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Tyranny of the gay rights movement; Boycotting Target for donation
Topic Started: Aug 4 2010, 07:27 AM (763 Views)
Mikhailoh
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If you want trouble, find yourself a redhead
Many people on here have heard me talk about the lockstep mindset of the gay rights movement, and how they are 'our way or the highway', trying to ram their agenda down everyone's throat. Here's a classic example. They are boycotting Target now for a political donation to a candidate they don't like. Target has domestic partner benefits, which is about as far as a company can go in being supportive.

This type of 'progressive' tyranny is falling out of favor fast. Beware a backlash. I'd love to see Target threaten to drop the benefits. Boycotts can work two ways.


Quote:
 
Target Hit With Boycott by Gay-Rights Activists Over Political Donation

Gay-rights activists are cutting up their Target credit cards and demonstrating outside the retail giant's stores to protest the company's donation to a political group backing Minnesota Republican gubernatorial candidate Tom Emmer, who is against same-sex marriage.

Target contributed $150,000 to MN Forward, a pro-business group that has endorsed and is paying for ads for Emmer, ABC News reported.

The boycott got a major boost Tuesday when MoveOn.org, the Democratic political advocacy group, said it would help with the petition drive to spread the boycott, according to Reuters.

On his Web site, Emmer says he defines marriage as a "union between one man and one woman" -- a view common among politicians in both parties. Emmer also angered some voters by contributing $250 to a Christian rock band called You Can Run But You Cannot Hide that has expressed anti-gay sentiments.

On Facebook, activists going after Target have started a page called "Boycott Target Until They Cease Funding Anti-Gay Politics." Meanwhile, a second group with a similar name is advocating a protest of the electronics retailer Best Buy because it also contributed to MN Forward.

"Target has always been a really supportive workplace for GLBT people," said Monica Meyer, head of OutFront Minnesota. "I think people are feeling a little betrayed by the company . . . seems really contradictory to how they've acted in the past."

But Target CEO Gregg Steinhafel said the retailer's support for the gay, lesbian and trans-gender community is "unwavering."

Target, Steinhafel said, "has a history of supporting organizations and candidates, on both sides of the aisle, who seek to advance policies aligned with our business objectives, such as job creation and growth. It is also important to note that we rarely endorse all advocated positions of organizations or candidates we support, and we do not have a political or social agenda."

Once in his life, every man is entitled to fall madly in love with a gorgeous redhead - Lucille Ball
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brenda
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..............
Target's support of Tom Emmer is based on his pro-business stance. Compared to the other candidates for governor, he is the ONLY pro-business candidate. The others have ALL come out saying how they intend to raise several taxes on corporations and businesses in general.

This is about jobs and the economy in Minnesooooota. Target already does a great deal for the GLBT community in our state.

The opposition to Emmer wants to raise their profile and turn this into something it's not. There has also been a backlash here against the people who are twisting it to their own purpose. Target has gotten some extra customer support from this. People are choosing to shop more at Target in some cases.
“Weeds are flowers, too, once you get to know them.”
~A.A. Milne
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Axtremus
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HOLY CARP!!!
I will continue to spend money at Target.
I will continue to support marriage and civil union equalities for same-sex couples.

Now the hard question: How is gay rights supporters boycotting an enterprise that gives money to anti-gay candidates different from the US government blacklisting charity organizations that are suspected of funneling money to anti-American terrorists?

If we're OK with going after a particular political nuisance's financial backers as a way to achieve a political goal, why can't the gay rights supporters do that too?

Would there be proportionality arguments or some straight-up principled arguments to support the discrepancy?

(Hey George, along the "they're doing it too" line ... may be in between saving lives you can help Google up some anti-abortion group's boycotting of enterprises that give money to anti-abortion candidates, hopefully of enterprises that sponsor healthcare insurance with abortion coverage, too, just to make the parallels more parallel. ;) )
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Mikhailoh
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If you want trouble, find yourself a redhead
There is no parallel at all in any of your examples. But I appreciate the stance in your first two sentences.
Once in his life, every man is entitled to fall madly in love with a gorgeous redhead - Lucille Ball
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Axtremus
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HOLY CARP!!!
Mikhailoh
Aug 4 2010, 07:57 AM
There is no parallel at all in any of your examples.
You just failed to see them.
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Mikhailoh
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If you want trouble, find yourself a redhead
No, they simply do not exist. In the abortion situation, the company involved would have had to first deny abortion as a covered medical service under their health coverage. That might have begun to be parallel with the Target situation. In the blacklisting of terrorism supporting charities, if you see any parallel there you are in bad need of an eye exam.
Once in his life, every man is entitled to fall madly in love with a gorgeous redhead - Lucille Ball
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Axtremus
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HOLY CARP!!!
No ... the parallels are there, you just failed to see them.
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Jolly
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Geaux Tigers!
Ax, you are comparing apples to alligators.
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Nobody's Sock
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Fulla-Carp
well they both start with an A. There is some parallel.

"Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known."
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Copper
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Shortstop

The gay rights movement is in no way analogous to the US government.

It is impossible to fail to see the parallels. They don't exist.

And as far as " why can't the gay rights supporters do that too?"

They can do it too.

But they'll do it with ridicule, and heckling and be called tyrants and the get the kind of negative reaction you see above.
The Confederate soldier was peculiar in that he was ever ready to fight, but never ready to submit to the routine duty and discipline of the camp or the march. The soldiers were determined to be soldiers after their own notions, and do their duty, for the love of it, as they thought best. Carlton McCarthy
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John D'Oh
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MAMIL
I personally don't have a problem with Target supporting who they like, and I'll shop there, but boycotting a shop is not tyranny. It's exercising one's choice in where to spend one's money. I think it's a bit stupid, to be honest, but it's not tyranny.
What do you mean "we", have you got a mouse in your pocket?
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Aqua Letifer
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ZOOOOOM!
John D'Oh
Aug 4 2010, 09:04 AM
I personally don't have a problem with Target supporting who they like, and I'll shop there, but boycotting a shop is not tyranny. It's exercising one's choice in where to spend one's money. I think it's a bit stupid, to be honest, but it's not tyranny.
+1. There are much better examples of gay rights activists acting ridiculous. Heck, we've had better examples here.
I cite irreconcilable differences.
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Kincaid
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HOLY CARP!!!
Quote:
 
Now the hard question: How is gay rights supporters boycotting an enterprise that gives money to anti-gay candidates different from the US government blacklisting charity organizations that are suspected of funneling money to anti-American terrorists?


I have highlighted where I think you went wrong. Just because an agenda item is not supported does not make the person anti-anyone.
Edited by Kincaid, Aug 4 2010, 10:22 AM.
Kincaid - disgusted Republican Partisan since 2006.
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John D'Oh
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MAMIL
I was going to point out that Republican 'family-values' politicians boycott gay clubs, and that's not considered tyranny, but then I realised that's not always true. :lol:
What do you mean "we", have you got a mouse in your pocket?
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Big John
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Senior Carp
Some people are so afraid of gay people.

It's like being afraid of bambi.






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Mikhailoh
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If you want trouble, find yourself a redhead
Aqua Letifer
Aug 4 2010, 09:09 AM
John D'Oh
Aug 4 2010, 09:04 AM
I personally don't have a problem with Target supporting who they like, and I'll shop there, but boycotting a shop is not tyranny. It's exercising one's choice in where to spend one's money. I think it's a bit stupid, to be honest, but it's not tyranny.
+1. There are much better examples of gay rights activists acting ridiculous. Heck, we've had better examples here.
Really? These Homonazis trying to financially harm a company that provides domestic partner benefits simply because the company feels that a given candidate is better for their business environment is not just abysmally stupid? Target should have the gay rights agenda as their top business priority?

You cannot be serious. They won't, but I truly wish Target would rescind the domestic partner benefits. Target put a lot of money into that benefit - a hell of a lot more than the lousy $150K they donated to the candidate. As a CEO, I would think such a move responsible for your shareholders. Why would you want to spend a llot of money to support a community that deliberately tried to hurt your company?
Once in his life, every man is entitled to fall madly in love with a gorgeous redhead - Lucille Ball
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George K
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Finally
That's funny...

On a more serious note, it raises an interesting question: What's the difference between "choosing to not patronize" (like I don't go to basketball games) and "boycott" (am I boycotting them?)?
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Mikhailoh
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If you want trouble, find yourself a redhead
Big John
Aug 4 2010, 11:29 AM
Some people are so afraid of gay people.

It's like being afraid of bambi.

You keep trotting out that 'fear of gays' horsesh!t. It's just more passive aggressive behavior. Nobody is scared of you. Just very very tired of these unreasonable antics.

Once in his life, every man is entitled to fall madly in love with a gorgeous redhead - Lucille Ball
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John D'Oh
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MAMIL
Mikhailoh
Aug 4 2010, 11:31 AM
Homonazis
Surely homonazis would attempt to kill all heterosexuals or at the very least invade Poland and make everybody wear leather shorts, rather than just boycott a store?


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What do you mean "we", have you got a mouse in your pocket?
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Mikhailoh
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If you want trouble, find yourself a redhead
George K
Aug 4 2010, 11:32 AM
That's funny...

On a more serious note, it raises an interesting question: What's the difference between "choosing to not patronize" (like I don't go to basketball games) and "boycott" (am I boycotting them?)?
The former is a consumer choice. YOu can't boycott basketball games because you don't go in teh first place. A boycott is an encouraged group action to make a point or change a behavior.
Once in his life, every man is entitled to fall madly in love with a gorgeous redhead - Lucille Ball
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Aqua Letifer
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ZOOOOOM!
Mikhailoh
Aug 4 2010, 11:31 AM
Really? These Homonazis trying to financially harm a company that provides domestic partner benefits simply because the company feels that a given candidate is better for their business environment is not just abysmally stupid? Target should have the gay rights agenda as their top business priority?

You cannot be serious. They won't, but I truly wish Target would rescind the domestic partner benefits. Target put a lot of money into that benefit - a hell of a lot more than the lousy $150K they donated to the candidate. As a CEO, I would think such a move responsible for your shareholders. Why would you want to spend a llot of money to support a community that deliberately tried to hurt your company?
Dude, you hear this sort of thing from Republicans all the time. Big box stores are hurting the local mom and pop shops, you say? It's killing the competition? They don't look out for the little guy? The Republican mantra is and has always been, "well you don't have to shop there. Vote with your wallet if you don't like their business practices/ethics/moral principles/political favorites."

How is this any different? If Target wants to stop supporting the gay rights agenda, that's their right, too.
I cite irreconcilable differences.
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The 89th Key
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Pffft....Target is the closest store to me. That's my main reason for going there. I couldn't care less if all the employees rode bikes-without-bike-seats on the way home and worshiped their cat when they got there.
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Aqua Letifer
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ZOOOOOM!
The 89th Key
Aug 4 2010, 11:37 AM
Pffft....Target is the closest store to me. That's my main reason for going there. I couldn't care less if all the employees rode bikes-without-bike-seats on the way home and worshiped their cat when they got there.
Eh, there are some stores I go out of my way not to support, simply on principle. But for the most part I don't really care all that much either way.
I cite irreconcilable differences.
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Mikhailoh
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If you want trouble, find yourself a redhead
Aqua Letifer
Aug 4 2010, 11:37 AM
Mikhailoh
Aug 4 2010, 11:31 AM
Really? These Homonazis trying to financially harm a company that provides domestic partner benefits simply because the company feels that a given candidate is better for their business environment is not just abysmally stupid? Target should have the gay rights agenda as their top business priority?

You cannot be serious. They won't, but I truly wish Target would rescind the domestic partner benefits. Target put a lot of money into that benefit - a hell of a lot more than the lousy $150K they donated to the candidate. As a CEO, I would think such a move responsible for your shareholders. Why would you want to spend a llot of money to support a community that deliberately tried to hurt your company?
Dude, you hear this sort of thing from Republicans all the time. Big box stores are hurting the local mom and pop shops, you say? It's killing the competition? They don't look out for the little guy? The Republican mantra is and has always been, "well you don't have to shop there. Vote with your wallet if you don't like their business practices/ethics/moral principles/political favorites."

How is this any different? If Target wants to stop supporting the gay rights agenda, that's their right, too.
It's because they are so fvcking stupid as to boycott someone who in a very materially significant way supports them, simply because their agenda is not Target's number 1 priority.

It is like the ex-artistci director at the Sacramento theater who had to resign because he donated to Prop 8. Here is a guy who works with gays constantly and per my brother who knew him well never ever discriminated against them. He simply believed in traditional marriage as it was.

Surely you can see the danger in people who are eager to do harm to you because you disagree with them.
Once in his life, every man is entitled to fall madly in love with a gorgeous redhead - Lucille Ball
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Kincaid
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HOLY CARP!!!
Cat worship is just a step away from polygamy! You got to draw the line somewhere.
Edited by Kincaid, Aug 4 2010, 11:42 AM.
Kincaid - disgusted Republican Partisan since 2006.
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