Don't Donate to the Salvation Army
Those Bell-Ringers Are Raising Money for an Anti-Gay Organization—Donate Somewhere Else
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"As I'm sure you know, the Salvation Army actively supports the ban on gay marriage," a Stranger reader e-mailed me last week. "My boyfriend and I were discussing how unfortunate that is, because the people ringing the bells are everywhere, but I can no longer give them money. And yet I don't think it's fair to tell off the bell-ringers (who may have no idea and who have been given a much-needed job by this charity)."
The Salvation Army does more—and it does far worse—than merely supporting the ban on gay marriage. Barack Obama supports the ban on same-sex marriage, if not DOMA. (It might be fairer to say that Obama isn't an opponent of marriage equality, he just plays one on TV.) The Salvation Army has lobbied to prevent federal money from going to cities or states with LGBT antidiscrimination laws and, even worse, it goes out of its way to discriminate against vulnerable LGBT people during moments of crisis.
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"When a former boyfriend and I were homeless, the Salvation Army insisted we break up before they'd offer assistance," writes gay blogger and activist Bil Browning. "We slept on the street instead and declined to break up as they demanded."
Browning's experience isn't unique: "Three years ago, one of my community college students became homeless during the semester," Slog commenter greendyke wrote last month. "The only shelter in our Midwestern capital city with any openings for women and children was a SA shelter. This lesbian household was told they had two choices: One of them could live on the street and the shelter would take the other mom and the kids as a 'family,' or they could all sleep on the street... [That] evil organization will never get a cent of my money."
Plenty more people have posted online testimonials of the Salvation Army's bigotry and sadism in action in California, Texas, and other states.
Officially, the group claims that its services "are available to all who qualify, without regard to sexual orientation." But Salvationarmyusa.org—in a section titled "homosexuality"—says that church services are restricted to those "who accept and abide by the Salvation Army's doctrine and discipline." And that discipline, apparently, doesn't allow for gay people to have partners and families.
Or food and shelter, if the Salvation Army can help it.
How does the Salvation Army respond to these charges of discrimination? "An individual's sexuality is simply not a factor in whether or not we provide service," insisted Lt. Colonel David Hudson, chief secretary of Salvation Army's USA Western Territory, in an e-mail. While he acknowledges that the group is "an evangelical part of the universal Christian church," Hudson continues, "any instance of discrimination is in direct opposition to our core beliefs and is against all of our policy."
Uh-huh. The examples of the Salvation Army advocating against civil-rights protections are legion, as are individual stories of anti-gay cruelty.
"It's amazing to me that so many Christians have chastised me for advocating that people avoid the red kettles by claiming that it will hurt homeless and hungry (straight) people," Browning says in an e-mail. "They overlook the fact that the Salvation Army discriminates against LGBT people and has threatened to close soup kitchens in many cities if required to abide by nondiscrimination laws."
And the money you refrain from tossing into the Salvation Army's red kettles? Donate it to charities that don't discriminate. "There are plenty of secular charities like Toys for Tots, Goodwill Industries, and the American Red Cross that could use the extra cash and don't discriminate against LGBT people," writes Browning.
Or you could give to Northwest Harvest. ![]()
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As a Military Vet and an American.., the Salavation Army has been around since the 1800,s
Presidents since World war 1 and 2 and beyond with the greatest generation and the "Real Americans" played a big roll in lives of thousands- we live in a different world now and as for my self you and the Seattle of Idiot Obama Nation want to do away with Christians and America and I my self have been disciminated by "Sickeattle " by being a bell ringer and my love for God and Country..... Your Socialist idiots and your Stanger paper gives Real America the proof that Seattle a is a Socialist Republic and you will stir a Nation and the world after you here from Thousand Vets and on duty and Real America...., you will be hearing from us soon !
American Irish Republican Army.
if one is gay fine, but if gays are gonna have disgusting sex, at least not be proud of it, it's like a cleptomaniac(who can't help stealing like a gay can't help being gay) being proud of it. See how the comparison makes sense. I have a gay relative who is involved with the Salvation army and that person keeps it in the closet and prays for forgiveness, not advertises it. I'm so tired of people doing wrong trying to make it seem right. Oh, a tip, if you're gay and need the Sal. Army's help,it's simple, DON"T TELL THEM YOUR GAY, morons!!
They use people in every Adult Rehabilitation site by mentally abusing them on a daily basis. I tell every American DO NOT DONATE TO THE SALVATION ARMY. They get enough money illegally through the government and they call themselves non-profit. LIES, LIES, and more LIES. One day it will be an embarrassing moment when the media has a wonderful frenzy on the actions they do to others. Be careful of MAJOR SCHOCH he is nothing but a fraud for a Christian. He only cares about his cars and possessions and money GREED, GREED, and more GREED. He is based in Syracuse, NY. Arrest him now someone before it is too late.
It is wrong to expect the SA to ignore its Bibically-based beliefs when addressing needs. It is wrong for anyone to expect a religious group to go against its doctrines even in the practice charity.
If Christianity is YOUR enemy then get your handout somewhere else. These people live their faith. It is because of this they will offer hope through belief in Jesus. They will show you how sinful behavior affects lives. Where is the harm in this? They have been instrumental in helping countless people turn around their lives. The Salvation Army does much good and does not deserve criticism for adherence to their doctrines.
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The Red Cross, on the matter of blood donors, does not discriminate against gays more than against everyone who's at higher risk of blood-transmitted diseases, or who may have not quite pristine blood. Other blood collects do just the same.
Last time I tried to give blood, I was told that a strictly heterosexual person who had changed partners in the last 6 months or 1 year couldn't give blood. Nor could anybody, regardless of sexual activity, who had gone to the dentist in the past week. Nor could someone who had been recently ill, or who was currently taking medicine. The list goes on an on.
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Like we need to take our eyes from those who would tell us who god hates?
I thought there was a law against this? Oh ! that's right this America.
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America is full of ass hole idiots with no fricking morals or guts or righteousness so if your flinching at lying about your sexuality your obviously a immigrant.
If asked I would probably answer I am not sure but I really get turned on by pituitary glands ;p.
As these articles always lead to some creepy FBI attempt to frame some pissed off disillusioned illiterate halfwit into hating Jesus and or targeting the entire christian world lets just boil it down to do not support anybody who dose not support everybody.
your government decides what you wear what you watch and what you learn and that's why you cant afford a education or help or medical or anything?
civil rights are civil rights and prejudiced hate filled churches are your governments fault and they get big Republican endorsements to be not much less than Nazi's who openly spread hate for People they do not approve of.
Jesus loves you? that specific Church or specific person or in fact that Gay community may not and may not lift a finger to help your ass.
as for giving blood it seems again more of the FBI creepy freaky tales of un belivable B/S that you hear from the twisted minds at the local bar just yacking to be the Pseudologia fantastica creeps they are and Washington State is full of of these creeps?
I guess some feel its fun to be stupid and full of shit? Republicans ! who the hell needs them.
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@7 & 8: You're both full of shit. Ten seconds of research would have revealed that the fastest growing demographic group of people with HIV/AIDS in the world is women of childbearing age who sleep with men. I've yet to hear anybody propose that we ban young, straight women from donating blood.
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Ahhhhhh.... does the American Red Cross not discriminate against LGBT people? I vaguely remember a time when gay dudes couldn't donate blood unless they're celibate. When was that? Today?
Please, don't blame the Red Cross for turning away gay blood donors; they are merely abiding by federal law. No matter where you donate blood in the US, you'll run into the exact same prohibition. In 1985, the FDA banned men who have sex with men from donating blood, in an effort to prevent the blood supply from being tainted with HIV/AIDS and hepatitis. The Red Cross opposes the ban, but has no choice but to abide by it.
Unlike the Salvation Army, the Red Cross truly is a worthy charity. Please don't refuse to support them out of a mistaken belief that they are homophobic.
@12: scottleigh for the win!
I'll do the same.
There's simply no reason to give funding to hate groups. I put my last coin in a red kettle when they "won" the court case allowing them to refuse to hire gays. Their Christ would be appalled.
I'm with you, Dan.
My gosh. Its the love that won't STFU!!!!
Unfortunately that is because of the fact that HIV was, I don't know if it still is, statistically more prevalent in gay men and IV drug users. You also can't donate blood if you've had sex with someone, in the past year, who has EVER used IV drugs, or if you lived in the Mediterranean region in 80's. It's not a matter of discrimination, it's a matter of protecting the blood supply. In time, they will likely lift the ban against gay men, but for now, it's only because of the HIV risk. But they wouldn't hesitate to render aid to a LGBT person or to give them blood as needed.
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http://salvationarmyusa.org/usn/www_usn_…
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My ass! A friend of mine, with a severe meth addiction and no insurance, was turned away for treatment based completely on his sexuality. He asked if they would accept him if he swore to abstain from any sexual contact or behavior during his stay in the program. He was desperate for help and willing to do anything. They firmly told him that their core beliefs and his core beliefs did not match and they could not help him.
Thankfully, he was able to find help elsewhere, but he almost died in the process.
Fuck Salvation Army. I'm sure they help a lot of people, but until they are willing to help ALL people, I will not give them my money.







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