Their own fault. They should have stayed out of the game entirely.

Who cares. Make marriage a civil agreement and let churches decide if they'll "sanction" the union. Churches suck.

Target should respond with a one-page press release:

Dear Minnesota For Marriage,



Love,
Target

Minnesota For Marriage sent out a press release Thursday blasting Target's upcoming June "Wear it with Pride" t-shirt promotion

Shouldn't they be shopping at Wal*Mart anyway?

If your own personal moral values are seriously at risk based on the policies of a chain of discount stores---you have problems.

Jeez, you just can't do anything these days without somebody taking issue with it, sticking an unneeded nose up an unsuspecting butt. And it's gotten so damned difficult to tell a good racist joke in public now, or to pinch the secretary's ass.

Good, keep the old homophobes at Walmart and the hot young girls at Target.

Businesses should stay out of politics. In every sense. I know the big 'fear' is religion in politics and that whole separation of church and state thing, but I think the influence of corporations in politics dwarfs that issue by orders of magnitude. Separation of corporate and state might be a bigger fish to fry that the church and state issue, but I feel it is vastly more important in preserving our democracy...or any democracy.

mr_a: If your own personal moral values are seriously at risk based on the policies of a chain of discount stores---you have problems.

Well, they probably feel it is a political issue which they are against.

Pick something that's important to you politically. Would you shop somewhere that advocated against that? Would you shop somewhere that advocated that homosexuality be outlawed? That marijuana remain illegal?

Would you buy a gun at a gun store that wanted to repeal the 2nd Amendment?

"It's wrong for a mega-corporation to take sides in an important social issue that has nothing to do with its business objectives," Parrish wrote in a media release. "Except when they agree with us... then it's alright."

I added that last part but you know it's true.

Legalise it. The idiots will find something else that pisses them off.

Sounds like I need to go give Target some of my money.

MFM Is sponsored by a conservative coalition within the catholic church, most Catholics in Minnesota are pro gay, however. They have been raiding their retirement coffers to fund their opposition to gay marriage, thinking if the amendment passes it will strengthen the church.

Lol, double FAIL

SoxSweepAgain: Who cares. Make marriage a civil agreement and let churches decide if they'll "sanction" the union. Churches suck.

Counterpoint: the backlash against gay marriage has nothing and has never had anything to do with protecting the make-believe sanctity of marriage. Opposition to gay marriage is rooted solely in the belief that homosexuals are in some manner inferior, diseased, or ungodly abominations and they must be punished. Anything, no matter how common-sense, short of denying or outright harming homosexuals for the way they are is unacceptable and will simply be treated as an "attack" on "traditional marriage".

There is no argument to be had with gay marriage opponents anymore than there was ever really any legitimate debate over civil rights or women's suffrage. The argument is solely one of hatred targeted at a convenient minority for the purpose of making the majority feel superior. As a result, there should be no compromise. They have chosen to be entirely wrong for purely evil reasons, so they should simply be ignored and the proper steps be taken to rectify what is inherently a very simple civil rights issue.

Although if you want to make marriage and the rights enshrined in it purely a civil contract for pragmatic reasons independent of what a bunch of homophobic bumpkins think, I'm all for that too. I don't really understand why religion has to have anything to do with it either. Go to the courthouse and sign some contracts. Let the ignorant goat herders do whatever they want independent of that.

Oh, also, I don't think the argument from liberals against Target was that they were opposed to gay marriage. The annoyance from that side came out because they were supporting the campaign of a republican because his policies were friendly to Target. The problem was that he was ALSO against gay marriage.

In other words, they didn't fund his campaign because of his gay marriage stance, but people got annoyed that they were funding it at all.

farkeruk: Legalise it. The idiots will find something else that pisses them off.

[bobcargill.files.wordpress.com image 375x720]

In 40 years? They look that stupid now.

Splinshints: The argument is solely one of hatred targeted at a convenient minority for the purpose of making the majority feel superior.

I think it's a little more complex. In-group/out-group dynamics and socially normative behavior are an instinctual drive. We are all members of groups, and those groups dictate socially acceptable behaviors. We feel positively about people that look and act like us, and we feel negatively about people who don't.

I'm not trying to absolve these troglodytes for their misbehavior, but I am saying that they are not entirely within their own control. They're tied up with a social group that has identified homosexuals as an "out group", and in-group membership is dependent on that identification.

Splinshints: it purely a civil contract

Marriage is primarily about joint ownership of property and and joint guardianship of minors. That sounds less like a contract and more like a corporation to me. And if we view marriage through that lens, in makes sense to allow that corporation to share that benefit across any number of individuals.

SoxSweepAgain: Who cares. Make marriage a civil agreement and let churches decide if they'll "sanction" the union. Churches suck.

Marriage is already a civil agreement and churches are already licensed to execute it.

farkeruk: Legalise it. The idiots will find something else that pisses them off.

[bobcargill.files.wordpress.com image 375x720]

Holy cats! It's like these are two photos of the same people.

Dear gays,

I love you people, I think you're the best and 100% support equal rights for all.

However, as a practical matter, I am married and I don't recommend it.

Love,
Gordie

t3knomanser: I'm not trying to absolve these troglodytes for their misbehavior, but I am saying that they are not entirely within their own control. They're tied up with a social group that has identified homosexuals as an "out group", and in-group membership is dependent on that identification.

I understand that there are certain base emotions driving their higher level ignorance, but I have little sympathy for these people any more. When you choose to not evolve your thinking to modern standards, I don't see any functional difference between "mah genetics made mah do it" and "I'm just a complete asshole".

They're just assholes. They choose to remain assholes. And I'm not going to view them as anything but assholes.

t3knomanser: Marriage is primarily about joint ownership of property and and joint guardianship of minors. That sounds less like a contract and more like a corporation to me. And if we view marriage through that lens, in makes sense to allow that corporation to share that benefit across any number of individuals.

Whichever, I'm not picky. Basically, it seems to me that anybody who is capable of entering into a contract should be capable of being "married" to anybody else capable of entering into a contract. Seems like a basic issue of freedom. Why shouldn't two or more consenting adults be allowed to do anything they want when it affects only them, is what it really comes down to.

/ which is why every time I hear some idiot going on about how the next step is marrying a frog I want to punch them
// yes, because frogs are well known for the savvy in contract negotiations....

Target has always been very progressive in this manner. The donation that they got into trouble for was to a politician who was involved in a lot of business regulation as well as being a bigot.

farkeruk: Legalise it. The idiots will find something else that pisses them off.

[bobcargill.files.wordpress.com image 375x720]

Seen those pictures before, but an excellent usage.

Now if I can get confirmation that they stopped giving money to antigay causes / politicians, I can finally start shopping there again. I loved Target, but as a self respecting gay guy, I refuse to contribute to companies that actively try to discriminate against me.

sgnilward: MFM Is sponsored by a conservative coalition within the catholic church, most Catholics in Minnesota are pro gay, however. They have been raiding their retirement coffers to fund their opposition to gay marriage, thinking if the amendment passes it will strengthen the church.

Lol, double FAIL

Oh boy, that'll end well.

farkeruk: Legalise it. The idiots will find something else that pisses them off.

[bobcargill.files.wordpress.com image 375x720]

That. Is. Brilliant. You get a Smart button!

Gay marriage for some, minature american flags for others!

wildcardjack: [cl.jroo.me image 600x450]

I want to find that man and shake his hand

victrin: Now if I can get confirmation that they stopped giving money to antigay causes / politicians, I can finally start shopping there again. I loved Target, but as a self respecting gay guy, I refuse to contribute to companies that actively try to discriminate against me.

It cost 'em my wedding registry -- which until this moment I'd viewed simply as a boycott, instead of a hilariously ironic boycott.

"It's wrong for a mega-corporation to take sides in an important social issue that has nothing to do with its business objectives,"

Hmmmm, wouldn't their "business objectives" be to sell a product, so after a boycott, they might address the concerns of the group that boycotted them? Just a thought...

wildcardjack: [cl.jroo.me image 600x450]

Is that Morgan Freeman?

Minnesota for Marriage Deputy Campaign Manger Andy Parrish accuses the retailing giant of "trying to make nice" with the homosexual marriage community to make up for a donation Target made to the Tom Emmer gubernatorial campaign two years ago.

Dear Andy,

It's not to "make up" for anything. It's because Target Corporate has seen which direction the wind is blowing and they've adjusted their stance accordingly. There is no conscience in marketing.

It's almost as though Target has some kind of wedding gift registry where people may come and purchase gifts for people who are going to get married. I dunno. Crazy stuff. Just crazy.

I swear, to be attacked like this from all sides, it's like Target is wearing a bullseye on its back.

A moving Target?

Needlessly Complicated: It's almost as though Target has some kind of wedding gift registry where people may come and purchase gifts for people who are going to get married. I dunno. Crazy stuff. Just crazy.

The last time I went to check a friend's wedding gift registry, he listed a bunch of video games.
I bought him nothing.

farkeruk: Legalise it. The idiots will find something else that pisses them off.

[bobcargill.files.wordpress.com image 375x720]

The finny thing is most of those people in the upper pic will be dead in 40 years.

And none too soon.

Splinshints: In other words, they didn't fund his campaign because of his gay marriage stance, but people got annoyed that they were funding it at all.

If you company supports a candidate who lobbies for lowering corp taxes and happens to be a vocal bigot, don't be shocked when his views are associated with your company.

They should have done a tad more research on the canidate instead of just looking at his stance on taxes. Right now I work with a very religious girl who cant seem to get it in her head that she shouldnt be discussing religion/politics at work. She gave me a blank look like I was nuts. If she only knew the girl that the guy that works next to her is a wiccan Im sure her head would asplode or she would get some kind of witch hunting kit.

Among all the other ways this is a FAIL, it's also a fail on The Great Commision. We Christians are supposed to be surrounded by people who don't agree with us, then we're supposed to be good people so others know we're not all giant flaming bigoted dicks good people.

This is what happens when you take a challening model of behavior and reduce it to a cult of personality. The cultist suddenly need strangers and governments to congratulate them on their personal choices and tell them how popular they should be.

tl;dr: This is why we Christians can't have nice thing.

/christian
//not a giant, popularity craving, craven asswipe

Why would a group opposed to marriage be called "Minnesota For Marriage"?

Is this an intentionally ironic name like the Ministry of Truth in 1984?

Needlessly Complicated: It's almost as though Target has some kind of wedding gift registry where people may come and purchase gifts for people who are going to get married. I dunno. Crazy stuff. Just crazy.

Exactly what I was going to say.

TFA: "It's wrong for a mega-corporation to take sides in an important social issue that has nothing to do with its business objectives," Parrish wrote in a media release.

If a bunch of individuals can take a side on an issue that will not affect their marital or romantic relationships in the slightest, why shouldn't a corporation be able to do so? Particularly since the corporation is acting as a private business - by selling products and making a charitable donation - and not trying to badger a congress person into legislating the issue.

highbrow45: "It's wrong for a mega-corporation to take sides in an important social issue that has nothing to do with its business objectives," Parrish wrote in a media release. "Except when they agree with us... then it's alright."

I added that last part but you know it's true.

Plus, I'm sure Target sells plenty of things purchased by newlyweds.

As a Minnesotan I'm proud to read through the comments and not see an Arizona or Florida level shiat storm

Okey no more Celebrity Activists or Business Activists. Dont they realize that not taking a stance one way or the other pisses off NOONE.