Fox is reporting this story with no explanation and typical outrage. It’s easily found. I don’t see a need to link to it. This thread isn’t about how Fox covers the news.
I finally tracked down a more balanced article that explains Belk has a nationwide Habitat for Humanity campaign. It’s a good charity. I’ve worked construction on a few Habitat homes several years ago.
I’m still not sure that justifies banning the Salvation Army Kettles. Christmas donations are their most important source of local revenue that funds many vital projects. A nationwide decision like this can potentially harm a lot of people.
How do you feel about it? Why not support both? Allow the kettle outside the store like usual. Promote the Habitat for Humanity campaign more prominently inside the store at the cash registers?
My family won’t be Christmas Shopping at Belks this year. We just don’t feel comfortable patronizing Belks stores this year. Salvation Army is one of my main charities. I respect the work they do.
This is just one example in one city. Belk is doing this at all their stores.
Can’t people who want to donate to a charity now do it online? If you then say that having a kettlehandler standing outside is more likely to guilt you into giving, well you’ve just made an argument for why it is reasonable for the store to ban them–is it really in the store’s best interest to have an unrelated third party standing at their doorway trying to make customers feel that they have a social obligation to give money to the kettlehandler?
I see no reason to hold Belk to a special standard. Plenty of stores don’t allow the Salvation Army outside their doors.
Salvation Army is the #4 US Charity so I’m pretty sure they’ll be OK. I’ll give them credit they are fairly good at money coming in going out to help people and their top compensations are not horrific in scope like some other huge charities.
What stores will you be shopping at? Are they friendly to your causes? Are you like so many of us that shop at Amazon these days, because I know they don’t have anyone outside their doors.
I don’t like being hounded going in and out. I especially don’t like being hounded by charities who espouse values that I might not agree with. It makes me feel like I’m quick walking an obstacle course to get inside. If I had Belk here, I might be inclined to give them more business for making shopping a more comfortable experience for me. (What a strange concept!)
In this day and age, there’s no excuse for the S.A.'s deep-seated homophobia. They’ve been challenged several times over the years, yet they remain unmoved.
I’ve lived in about 20 different cities and have never seen a Belk store. At this time of year, I see SA bell ringers all over the place. I don’t think SA will be hurt much by Belk’s decision, and I think Belk has a right to restrict their support to the charities of their choice.
I have never been at a Belk. But if they do their own charity fundraising at the register (like many places do), then I can totally understand why they wouldn’t want another charity potentially sapping away at their customers’ generosity.
So you, and anyone who wants to support them, can go on-line and donate, or find another kettle. I never have cash and so I have to guiltily creep by, even though I have standing donations given electronically.
I had never heard of this so-called “national department store chain” before reading this thread (according to Wikipedia, Belk is in 16 states).
Personally, I’ve had enough of this homophobic organization and their guys in mangy Santa costumes monotonously ringing bells in front of every fucking store for the whole fucking month. Good on Belk for saying no to them.
The Salvation Army does a lot of good in the community. I’m thankful for the opportunity to be a financial supporter.
Just one example is their Angel Tree that provides needy kids presents on Christmas. I have participated for over 15 years. Pick up a tag with the items requested. You buy the items on the list, drop them off, and they go directly to the family.
Here in my city a thousand families’ children will have a Christmas this year because of the Salvation Army.
SA feeds the homeless. They have so many wonderful programs in the local community.
I’m not concerned about politics when they are providing such needed services.
I think the reasonable question is to ask what Belk is doing in total in charitable activities and how it compares with its competitors–not look at one specific charity and one specific type of support.
