E-mail updates
Follow on Twitter
Subscribe to RSS
Tim Boyle / Getty Images
Salvation Army bell-ringer Debra Vazquez works near her red donation kettle Dec. 20, 2005. in Park Ridge, Ill.
The Salvation Army’s annual red kettle fundraising campaign is not getting a ringing endorsement from gays and lesbians.
Gay-rights groups are urging a boycott of donations to the iconic holiday bell-ringers, saying the Salvation Army has a history of discriminating against gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people -- a charge the charity denies.
“As the holidays approach, the Salvation Army bell ringers are out in front of stores dunning shoppers for donations. If you care about gay rights, you'll skip their bucket in favor of a charity that doesn't actively discriminate against the LGBT community,” Bil Browning, editor-in-chief of The Bilerico Project, a national LGBT blog, wrote in a recent post titled "Why You Shouldn't Donate to the Salvation Army Bell Ringers."
"While you might think you're helping the hungry and homeless by dropping a few dollars in the bright red buckets, not everyone can share in the donations. Many LGBT people are rejected by the evangelical church charity because they're ‘sexually impure.'”
“We are urging a boycott of the Salvation Army because it uses its selective interpretation of the Bible to promote discrimination against LGBT people in employment benefits and leadership positions within the Army,” Andy Thayer, co-founder, Gay Liberation Network, told msnbc.com in an email.
"Of all the very many, often bizarre, prohibitions mentioned in Leviticus, the Army chooses to single out and promote the few prohibitions against gays, which suggests to us that it is bigotry, not literal Bible belief, that motivates their actions."
The Salvation Army, a charitable evangelical Christian organization that provides aid and services to the needy, denies that it discriminates against anyone.
"Nothing can be further from the truth," Lt. Col. Ralph Bukiewicz, divisional commander of the Salvation Army Metropolitan Division, told msnbc.com on Wednesday.
The charitable organization notes that its services are available to all who qualify, without regard to sexual orientation.
“In our policies, in our practices, in our programs and in our eligibility for any service within the Salvation Army, there is not a request for any details concerning sexual orientation,” says Bukiewicz.
Gay-rights advocates contend the organization has a history of lobbying for “anti-gay” policies and legislation. As an example, Browing says that in 2004 the Salvation Army threatened to close all their soup kitchens for the homeless in New York to protest the city's decision to require vendors and charities doing business with the city to adhere to the state’s civil rights laws forbidding discrimination based on sexual orientation.
Gays and celibacy
On its national website, the Salvation Army says it holds "a positive view of human sexuality" and does not consider same-sex orientation "blameworthy in itself.”
The position statement on homosexuality goes on to say: “Scripture forbids sexual intimacy between members of the same sex. The Salvation Army believes, therefore, that Christians whose sexual orientation is primarily or exclusively same-sex are called upon to embrace celibacy as a way of life. There is no scriptural support for same-sex unions as equal to, or as an alternative to, heterosexual marriage.
“Likewise, there is no scriptural support for demeaning or mistreating anyone for reason of his or her sexual orientation. The Salvation Army opposes any such abuse.”
Browning says the Salvation Army has denied services to LGBT people unless they renounce their sexuality or end their same-sex relationships -- a charge Bukiewicz denies.
"I've seen the discrimination the Salvation Army preaches first hand,” Browning wrote. “When a former boyfriend and I were homeless, the Salvation Army insisted we break up before they'd offer assistance. We slept on the street instead and declined to break up as they demanded.”
Browning, Thayer and other gay-rights activists are urging people to ignore the sidewalk and storefront red kettle bell-ringers and instead redirect their holiday donations to other charities.
Bukiewicz says the campaign by gay-rights groups is based on “erroneous understanding.” He notes their boycott actions in previous years haven’t put a crimp in holiday donations.
Last year, Salvation Army raised a record $142 million during its Christmas appeal campaign, the most noticeable component of which are the red kettles. That was a 5 percent increase over the previous year.
More news and feature stories from msnbc.com:
Leave a Comment:
I'll double my contributions to the Salvation Army from now on.
I'll triple mine!
Typical bible-thumpers. This is one organization that doesn't stand a snowball's chance in hell of ever getting a dime of my hard-earned money. There are much better ways to support those in need than to give money to ANY religious group that preaches hatred and intolerance...of course that seems to be the way of ALL organized religions today, be it Christian, Muslim, or Jewish. No wonder fewer and fewer people are attending church. Hopefully these archaic religions will someday disappear as human beings continue to evolve (YES EVOLVE!! WE WERE NOT CREATED!!) And for all you wackos blinded by your nutty religious beliefs, no need to reply to this post, since I never read replies anyway. Go preach to the choir!
I wonder if you have ever been in a war zone.....and saw the salvation army there.....helping our troops with creature comforts....
If the gay people don't want to donate, fine, I can understand that. But if someone were to launch a public campaign to boycott the gay businesses in the country, they would be outraged.
WE ARE ALL DIFFERENT.....Live & let live, people !
Amazing. The Salvation Army has helped more people in genuine distress than any big name, commuity chest or United Way grab.
I'm sorry but the human condition doesn't demand that the entire species agree on everything. The homosexual community is hurting those who depend on help from charities through this act of self-centeredness.
Who gives a dam. The Salvation Army helps people in need. All you fudge packers are doing is hurting the unfortunate....which is unfortunate!
Hey tracer.......I LIKE you !
You are exactly right! I like tracer too. The gays always want to shove themselves down others throats. Now they want to boycott the "Salvation Army"???? Tells you a lot about them. They don't have any defense on this one and it makes them look like a bunch of fools. Everyone knows what the SA does for the underprivileged and this bunch of (fill in the blanks) wants to boycott them???? Get real. Get out of Dodge gays. You are way the HE-W-L off base here.
Here's an idea. All the boycotters spend some time and volunteer at the local homeless shelters and soup kitchens and do something really useful with their time. Our local Salvation Army helps anyone that needs it regardless of their sexual orientation. They help with food, medicine, heat, electric and any other need that is within their means. Get a life and go do something meaningful and help someone else instead of boycotting a Salvation Army Bell Ringer
If you want to email the Gay Liberation Network to tell them to pull their heads out of their butts, (pun intended) here is their email address: LGBTLiberation@aol (dot) com
LGBT are a minority, that demand a majority of attention! Lighten up, don't take yourselves so seriously! Merry Christmas!
I desire and hope that all who have been delivered up to their shameful acts will repent, but is just so wrong that Homosexuals use the word Gay to describe their abomination. Gay= merry, bright, showy, which makes homosexuality look like it is good. Woe to them that call evil good! St. Paul to the pagan Romans explains well that homosexuals and supporters of them are damned unless they repent.
I hope everyone in the homosexual community learns what I learned.....that Jesus still loves you. Whether His people are feeding His sheep or scattering them by portraying Him wrong.....He is right and He loves you....very much....just don't forget that.....Christians....Read Ezekiel 34 n keep scattering His sheep.....see what happens.....LOVE is the key; not you're hate and bitterness. Those are fruits of the flesh and NOT fruits of the Spirit. You will be judged by a higher standard as professing believers so you may wanna watch how you're judging others.
The wages of sin are death period!! Homosexuals bear witness against themselves. "And then I will profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, you that work iniquity." (Matt.7:23)
Its lunacy to think a man can go around feeding his lustful passions and at the same time be spiritual. If this were true why is the flesh at war with the spirit?
Just gave $30.00
I'm becoming slightly weary of articles about the gay community claiming discrimination by one group or another. Frankly if they don't wish to contribute to the Salvation Army I'm just fine with that. Since the gay community is relatively small as a percentage of total population I doubt the Salvation Army will suffer.
More and more straight people are getting fed up with discrimination against gays all the time Rick. This may make a lot more people hesitate about donating than you think.
leroy> And that's fine. I'm just getting tired of hearing the gays complaining constantly. If you don't like the Salvation Army don't donate and don't accept their help. Same with the Red Cross of the Knights of Columbus.
Leroy Brown,
I am fed up with discrimination.....PERIOD ! Don't matter who is doing it, it is NOT RIGHT !
Even if you are being discriminated against, it's not right. So if you, who are being discriminated against, and in turn, discriminate against anyone in retaliation, you only keep the ball rolling. This makes you no better than the original nitwit.......
As Dr. King once said.....' The trouble with an eye for an eye, is that it leaves everyone blind !"
Just another example of Homosexual militancy against a moral religious organization. It is high time American culture stands up to the Faggots and Dykes in a big social backlash. All you queers out there had better stop corrupting the morals and values of our society or you'll have hell to pay.
Extreme Right, you sure are!
There are no righteous men....No....NOT ONE.......
Methinks the Starvation Army will find a lot of three-dollar bills in their kettles this year.
Maybe a few wooden nickels too!
The next "red kettle" I see, I am placing $100.00 in the kettle. Keep up the good work.
I think I'll cancel my tickets to The Nutcracker and donate the money to The Salvation Army!
Don't ya know? If someone kills your grandma, it's a crime.
If someone kills your lesbian grandma, it's a HATE crime.
It must be great to get special protections that are not available to all American citizens.
1) As a religious group, SA can make whatever policies they choose.
2) Requiring seperate beds isn't nessesarily a religious thing. Government and safety regulations have to be maintaned. But of course, that's one more thing that NBC left out of the story.
3) You can donate what you want to whom you want...until Washington decides and does it for you.
4) One good thing about NBC not portraying accurate or complete stories is that it makes me research the subjects for the facts of the story. It has yet to put up a story without omitting or slanting towards an agenda.
Not Just NBC either!
I do not believe that people should not give to a charity because they take a stand against something they do not believe in. The poor still need our help and now the gay and lesbians are thinking only about themselves. We live in America and I am sick and tired of people in these groups having tantrums because people do not embrace their decisions about being gay. If you chose that lifestyle, live it, but don't expect everyone else to just accept your lifesyle. Stop pushing your beliefs on everyone else and shut up about it already.
Being gay isn't a belief Tammy dear, it's an inherant trait. No one "decides" to be gay any more than they decide to be straight. In fact, anyone who thinks it IS a choice must be bisexual themselves. I sure didn't "choose" to be straight, I liked girls even long before puberty, it's part of who I am, just as it is for everyone else, gay or straight.
You have a choice to give to those you believe in. Any Christian evangelical group tends to discriminate against non-Christians and those they disapprove of...The Salvation Army will not get my money.
HMS 487867
Correct-a-mundo. You have a choice to donate or not. But sometimes it goes deeper.Some did not like arizona's stand on illegal immigrants, so not only did they want to boycott the state, they wanted to boycott Major league baseball.
I work in the inner city, and see homeless shelters. I have on occasion thrown a couple bucks into their donation box, even though they discriminate against alcoholics......if you are drunk, you may not spend the night there......
The whole discrimination thing is out of control. Little girls are suing the boy scouts ! THAT my friend, is NOT discrimination, the BOY scouts are for BOYS. Girls must go to the GIRL scouts, where little boys are not accepted. You want to work for Hooters ? great, man....you can be a cook, a manager, a bartender, or a janitor, but hooters servers are WOMEN. If MEN become servers at Hooters, there won't be a hooters very long !
I feel that this sort of story is promotedby the media and the government ( two sides of the SAME coin, I'm afraid....) to keep the people arguing amongst themselves. When the citizens are at each others throats about their right to donate, the citizens won't pay attention to the politicians and the banks ROBBING THEM BLIND !
I wouldn't pick out Gays in particular to discriminate against. In a free society everyone should be discriminated against equally!
I don't know about discrimination but I find it funny that I shop at the Salvation Army & jeans are around $12.00, jackets are around $25.00 to $39.00, tee shirts $4.99 & up. Not mentioning the furniture that goes for hundreds of dollars. Then there is a guy with a kettle at the front door. They get all the stuff for free & over charge for it then beg again at the door. Something is rotten in Denmark I think.
I stopped giving to the Salvation Army years ago, even before learning of their anti-gay ways, because I won't give to any charity that is run by or promotes religion. Even charities run by religions have hidden strings attached. It's essentially saying "See how nice WE are, so... why don't you come consider OUR unsubstantiated dogmatic fantasy beliefs." Beliefs that have often served to keep humanity downtrodden but placated.
I will only give to secular charities that do things out of a genuine desire to help their fellow human beings, and not for some promise of reward or avoidance of punishment in an imagined after-life, and who don't have some ulterior motivation that maybe some of those who they help will become adherents to dogmatic beliefs.
I live in a county where one in six people are going to bed hungry every night. In the county next to me it's 1 in 5 and most of those who are without food or very little, are children. LGBT Activists are entitled to their opinions but the hunger and homeless crisis and doing something about it, as far as I'm concerned, is where I'll put my energy and resources.
Peace and God's blessings to all this day.
Thanks, but I'll give my money to an organization that doesn't lobby the government to keep my gay daughter a 2nd-class citizen.
There are many secular charities that do "help" without "hate".
Why is everyone getting so worked up over this in the first place? The point of the argument is that the Salvation Army will not use the donations they recieve to aid people they consider "sexually unclean". Not only does this include gays/lesbians/etc, this also includes prostitutes (not to mention the infamous argument against Jews).
And seriously, are you going to turn people away and let them starve/be underdressed just because of your prejudices? If you are a "morally right" person, you would not turn a person away when they need you, even if you don't like them. That's a completely sinful way of living, and no religion would truly condone that.
(Leviticus was not part of the original Bible; does anyone notice the Roman name? You know, the people that crucified Jesus, used early Christians as lion food entertainment and all that jazz? You're really going to believe that crap?)