True confession. I shopped at Target. I will shop at Target again.
To make this even more scandalous, I was campaign manager for a gay marriage campaign in Tennessee. I am a liberal Democrat.
If you have been living under a rock and have missed this "controversy," let me catch you up. In 2010, the Supreme Court overruled a law which banned corporations from giving money to candidates. Target gave $150,000 to a group which is supporting Tom Emmer, a candidate for Governor of Minnesota who has a bad record of support for issues of great importance to the gay community. The CEO of Target apologized to his employees. He stated that the donation was intended as one for a pro business position. He promised to set up a better procedure for any future contributions to political campaigns. He reiterated his support for the issues of great importance to the gay community. Best Buy, another company with strong support of the gay community, gave $100,000 to the same group.
So seems like we are done. Friend makes a mistake, friend apologizes, friend promises to not let it happen again. However, we cannot be done because HRC has not entered into the debate. Of course, no issue is complete without HRC deciding it is done. An apology would not be good enough to make amends. To get back in the good graces of HRC, Target must donate $150,000 to candidates who support those very important gay issues.
Protests begin around the country. You can go to youtube and see demonstrations in Target stores. The message is clear - good gays don't shop at Target - a store with a 100% score on the HRC Corporate Equality Index. Translation of the Index - Target has been a good friend of the gay community. We are friends.
I don't know how you operate but when a friend makes a mistake, apologizes, and tells me that he will do better, that is good enough for me. It is even more so when I know that I probably have done similar things to what my friend did.
I am sure many of us have issues which are at the front of who we vote for. They may very well be a candidate's position on gay issues. I am sure there are candidates I support who cast votes I strongly disagree with. Most of us have a major litmus test on issues most important to us. For Target, it was a pro business philosophy. For many of us, it is gay issues. Nothing like a little hypocrisy to lose us credibility in a National debate.
At its core, Target operates in the heartland of America. They are not centered in the larger cities where gay rights have been further advanced. They build their stores in areas where it was not always popular to get that 100% rating from HRC. However, on principle, they had non discrimination policies, supported LGBT groups, and gave money to Pride celebrations. Target is a friend of the community who made a mistake and apologized. What are we going to do to corporations who do not have supportive policies and give money to such candidates? Blow up their buildings? It seems to me we need some proportion in response here.
And to HRC. In the political world, $150,000 is nothing. It means nothing and truthfully will have little impact. It was all about symbolism to require donating money to candidates who support gay issues. How about this approach? How about asking the folks at Target to talk with Mr. Emmer about his views? How about having someone on the inside talk to him about the importance of ENDA or marriage equality? I assure you that it would go much further than $150,000. The whole notion seems junior high to me. I will be your friend if you (check the box) do things just like I say and say you like me. Friendships are two way streets in my world and I do not get to set the exact terms of them.
So I am out of the closet as a Target shopper. I will not wear disguises. I will shop at a store that has a long history of support, made a mistake, apologized and reiterated support to the causes I hold dear.
There are so many issues out there we should be more concerned with. If we in the gay community want to protest something, how about Sarah Palin? That could be a full time job.
I understand why people are upset. It's fair. However, it is time to step back and look at this in a reasonable way. Target is not our enemy and we gain nothing from making them one. I accept the apology and take them at their word that this will not happen again. If it does, I will lead the protest. Until then, I will shop at Target. As for Best Buy, I hardly ever shopped there anyway so someone else can defend them!
