Salvation Army Red Kettle Campaign Under Fire For LGBT Community Stance

The Salvation Army's Red Kettle bell ringers have become a truly iconic part of the holiday shopping season. However, many lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) rights advocates are now calling for shoppers to skip the donation buckets due to the organization's conservative view of homosexuality.

"The Salvation Army has a history of active discrimination against gays and lesbians. While you might think you're helping the hungry and homeless by dropping a few dollars in the bright red buckets, not everyone can share in the donations," Bil Browning notes on The Bilerico Project. "The organization also has a record of actively lobbying governments worldwide for anti-gay policies -- including an attempt to make consensual gay sex illegal."

Indeed, as Browning points out, the group's position statements reveal a somewhat rigid outlook on LGBT lifestyles. "Scripture forbids sexual intimacy between members of the same sex," one statement reads. "The Salvation Army believes, therefore, that Christians whose sexual orientation is primarily or exclusively same-sex are called upon to embrace celibacy as a way of life. There is no scriptural support for same-sex unions as equal to, or as an alternative to, heterosexual marriage."

However, the statement does go on to note, "Likewise, there is no scriptural support for demeaning or mistreating anyone for reason of his or her sexual orientation."

Like the Protestant Christian organization's holiday campaign itself, the controversy is very much an annual one. Last year, Jeffrey Curnow, the public and corporate relations manager for the Salvation Army, defended the position to Chicagoist, noting:

"I appreciate the opportunity to correct the record when it does come up. In fact, the Salvation Army serves countless people across the country every day from any variety of backgrounds, including gays and lesbians. This number probably reaches into the thousands, though it is impossible for us to determine, primarily because we would simply never ask about a person's sexual identity."

"Because The Salvation Army is a church we do have theological positions on a variety of topics. These positions are intended for our church members or those who are interested in our church. Just as you wouldn't expect everyone you meet to share all your ideas or beliefs, we would never expect everyone we help, our donors, or even our non-church-member employees to necessarily agree with these theological positions."

Andy Thayer, co-founder of the Gay Liberation Network, was similarly critical of the Salvation Army's stance, noting, "If a racist organization was trying to collect money with the message that some of the money was going towards doing good, would you support them? I would hope not." He went on to suggest people would be better served by donating to more pro-LGBT organizations such as the Howard Brown Health Center, the American Red Cross, or The Trevor Project.

Comments

[anndropsby]

03:31 PM on 05/12/2012

An eye for an eye makes everyone blind.

[Trojansarah]

09:55 AM on 12/22/2011

My mother and I always gave money each time we passed the Salvation Army bell ringers. I continued this tradition even after her death in 1993. I stopped giving after 9/11 after reading an article where the Salvation Army refused to assist a lesbian who lost her partner at the WTC. They wouldn't recognize the validity of the relationship, calling her nothing more than the deceased's "roommate" even though the partner could demonstrate a committed relationship through legal documents like a living will and etc. I remember crying for this woman - she not only lost the love her life, but she was at risk of losing her home and then to be mistreated by an organization we trust to help those in need - it was despicable.

I've never given the Salvation Army another cent and never will. My husband and I now donate only to local food banks, Goodwill, and Children's Hospitals who don't deny assistance based on someone's sexuality or family composition. We donate to help others and I don't care if they love a man, a woman, or a doorknob. It isn't for us to judge whether someone is worthy of charity. It's called CHARITY for a reason!

[roy brophy]

08:21 AM on 12/21/2011

When I got back from Vietnam I got drunk.... for about 20 years.
When I was living on the street covered in my own puke the folks of the Salvation Army came and helped me, I don't remember any LGTG folks helping poor people or street drunks like me

[virgoman1]

02:04 AM on 12/21/2011

There's no Biblical support for freeing the slaves of the world either, but early Americans who owned them could stand in the pews of their religious places and proclaim their diety influences. Those who strictly rely on out of context Biblical scriptures are the worst perputrators of hatemongering in the world. They so conveniently pick out passages to suit their dogma and causes, ignoring others they don't necessarily agree with in context. Hypocrites are on one of God's list of deplorable types of people too! These organizations like the Salvation Army that claim religious affiliation of some sort should be the first to step forward and support all peoples regardless if their lot in life or their sexual orientation. And no one appointed any of them judges of mankind, that task is left up to a much higher power!

[poster bored]

02:48 PM on 12/19/2011

Do people actually read this article before posting? They don't refuse help to LGBT persons; they have a specific stand on gay marriage that I don't happen to agree with, but it doesn't influence the assistance they provide in the community. For many people suffering addiction and the homeless Salvation Army is the only safe port in a storm and to launch a campaign against them that will prevent them from helping those that the rest of us turn our backs on is disgraceful.

[Spencer Hamilton]

12:09 AM on 12/18/2011

I would often see the SA buckets out and give a few bucks. However, I haven't been as of late. I am sick of people on here saying: Don't boycott them because they do a lot of good. Yeah, but they won't do good for LGBT people who are openly gay. They would say, you're homeless we can help you but if you're gay we won't. Didn't they post like 43M in donations last year? Good, then they don't need my gay money if they are going to discriminate against me based solely on my sexual orientation. YES, they do discriminate and I won't have a part of it whatsoever.

If they can't help me due to my sexual orientation, then don't count on my support

[DarrellinIowa]

11:04 PM on 12/17/2011

I have chosen for several years to pass the red kettles because of the Salvation Army's position on gays; however, I have personally witnessed the tremendous good they have done for the poor and those with addictions in this in country including LGBT persons. I may not support but I also choose not to criticize a group that has done so much good.

[BrinaRamirez]

03:14 PM on 12/17/2011

Salvation Army is it's own denominational type of church. And perhaps they don't support homosexual's as a church. But those buckets are not out there to boost up the church. They are there to help the community with financial hardships, food, clothing and so on. Sometimes it's great to fight for a cause but some peole go too far with the cause their fighting for. Don't be so sensitive people! Not everyone has to agree with your preferances or opinions.

[jimmecobb]

03:04 PM on 12/17/2011

DONTE SHOP SAVE LIVES at the Brown Elephant stores in Chicago and Housing Works in New York. Both support the LGBT and all communities.

[Sarah Proscher]

10:25 AM on 12/16/2011

Come on. We are supposed to shun all organizations that don't agree with us on everything? Frankly, the people calling for this are less tolerant than the Salvation Army.

[GayLDSinsights]

05:16 AM on 12/16/2011

I'm gay, but I find it kind of ridiculous to criticize the Salvation Army here. Very few people will ever completely agree with your every point of view, but that doesn't mean we should fight against the good they do or ignore the points we DO agree on! I think I'm going to go donate to the salvation army now... :P

My best,

Obadiah
http://gaymormoninsights.blogspot.com

[Jeffrey Kittelson]

06:46 PM on 12/14/2011

I am sorry to read this article to find this out. But I cannot get mad or upset with the people who are ringing bells and trying to help the homeless. Many organizations that help people have had early ties to horrid things IE The author mentions the Red Cross as one example given by Andy Theyer to donate money to. Does he know the Red Cross gave aid and helped Nazi's escape Germany( Klaus Barbie). So does that mean everyone should stop giving blood? Like I said I hate to hear that good hearted organizations like the Salvation Army also have it's blunders. Merry Christmas and lets remember Jesus loves everyone regardless of who they are. That is why we follow his word, I cannot imagine Jesus Christ standing on a street corner holding a sign saying 'MY DAD HATES GAYS AND LESBIANS. " Sorry I just cannot see Jesus doing that. so please live by the Golden Rule .

[jensenge]

10:21 PM on 12/12/2011

Memo to the heterophobes: many homosexuals have benefited over time from the work of the Salvation Army. They have always helped people in need. When General Booth founded the movement in England, it was long before the "LGBT" union sought to apply a veneer of respectability to behavior that belongs back in the closeted shadows from whence it came. The 2% to 5% of the population that would not even exist had it not been for the procreative joining of men with women as nature teaches wishes to bully and intimidate a fine organization that has the audacity to stand for clear biblical teaching on matters of sexual morality!

[Adam Lawson]

05:31 PM on 12/17/2011

Uh... what? I nearly vomited in my mouth after reading that.

So people who don't want to support the Salvation Army for ideological differences are 'heterophobes,' but it's okay to say gays should go back in the closet?

Oh wait... I forgot. You must be a Christian.

[Dave Suchy]

05:01 PM on 12/12/2011

Im a bully. I dont have a name. If you disagree with me, you are a bigot. I will lead people to misjudge you. I will lead people to stand against you. I will mar your public image. Agree with me or face the wrath of the millions I influence. The Salvation Army does not discriminate based on anything, if a certain individual has done things that you say theyve done, as in turning down donations from non-believers(Ive never witnessed that). What I have witnessed is many gay, black, hispanic people get assistance from the Salvation Army. I dont agree with some of their beliefs, nor do I agree with all of yours. But to call for a boycott of a charity, means that you expect the government to step up and fill their shoes. To all the activists that are behind this boycott, how does it feel to be the bullies that you so quickly judge?

[notmysight]

09:43 PM on 12/06/2011

Yes, the Salvation Army does discriminate. Not only against LGBTs, but against those of other faiths who want to /help/ raise money/donate goods or time. How do I know this, you ask? I belong to a group of people that are Pagans, Christians, Buddhists, and so on. But because they saw the people bringing the donation of food and clothing wore 'pagan symbols' and belonged to a group that has a Pagan name, they refused the donation. I was there to do community service (for college) and they took issue with the fact I have a tattoo. Like anyone cares what the person volunteering to help move things and stock shelves has on their skin? It's not even in a language well known, and it's not offensive. (My tattoo reads "Love will be" in Gaelic). So I was asked to wear long sleeves, in July, and after they turned the a/c off I got heatstroke. They wouldn't even acknowledge the several hours I was there, because I had to leave.

So now I donate to the food bank and the Rescue Mission.