# Gunman rips off Salvation Army - doesn't want to wait in line for Hell

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gunman-rips-off-salvation-army-doesnt-want-to-wait-in-line-for-hell/276929>\
**Category:** The BBQ Pit\
**Created:** [November 27, 2004, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gunman-rips-off-salvation-army-doesnt-want-to-wait-in-line-for-hell/276929 "2004-11-27T23:31:43Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\
**Post date:** [November 27, 2004, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gunman-rips-off-salvation-army-doesnt-want-to-wait-in-line-for-hell/276929/1 "2004-11-27T23:31:43Z")

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[CNN story](http://www.cnn.com/2004/US/11/27/kettle.stolen.ap/index.html)  
'Tis the season, indeed.

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**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\
**Post date:** [November 28, 2004, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gunman-rips-off-salvation-army-doesnt-want-to-wait-in-line-for-hell/276929/2 "2004-11-28T00:10:26Z")

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You know, those ringing bells drive me nuts sometimes, but the next time I pass one of those kettles I’m going to have to put something nice in.

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**Author:** ![GraceTX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c4cdca/32.png) [@GraceTX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GraceTX)\
**Post date:** [November 28, 2004, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gunman-rips-off-salvation-army-doesnt-want-to-wait-in-line-for-hell/276929/3 "2004-11-28T01:42:54Z")

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I think it annoys them as well. I’ve noticed that they haven’t been ringing them the last few years. To me it’s part of the holiday spirit…I have to have the Salvation Army bells so whenever I donate money (I collect my change throughout the year and bring it to one of the kettles at Christmas), I always ask them to ring the bell for me.

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**Author:** ![GusNSpot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gusnspot/32/436_2.png) [@GusNSpot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GusNSpot)\
**Post date:** [November 28, 2004, 6:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gunman-rips-off-salvation-army-doesnt-want-to-wait-in-line-for-hell/276929/4 "2004-11-28T06:17:30Z")

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At the local W\*W, ( 25 miles is local, right ) we have a great bell ringing SA guy.

The wife skips up to him, they hold hands and then sing Jingle Bells together as I lean on one of the red post across the front.

When they finish I clap and she puts the $$$$ in the pot and on we go withour Christmas spirit renewed once again.

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**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\
**Post date:** [November 28, 2004, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gunman-rips-off-salvation-army-doesnt-want-to-wait-in-line-for-hell/276929/5 "2004-11-28T16:04:22Z")

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What a shame. Now the SA will have to divert a few dollars away from its various campaigns to get exemptions from local, state and federal anti-discrimination laws to make up the shortfall.