Unmitigated Phallus

yukidama:

thoughts & clippings: Regarding the Salvation Army

pickedscab:

notyourkinddear:

polerin:

notyourkinddear:

dreammerchant:

kenmorethompson:

There’s been a bit of stuff going around on Twitter and Tumblr tonight about how the Salvation Army is not an organization you should be giving your money to. As someone who grew up in a family connected to the Salvation Army, and as a former employee of the Salvation Army (three separate…

This bit is the facts on The Salvation Army because a lot of you have no idea what you’re talking about. Merry Christmas.

Umm… this does not change in any way the fact that they are bigoted. They HAVE refused services to gay and trans* people. That is a fact. (ETA: It was published on their U.S. website that they refuse to serve gay people. They may have since taken that wordage out, but they did have that proudly enshrined in policy.)

I didn’t want to distract from the convo about their stance on homosexuality (and for the record, being trans* does not mean someone is gay - these are two separate issues that cannot be conflated), so I didn’t say anything. And ultimately, the one truth is that yes, they are a CHURCH. So first and foremost, people should consider whether they want to support a CHURCH, and what KIND OF CHURCH they want to support if they are willing to support a church at all.

But their anti-gay/anti-trans* policies are not their only bigotry. They are also rabidly anti-Muslim. I have been harassed, called names, followed into a store, threatened by, and spat at by bell ringers. When I called to register a complaint with the head of volunteer services, merely suggesting that they might train their volunteers to represent them better, I was first told that there was nothing they could do and then was insulted and called names by the volunteer coordinator before she told me I was going to hell anyway and should “go back where you came from” and hung up on me.

So I don’t really care that some branches aren’t as overtly bigoted as others. I don’t really care that some take their mission of serving the most needy serious. The entire basis of their organization is to convince people to convert. The same thing goes for their work outside the U.S. and I have a serious moral hatred for religious groups who couch their “help” with material needs in pressure for people to become “good” members of the religion. Those who are not interested in converting are beneath them.

There are plenty of organizations, even some Christian organizations, out there that aren’t judgmental or bigoted or hateful. People have a right to have the information necessary to decide what kind of organization they want to give their money to.

Not to mention that, at least here in Nashville, they have been refusing to help undocumented children. Sorry, that’s just fucking evil.

Oh. Yes. How did I forget that? That is not just in Nashville. In order to qualify for any assistance of any kind you have to show so much documentation. If the parents are undocumented, they won’t get help. And since it is very common practice (where I live, that is true for almost all faith-based orgs) undocumented people know better than to even go to them for help and therefore just go without.

It is also worth noting that in order to be allowed to make use of their shelter, you are required to go to bible studies and pray in their manner. Attendance and full participation (singing hymns, giving testimony, public bible reading, completion of bible study activity sheets, etc.) is mandatory.

THIS.

They…just keep getting worse and worse. Jesus fucking Christ on a buttered muffin. Bit late to do much now, but next year I am going to print out and post up anti-SA notices all over around the malls in this area, and also make up and print out a bunch of little “I’m not donating and here’s why you assholes” paper slips to put in the red buckets. Fuck them.

(via knitmeapony)

Source: kenmorethompson