there are extremists in any religion. I just blow it off as being misguided.

[ladysisyphus]

You know I love you and your mad photoshopping skillz, Jude, but don't you think claiming that the thing that only will restore the honour of the US currency system is a change in the discriminatory policies of the Salvation Army might be setting your sights a bit low?

That being said, the phrase 'Now, the president's faith-based initiative may be jammed up for months to come' is beautifully sweet to me. On the one hand, I do appreciate the efforts of faith-based organisations in the fields of social action and disaster relief, and can acknowledge that there is a definite need to coordinate the efforts of secular and faith-based organisations in order to achieve greater outcomes, particularly in times of crisis -- but on the other hand, any time this administration says the word 'faith' or anything like it, I get hives.

[jesus_h_biscuit]

I don't think it is the only thing, certainly not - but it's a holiday tradition with me to share this. I used to send it out in emails, this way is better. This is case specific to the SA, in spite of the good that they do. Rather like the Red Cross accepting my monetary donations as a gay man but not my blood, but I'll still donate clothing and personal items to the SA and the RC. I think I get what you mean, though!

[lytebryte]

Someone mentioned to me once that a young homeless transgender boy went to the SA looking for help and they turned him away telling him "we don't help people like you." As much as they might do good, I'll never give them a dime until they stop treating people like this. It's not just in employment but in service, as well.

[benjiej]

Just had to throw this in. I work the the Red Cross Blood Services. The rule about not accepting blood from gay men is NOT a Red Cross rule, but the FDA's. It applies to all organizations that collect blood in this country.

[profundis]

Mmmmm, counterfeiting, civil disobedience, and sticking it to the fundies - what's not to like? *eg*

[mikya]

It's only counterfeiting if you pass it out with intent to defraud. If you're not negotiating it for value there's no crime.

[profundis]

Donation = value. I don't think I'll be the one to try it, perhaps you have a lawyer on retainer. LOL

[mikya]

A donation isn't value, it's a gift. Dropping a scrap of paper into a bucket is hardly fraud.

[riverheart]

They also:
* Discriminate against married women who work for them by giving the women's paychecks, bonuses, etc. to their husbands. Not to them, to their husbands only. They work things so that the women have no insurance that doesn't come through their husbands, no recorded contributions to Social Security despite being wage-earners, no provable income or employment record if they wanted to work elsewhere, nothing.
* Discriminate in employment practices against anyone who, for whatever reason, won't or can't sign onto their statement of Christian principles: this includes Jewish people who have worked for them for many years, at least one of whom was fired for not being a Christian.

Salvation Army discrimination hurts everyone and affects, potentially, far more of the population than the GLBT community; protesting discrimination against the GLBT community is extremely important, but if people don't want to make a stink for that reason, above are a couple more.

I'll be linking, of course.

[roamer1]

The second doesn't surprise me -- that's common with religious groups in general, even with laypeople -- but the first does, and in a BIG way; I've never heard of *any* company or organization doing something like that. I'm not even sure how it's possible, and I'm curious as to why labor groups, the IRS and SSA, etc. haven't picked up on it...

[riverheart]

As a "faith based organization" (the S.A. is legally a church), they can get away with a whole lot of stuff that would be illegal for any other type of organization. It's no wonder the Bush administration and right-wing theocrats in general are so much in favor of these organizations and are funding them with our hard-earned tax dollars: they are legally allowed to do anything they want when it comes to religious, gender, and sexual orientation discrimination, as long as they don't discriminate against straight Christian men of any race.

[roamer1]

This doesn't surprise me in the least -- the Salvation Army has been one of *THE* most outspoken organizations, almost on par with the likes of Dobson/FotF, when it comes to advocating support for faith-based programs and support for policies that permit discrimination by such programs. Besides, the whole "army" aspect of the SA bothers me, probably because it's a bit too reminiscent of the "navy" structure in $cientology (Sea Org). Now if only more stores would take the lead of Target and Best Buy and ban the damn bell-ringers...