So much for Christmas tradition...

[Trigg]

Target has every right to not have beggers outside the door, trespassing on their property and annoying their customers. That's freedom of enterprise. Maybe you aren't annoyed, but I am. If the CEO didn't have thousands of customers complaining then he wouldn't of made this dicision.

They're there then to suck you in on the emotional aspect of giving which Christmas isn't about anyhow. I hope all the malls and stores follow suit.

These stores are being hipocritical when it comes to christmas. They want you to come and spend your money because of christmas, but they don't want to acnowledge Jesus's birth is the reason for the holiday.

Stores want the holiday to be about santa and toys, it isn't!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[TheEnemyWithin]

Bully, it suprises me that you care about the bell-ringers at all. An athiest like you who ridicules president Bush for his faith forgets that the whole dang reason the bell ringers are there in the first place is Jesus. Without Him, we have no reason to give to the poor or needy. So why not leave the holiday stuff to someone else??

The word "holiday" is a corruption of the word "holy day" or "hallowed day," by the way. Stupid ACLU ass-faces think that's a neutral term!!! :rotflmao:

 

[007]

The thing about dropping money into these bell ringers tubs for me is, "is it ALL going where it's intended to go, or is some of it filtering off into pockets of greedy people that can't resist the temptation"?

I'm just not that trusting. To simply drop cold cash into a bucket of a complete stranger, there's absolutely no accounting for where it'll end up.

Baa humbug... screw 'em.

 

[Avatar4321]

The thing is that this is a country found on freedom of religion and we have private property and free enterprise. In other words, it's annoying to the thousands and thousands of citizens who do not practice christmas to be force fed in public places.

Target has every right to not have beggers outside the door, trespassing on their property and annoying their customers. That's freedom of enterprise. Maybe you aren't annoyed, but I am. If the CEO didn't have thousands of customers complaining then he wouldn't of made this dicision.

I giev to three organizations and i don't want people ringing those damn bells and trying to make me feel bad when I walk by. They're there then to suck you in on the emotional aspect of giving which Christmas isn't about anyhow. I hope all the malls and stores follow suit.

Last thing, if you feel the ned to punish someone by withholding your business because they feel different then you that sucks. Respect America and freedoms of ALL PEOPLE, not just you.

Woah wait a minute. Christmas isnt about giving?

Second, since when has anyone tresspassed on targets property? All previous years they have allowed them to be there.

Third, freedom of exercise is exactly that the freedom to exercise your religion in public. Any efforts to eliminate religious expression in public is unconstitutional.

However, Target is private property and they have their freedom to allow whomever they want on their property. That of course also means that if people see them as a selfish greedy store that doesn't care about the true meaning of Christmas, but only their profit margins, that they are free not to shop there if they so choose.

 

[Bullypulpit]

They soooooo ripped off the Glenn Beck program. This picture is from a year ago.

Yeah, but it's still funny.

 

[Bullypulpit]

Bully, it suprises me that you care about the bell-ringers at all. An athiest like you who ridicules president Bush for his faith forgets that the whole dang reason the bell ringers are there in the first place is Jesus. Without Him, we have no reason to give to the poor or needy. So why not leave the holiday stuff to someone else??

The word "holiday" is a corruption of the word "holy day" or "hallowed day," by the way. Stupid ACLU ass-faces think that's a neutral term!!! :rotflmao:

I could give a fat rats ass about their religious affiliation, they do alot of good work. At least the Salvation Army walks it like they talk it, unlike our very own American Nero. And you don't need "Him" to provide a reason to give to the poor or needy. They're human, it's reason enough.

 

[Jimmyeatworld]

I don't know about elsewhere, but in Columbus, Target discount stores and Giant Eagle supermarkets have barred Salvation Army bell ringers from setting up this year so as "not to distract" shoppers. Fer cryin' out loud, can't they even pretend to remeber that Christmas is about sharing and giving and caring?

Well, Target and Giant Eagle can kiss my money good-bye this year.

I just wanted to publicaly mark the moment that I agreed with you.

 

[Shattered]

The thing about dropping money into these bell ringers tubs for me is, "is it ALL going where it's intended to go, or is some of it filtering off into pockets of greedy people that can't resist the temptation"?

I'm just not that trusting. To simply drop cold cash into a bucket of a complete stranger, there's absolutely no accounting for where it'll end up.

Baa humbug... screw 'em.

Every single year, the nightly news reports that no less than 3 of those buckets have been stolen by the people ringing the bells. Yet another reason to just contact the SA directly if you'd like to contribute.

 

[fuzzykitten99]

i gave up on target, and only have been there once since they announced the whole thing. it was to buy christmas cards. target is the only store that i found that carries cards that have funny stuff. i looked all over 3 different walmarts within 10 miles of my home, and not one had cards i liked.

other than that $5, i have not spent any money there.

 

[krisy]

The thing is that this is a country found on freedom of religion and we have private property and free enterprise. In other words, it's annoying to the thousands and thousands of citizens who do not practice christmas to be force fed in public places.

Target has every right to not have beggers outside the door, trespassing on their property and annoying their customers. That's freedom of enterprise. Maybe you aren't annoyed, but I am. If the CEO didn't have thousands of customers complaining then he wouldn't of made this dicision.

I giev to three organizations and i don't want people ringing those damn bells and trying to make me feel bad when I walk by. They're there then to suck you in on the emotional aspect of giving which Christmas isn't about anyhow. I hope all the malls and stores follow suit.

Last thing, if you feel the ned to punish someone by withholding your business because they feel different then you that sucks. Respect America and freedoms of ALL PEOPLE, not just you.

You contradict yourself. Target is o.k. for not letting them ring their bells,practicing their freedom but everyone else is bad for excercising their freedom and not shopping there. I do not believe that Target is worried about annoyed customers so much, customers with emptier pockets. As if the little bit people put in those kettles will make them spend a signifigant amount less in the store.


Around here,we have them at Kroger and probably Wal Mart,although I didn't see them the other night when I was there. Target is getting old and I have not shopped there yet either this season and won't. If they can't support any of these good causes,then they loose my business,and last year I spent about 200 there at Christmas if not more. The bell ringers have never bothered me at all,but quietly stood there as you walk by,or stop and drop something in.If charities can't get a little help this time of year,when can they?

 

[Shattered]

These charities DO get help all year round.. People have deductions coming out of their weekly paychecks, going straight to these charities. They call.. they send you flyers and/or empty donation envelopes.. Thornton is just saying they play on peoples sympathies more at Christmas time than any other time of year - which is true. You don't see them out ringing bells for Valentines day, or Thanksgiving, or Easter.

 

[krisy]

These charities DO get help all year round.. People have deductions coming out of their weekly paychecks, going straight to these charities. They call.. they send you flyers and/or empty donation envelopes.. Thornton is just saying they play on peoples sympathies more at Christmas time than any other time of year - which is true. You don't see them out ringing bells for Valentines day, or Thanksgiving, or Easter.

True,many charities do get a lot of donations year round,but this time of year,a lot of people feel particularly giving.

My problem with Thorton's comments were that it sucks if we choose to not somewhere if we don't agree with them. Target has supposedly turned down Veterans for help too,and that bothers me since my father in law(gaffer) and grandfather were Vietnam and WW2 vets.
It's kind of like when that Dixie Chick was runnin her mouth about Bush and everyone got mad and said they wouldn't buy their cd's. Her supporters said that's not fair. We all have a right to disagree.

I will agree though that some places take it to far. I always buy something from the disabled vets every year,and one year,I just didn't have the money. The guy wouldn't leave me alone to the point of being rude. He finally got hold of my husband who told him we would buy something,then I had to scrape and dig to come up with the money when they showed up at the door. Needless to say,we were broke that week!!!

 

[Shattered]

He wasn't actually saying "you" (collective) suck if you choose not to buy.. It's more of a "don't cut your own nose off to spite your face". because like someone referenced earlier, sometimes those places are the only places you can find what you're looking for.. (Funny cards, in this case). He's not saying that it's ok that they're gone, but it's not ok for you to choose not to shop there.. (I'm only explaining this FOR him because he's gone for a few days).

I just think there's bigger wars to wage. I don't think SA's donations will take much of a drop just because they're not outside Target, and I don't think Target's business will decrease any because of it, either. In fact, it may even increase, if *that* many people were complaining about it.. On the other hand, the people that are annoyed because SA isn't outside Target, may donate that much more to "show their support"...

 

[007]

Every single year, the nightly news reports that no less than 3 of those buckets have been stolen by the people ringing the bells. Yet another reason to just contact the SA directly if you'd like to contribute.

They don't have steal the whole bucket, just have some of the money stick to their sticky fingers.

 

[Merlin1047]

You don't see them out ringing bells for Valentines day, or Thanksgiving, or Easter.

VALENTINE'S DAY???????

 

[Shattered]

VALENTINE'S DAY???????

It was a ridiculous comparison to prove a point.. But fine - let's scrap Valentines Day.. Why not Thanksgiving? Why not Easter? Hell, why not every Sunday, and every other Tuesday?

They use Christmas as a sympathy ploy, pure and simple, because most people are downright *cheery* in anticipation of *getting presents*.

 

[Deornwulf]

Well, that's it, I'm not shopping at Target or Walmart anymore. I'll stick with KSearsmart!

 

[5stringJeff]

In defense of Target, the reason they made the decision was because they have a long standing corporate policy not to allow any non-profit organizations to use their storefronts, but they had made a longstanding exception for the Salvation Army bell-ringers. Several of the non-profits screamed "foul," which gave Target one of two choices: allow all of them, or allow none of them. Target chose the latter.

Certainly, we can all boycott Target, or we could boycott whoever else. But really they have not changed their policy, so much as stopped allowing an exception to the policy.

(ducking, waiting for abuse)

 

[Merlin1047]

In defense of Target, the reason they made the decision was because they have a long standing corporate policy not to allow any non-profit organizations to use their storefronts, but they had made a longstanding exception for the Salvation Army bell-ringers. Several of the non-profits screamed "foul," which gave Target one of two choices: allow all of them, or allow none of them. Target chose the latter.

aaaah - hockey pucks!

Target, being a private corporation was faced with no such choice. Target is no more obliged to allow any organization on their premises than they are obliged to donate to all charities if they donate to one.

It is Target's right to formulate their corporate policies. It is my right to decide where I'm going to spend money.

 

[fuzzykitten99]

aaaah - hockey pucks!

Target, being a private corporation was faced with no such choice. Target is no more obliged to allow any organization on their premises than they are obliged to donate to all charities if they donate to one.

It is Target's right to formulate their corporate policies. It is my right to decide where I'm going to spend money.

Target Corp owns Marshall Fields, and Mervyns (none here anymore-went oob). I think they own one other store, but I am not certain. I'd have to check. But this actually all started when some company in Missouri (i don't remember the name, but it starts with a K) bought the out Target, which is why they closed down Mervyns here. I actually loved that store. They had great deals on shoes and jeans. It was a last minute, unexpected announcement on the news one night, earlier this year. It must have been pretty hush, hush, because none of the employees even knew about it. The ones that worked at Mervyns were basically told one night they have a month to find a new job, or they could transfer within the company to Target or Marshalls, depending on experience.

So basically, Target Corp. is not really even a Minnesota company anymore. I don't specifically blame Target for the Salvation Army thing, but their new parent company. But I still don't like their decision, so I won't shop there. I go to wal-mart more anyway, because essentials like soap, tp, diapers, etc., are cheaper, and wal-mart is closer.