Salvation Army Anti Gay = Common Knowledge?

[RecoveringKinkoid]

I've know for years the Salvation Army was against equal rights for gay people. Long story short, it came up in conversation and the husband was stunned to learn this fact. And I was stunned that he was stunned. I thought it was pretty much common knowledge. Evidently it's not as common as I thought.

The question for this thread is without you finding it out here, and hopefully looking it up for yourselves, did you already know this? Is this something that people know or is it some obscure fact?

[the_std]

I found this out when I was twelve, my mom and I were sorting through some old crap to donate, and I asked if we were going to take it to the Salvation Army. She made a face and said no, we'd be taking it to Value Village instead. She went on to explain why, and ever since that day, the Salvation Army, their retail stores and their bell ringers will not get a cent of my money.

[Rageaholic]

Damn, I didn't know that.

I heard from a professor that they were scandle free which enticed me to donate a dollar more often, but I guess scandles don't include their views.

I don't know if this will stop me from donating though. Depends on how much influence they have against this issue.

[smileyeagle1021]

The STD, when people ask me why I don't donate to the Salvation Army, I always explain that if it weren't bad enough that they were anti-gay, they aren't very efficient. There are many smaller local charities that do the exact same thing as the Salvation Army with much less overhead.

[RecoveringKinkoid]

Yeah, I'm right there with you. We don't have anything to do with them. However, my avoiding having anything to do with them is active. In my husband's case, it was passive. He didn't give to them, but not because of that.

Well, now that he knows, it's no longer passive. Seriously, he was outraged.

We have friends who do the bell thing and they are people I figured knew, and chose to do it anyway thinking the SA does more good than harm or whatever. That's their business if that's the case, but the husband is now convinced there is no way some of these folks participating in this would be doing it if they knew.

That's why I didn't bring it up to them, really. I figured they knew. I guess next year, I'll bring it up in case they don't. But I honestly figured it was no secret at this point. It's been going on a while.

[blas87]

Found out a couple of years ago.

Their bell ringers and stores do not get a single penny or item of clothing from me.

And unfortunately, when I tell others of it, they say I'm drinking Koolaid and believing everything I hear.

[jackfaire]

I heard that once. The problem is people think of them with warm and fuzzies. so things that slip their mind.

[Greenday]

I had no idea until I saw this thread. This is definitely news to me, though it's not as if I would have any reason to know. I don't know of any Salvation Army's in my area.

[AdminAssistant]

I knew. I only donated my bed to them because they were the only local group that would take it. Everything else goes to Goodwill, and I do my thrift shopping at Goodwill, too. (It's much cleaner, has a better selection, and no god awful contemporary Christian music gets forced in my ears.)

I've also heard of Salvation Army workers throwing away un-Christianly donations, like Harry Potter toys.

[Hyena Dandy]

Yeah, I knew. I figure, if they're the only option, I'll donate to them, but I'd rather send my money somewhere else. There usually is a better option, if you live in a city or a suburb. If you live in a smaller town, not as much.

[Andara Bledin]

The STD, when people ask me why I don't donate to the Salvation Army, I always explain that if it weren't bad enough that they were anti-gay, they aren't very efficient.

According to the American Institute of Philanthropy, they actually rate high on the financial front.

That said, I prefer to give to local, more focused charities, anyway.

^-.-^

[fireheart17]

The STD, when people ask me why I don't donate to the Salvation Army, I always explain that if it weren't bad enough that they were anti-gay, they aren't very efficient. There are many smaller local charities that do the exact same thing as the Salvation Army with much less overhead.

Or slightly larger charities who don't have people ransacking through their bins every night

My family have NEVER donated to Salvos, but not for that reason. I found out about them being anti-gay through a former work colleague who has family in the Salvos and was struggling with coming out as bisexual (it was a guy from interstate, who didn't have much support in my state).

We tend to donate to Savers instead for a few reasons:

1) they support Diabetes SA/Diabetes Victoria and SIDS n Kids in Victoria (the latter is more famous for holding Red Nose Day ).

2) They will drop off bags every once in a while for us to drop our stuff in and they collect it at a certain date themselves. (this is a community thing mind you)

3) They provide VERY VERY good customer service. When they forgot to pick up our donation bags, I drove over there myself as it wasn't that far to go. The gentleman out back saw me with the three bags I had, came over and carried them over to the drop off point himself. (I'd parked across the street) I explained what had happened and he apologised for what had happened. They haven't forgotten a bag since, and in the event they do, I know that I will get help.

4) They do not have drop-off bins out the front of the store, so after hours, cheap-ass shits can't rummage through them for free stuff. (they have one smaller drop-off bin in the front of the store, but it is in view of the checkouts) They also have a drop-off point out the back for the larger goods as well.

5) Their range is SO much better than the Salvos. I have been able to find a pair of pants for job interviews with no problems. Only thing I can't seem to find is a shirt :\.

And of course, over the PA system, they will ask their customers not to set their trolleys on fire (trolley=shopping cart)

[HYHYBT]

As I understand it, the Salvation Army is what you might call passively anti-gay. It's a church, of a sort, of the kind that believes homosexuality is wrong, and it probably isn't such a great place to work if you're gay, but they don't push politically or deny services.

I could, of course, be misinformed on that. We don't have one here anyway.

[Boozy]

I've know for years the Salvation Army was against equal rights for gay people. Long story short, it came up in conversation and the husband was stunned to learn this fact. And I was stunned that he was stunned.

Freaky. I had the exact same conversation with my husband about a week before Christmas.

We had just finished groceries and were leaving the store when my husband slows down by the Salvation Army bell ringer, wishes her a merry Christmas, and puts a twenty into the pot.

I say nothing until we get out to the car. I immediately complain to him that that we have a short list of charities we support, we had already made our end of year donations, and he should have asked me first. He was baffled, thinking it was about the twenty bucks, which would have made no sense since we've never consulted each other on such small disbursements.

Meanwhile, I was also baffled at his behaviour, because I couldn't figure out how a man so supportive of gay rights could have given to the Salvation Army in any amount.

It eventually occured to me that he didn't know about their track record. Turns out he had no idea.

[Cazzi]

I must admit, that was news to me too, but I already didn't support the Salvation Army for another reason.

An old boss of mine was brought up in children's homes believing he was an orphan. He turned to the SA for help knowing that they had a good record of tracking people down after he found out that his mother was probably still alive.

They refused to help him.... their reason? His mother wasn't married when she had him!
Like that was his fault how?

I used to frequent their local charity shop before then.. I haven't been in since.