FUCK TARGET

[atomiczombie]

This is from MoveOn.org:

Get this: Target, the retail giant, just became one of the very first companies to take advantage of the Supreme Court's Citizens United decision allowing unlimited corporate cash in elections.1

Target has spent over $150,000 in the Minnesota Governor's race backing state Rep. Tom Emmer, a far-right Republican who supports Arizona's draconian immigration law, wants to abolish the minimum wage and even gave money to a fringe group that condoned the execution of gay people. 2

Target must think customers won't care. They're wrong: We do care, and we need to let them know that we want Target—and all corporations—out of our elections.

Will you send a message to Target CEO Gregg Steinhafel telling him that you're not going to shop at Target unless they stop trying to buy elections? Click here to add your name to the petition:

http://pol.moveon.org/state/target/?...75-yL9BFux&t=2

Once we get 150,000 signatures, MoveOn members in Minnesota will hand deliver the petition to Target headquarters.

The stakes are much higher than one candidate and one company. Other CEOs are in "wait-and-see" mode following the Citizens United decision, according to a former Federal Trade Commission counsel quoted on NPR.3 If we don't push back hard, this will just be the tip of the iceberg. Other corporations will learn that they can pour money into elections to buy the outcome they want—without paying a price with their customers or shareholders.

We all knew Citizens United would benefit candidates who stand up for corporate CEOs instead of everyday people. But you wouldn't expect a company like Target to jump in and try to buy an election so quickly. After all, Target made its name by being thought of as the more progressive store in the wake of numerous WalMart scandals.

That's why MoveOn members are following up on actions of groups like Human Rights Campaign and the Alliance for a Better Minnesota by telling Target that we won't shop there unless they stop trying to buy elections. Please add your voice now:

http://pol.moveon.org/state/target/?...75-yL9BFux&t=3

And here I thought Target was a good alternative to Walmart.

[betenoire]

I know, I'm so mad.

But I am probably mostly mad that I didn't buy the pink houndstooth cabbie hat I saw there BEFORE I found out that I need to buycott.

[imperfect_cupcake]

I thought this was going to be about sex goals.

[Gayla]

I don't actually use targets. I've discovered that, with a lot of practice, I usually hit what I'm aiming for. But, I've been doing this for quite awhile now. In my younger days, I think visual aids might have been useful. Maybe not a full on target with the bullseye and all but a nice diagram to help me find my way around may have helped some.

[AtLast]

Originally Posted by honeybarbara

I thought this was going to be about sex goals.

LMAO!

[SuperFemme]

Is this like one person in Target doing this?

Because the Target here gives to Queer stuff and shows up for Pride.

Does the $150,000 reckless donation undo the good deeds toward the Queer community?

I'd like to know how much to date Target HAS donated to local Queer Org.'s and Prides in order to make a more informed decision.

[Corkey]

One hand giveth, the other taketh away. Either way they aren't going to support those who support us and our rights. They as a corporation have made their decision, I will not support that.

[firie]

And any entity even remotely tied to backing the racism in Arizona is worth a boycott, in my opinion.

[SuperFemme]

yeah, i just went and read.
they are standing by their asshatishness.

fuckers.

[jenny]

An interesting perspective on this issue... is the CEO of Target being hurt, or is it the employees of Target being hurt?

http://myfeetonlywalkforward.blogspo...tt-target.html

[atomiczombie]

Sexual goals aside (lmao), I am not shopping there anymore. And I really liked Target before, but this is just wrong. *sigh*

[Corkey]

I really don't think it matters, if the employees agree with the owner and the Corporation, then they can share the blame. The employees who feel it is wrong, can tell the owner that they aren't supporting them, or be sheep. I will not be giving my money to that company to use against me and mine. That is my moral stance. I can live with it.

Eta: I forgot who said this. The easiest way for evil to grow is for good people do nothing.

[Strappie]

Just heard the other night that the LGBT Committee at Target are not happy right now. I have friends on the committee here in Mpls, MN and I know that they will continue to voice their concerns with the company.

[atomiczombie]

This is from the San Diego Gay and Lesbian News .com site:

HRC newspaper ad blasts Target, Best Buy for supporting anti-gay candidate Tom Emmer in Minnesota
SDGLN Staff | Mon, 08/02/2010 - 10:03am | Login to bookmark or comment
ENLARGE

WASHINGTON – The Human Rights Campaign placed a full-page ad in the Minneapolis Star Tribune on Sunday, asking Target and Best Buy to make it right, after both companies contributed a total of $250,000 to Independent Expenditure Committee MN Forward.

MN Forward supports anti-equality gubernatorial candidate Tom Emmer. Tom Emmer’s anti-equality views are clear and he is associated with a group that calls for death and violence toward gay people.

“MN Forward may claim to simply be pro-business, but they are supporting an extremist that is not in sync with the majority of Minnesotans in the race for governor of Minnesota," HRC President Joe Solmonese said. "Nobody associated with a group that calls for death and violence toward any group of people belongs in a governor’s mansion, and yet that’s exactly what Tom Emmer is.”

In an open letter to Target and Best Buy in the Star Tribune, HRC asks the two companies to make it up to their fair-minded customer base by making donations to groups that support pro-equality candidates. Both Target and Best Buy have previously scored 100 percent the HRC Foundation’s Corporate Equality Index (CEI).

“Target and Best Buy’s long history of inclusion and fairness makes these donations all the more troubling. These multi-billion dollar companies have spent years treating the LGBT community with respect and dignity. Now they have slapped us in the face for $250,000. We had no choice but to call them out in Minnesota’s biggest newspaper,” Solmonese said.

[TheBellyBionic]

Originally Posted by jenny

An interesting perspective on this issue... is the CEO of Target being hurt, or is it the employees of Target being hurt?

http://myfeetonlywalkforward.blogspo...tt-target.html

The employees of Target will likely be hurt, regardless. The CEO of Target said that he doesn't care about GLBT rights as long as he gets his minimum wage reduction. If the candidate they're supporting wins, Target employees (and millions of other people) will be seriously hurt.

[Soon]

[lipstixgal]

I used to shop a lot at target when I lived in KCMO now I shop at Walmart which is no better I think but there are things that one needs to get from these stores that you can't get other places at least not in NJ its all about Macy's and Bloomingdales which is way too expensive for a person just attending school full time so yes I will boycott Target because of their political ties and boycott Arizona as well!!

[Pretty Woman]

Originally Posted by atomiczombie

This is from the San Diego Gay and Lesbian News .com site:

BEFORE HRC ran that ad here's what they said about re-evaluating their 100%approval rating for Target on LGBTQ issues: "We don’t believe that rating companies based upon their political contributions is an accurate reflection of their commitment to LGBT equality in the workplace." I'm thinking the timing of the ad was after a whole lot of folks let HRC know that their response was full of s**t.

But check out the video of this woman boycotting Target in MN (it starts a little slow but it really picks up, and it's short):

[Pretty Woman]

So here's the link to YouTube
[nomedia="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2SipXbgyi68"]YouTube- Consumer Vents At Target For Right-Wing Donation[/nomedia]

[SuperFemme]

Target CEO: Sorry for $150K Donation

By Michelle Garcia

Target CEO Gregg Steinhafel (pictured) has sent a letter of apology to Target employees for the company's $150,000 contribution to a conservative political action committee that backs antigay Minnesota gubernatorial candidate Tom Emmer.

"The intent of our political contribution to MN Forward was to support economic growth and job creation," he wrote in a letter acquired by Minnesota Public Radio. "While I firmly believe that a business climate conducive to growth is critical to our future, I realize our decision affected many of you in a way I did not anticipate, and for that I am genuinely sorry."

Minnesota Forward supports Republican gubernatorial candidate Emmer, who openly opposes marriage equality. He is also friends with musician Bradlee Dean, who has said Muslim countries that execute gay people are "more moral than even the American Christians."

Steinhafel added that the company will begin a "strategic review and analysis" of financial contributions for public policy issues. The company will also take a "leadership role in bringing together a group of companies and partner organizations for a dialogue focused on diversity and inclusion in the workplace, including GLBT issues."