Have Yourself a Socially Conscious Christmas
Now that the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that corporations are people, it is more important than ever to be aware of what companies receive your hard-earned dollars. As the holiday season approaches, our community can use its nearly $800 billion in buying power to send a message to private companies that we will not contribute to their intolerance, bigotry and discriminatory practices. Sounds easy, right? But with a growing number of businesses donating their dollars to anti-equality candidates and lobbying organizations, particularly in the name of fiscal responsibility without regard for social consciousness, shopping can be a real challenge.
To help you make the best decisions, here’s a breakdown of some of the naughty retailers and companies to consider avoiding this holiday season:
Chick-Fil-A
While their chicken sandwiches and waffle fries may be virtually irresistible, the fast food chain Chick-Fil-A donated nearly $2 Million to Anti-Gay Groups In 2009. A couple of the organizations that benefit from the $2,000,000 in consumer purchases include:
- Focus on the Family. Although Focus on the Family purports to be a “Christian” organization, its opposition to equality indicates otherwise. James Dobson, founder of Focus on the Family, has been quoted as saying, among other anti-LGBTQ comments, “Communities do not let prostitutes, pedophiles, voyeurs, adulterers and those who sexually prefer animals to publicly celebrate their lifestyle, so why should homosexuals get such privileges?”
- Exodus International. The mission of Exodus International states, “Mobilizing the body of Christ to minister grace and truth to a world impacted by homosexuality.” A more truthful synopsis of the organization is to hunt down and target homosexuals in an effort to brainwash them into a life of heterosexuality through any means possible. Exodus board member, Don Schmierer, attended and spoke at a conference in Uganda in 2009 which promoted forced ex-gay therapy, life imprisonment for people convicted of homosexuality and the formation of an organization to “wipe out” homosexual practices in Uganda.
- The Eagle Forum. The Eagle Forum is not only devoted to opposition of “same-sex marriage,” but also actively supports placing woman in the role of “fulltime homemaker.” This position has led to numerous accusations that the organization is not only anti-gay, but also anti-women’s rights.
- Other donations via Chick-Fil-A went to Marriage & Family Legacy Fund, the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, National Christian Foundation and the Family Research Council, all of which have anti-equality agendas specifically targeting the LGBTQ community.
Target
Although once beloved by the LGBTQ community for their generally inclusive practices, retail giant, Target, threw our community overboard last year when they made substantial contributions to Minnesota Forward and vehemently anti-gay Republican Candidate Tom Emmer. Target put dollars before human dignity and rights, and excused the contributions as being an economic, business-based decision which did not reflect their views on human rights. The effect remained the same and Target sold their loyal consumer base to the highest bidder by continuing their contributions to anti-equality candidates and political groups, including sizable donations to anti-LGBTQ Michelle Bachman’s presidential campaign. Their disrespect of human rights did not go unchallenged as activists hit the streets and launched a campaign to expose Target’s indecency. Even Lady Gaga rescinded her contract to have her Born this Way Deluxe Album exclusively available at Target because of their refusal to make it right. If you need more evidence of Target’s turn to the dark-side, the American Family Association, a SPLC designated hate group, has added Target to its 2010 Top Retailers list.
Gold’s Gym
The excuse that financial contributions trump human rights reared its ugly head again when Gold’s Gym’s CEO, Robert Rowling, donated corporate and personal funds totaling over $2,000,000.00 to Karl Rove’s American Crossroads organization, which is devoted to getting conservative, anti-gay lawmakers into office. Mr. Rowling made a similar excuse as retail giant Target, stating, “This is all about fiscal sanity.”
Cracker Barrel restaurants (CBRL Group Inc.)
The restaurateur operates around 580 full-service Cracker Barrel restaurants and gift shops in roughly 41 states. It has a long history of discriminating against employees and consumers who are LGBT. In fact, until 2002, the HR Policy specifically stated, “It is inconsistent with our concept and values, and is perceived to be inconsistent with those of our customer base, to continue to employ individuals in our operating units whose sexual preferences fail to demonstrate normal heterosexual values.” Within the first few months of the policy’s implementation, Cracker Barrel fired 17 employees because they either admitted to being gay or were assumed to be gay. In 2008, a spokesperson for Cracker Barrel attempted to make nice by stating that the company now “...welcomes all guests, and our equal opportunity employment statement clearly states that we will not tolerate discrimination based on sexual orientation.” However, the statement is not gender identity inclusive and the company has not offered any diversity training since the policy change. HRC has scored the company a meager 15/100 on its Corporate Equality Index
ExxonMobil
When Exxon took over Mobil, the company eliminated Mobil’s non-discrimination policy, which included sexual orientation and gender identity. They also did away with domestic-partner benefits for same-sex partners. Most recently, ExxonMobil refused to change their policy, highlighting their support of discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.
Wal-Mart Stores Inc.
It almost goes without saying that Wal-Mart’s treatment of LGBT employees and people is sub-par at best. Not only does the company refuse to offer domestic partner benefits to its employees (except where required by law), but it also refuses to carry any LGBT books in their stores.
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