Printable View
This story aired on NBC news this evening and prompted me to do a bit of googling to share it here.
http://www.ashbrook.org/publicat/ope...04/target.html
Target's (mis)management should be ashamed! These people help when and where no others are able or willing to do so. They will never again receive so much as 1 penny in revenues from me until they once again permit the Salvation Army bellringers at their stores. If you're in agreement, please by all means boycott as well!
yeh..happy Bah Humbug...
for me it started as a bit of a joke.. the little bit of acid reflecting my personal situation as well as my distaste for where I work..
With retailers it is what affects the GP is all that counts.. if they see that the benifit of a external activity will raise their GP.. they will encourgage it.. if it has a low or no effect on GP..it is a hinderence, and should be activley discouraged..
The Salvo's don't realy have the best interests of Target at heart.. their financial councillers would be advising people to moderate their spending, to prevent New Year financial hardship.. that would not be what Target would like..
And it isn't Christams any more it is "The Holiday" is it not.. It is a commercial gift giving buying frenzy.. let nothing get in the way of that.. so Bah Humbug..
Bah Humbug.. get the buggers to spend an extra 5% beyond their means in our store this year..
Bah Humbug.. remember the $$$$ forget the people, ..
Bah Humbug..I hate "the Holiday" ..I hate the Retail driven Gift giving spree.....don't get me wrong.....I do still love Christmas... but I hate the focus on the dollar and no focus on the people.. the retail worker and the pressured shopper (the "Consumer" the human being who is spending their, or their Borrowed, money)
bah humbug.. and Christmas 13 goes down the shitter
cheers
Just have a question how can they stop the bell ringers out side their stores? If their store front opens on to a public street thay have no say in the matter. If I was in the states I would be joining you in your boycott. There are only three or four organisations I will give money to: the RNLI, Sauveurs en mer (french RLNI), the Red cross and the Salvation army. Why, because they are all non profit volantaire orgainsations and they do their own collecting. Which means that instead of the organisation getting about 5 cents out of every euro/dollar donated nearly all of it goes straight into the operational side of the organisation.
While im not a big supporter of the salvation army ever since they turned my ex wife and I down for some help when our house burnt down I do still believe that overall the orginization is a good one. I will not spen 1 penny at target stores over this. Muracu, they dont open onto public streets the open into massive parking lots that are considered property of the store. I wonder how they would feel if I let a bellringer sit in the bed of my pick up truck while i spent all day inside "shopping"?
We were discussing this one in one of my classes the other day, and it's not as easy at they make it look...
Here's some points you might want to consider:
- This entire "boycott Target" started when last year that e-mail went around saying that Target is French, that they don't want to give money to marines,... turned out that Target is 100% American, and that this was based on one particular incident: a marine asking for money at a Target store, and being denied, simply because it's Target's policy to not do that (they do give a bunch of money to that organization at the corporate level).
- Target has a ban on all money-collecting in front of its stores, just like all the other ones do (Walmart has a ban the entire year, but they make an exception for 14 days around the holidays). This year, the ban was enforced for the first time, for the simple reason of objectivity: can't allow one of them without making all the other ones mad.
- And the saddest thing of all: Target gave the Salvation Army the chance to come up with an alternative for the bell-ringers. The Salvation Army never came up with one.
target is only responding to the lawsuit epidemic within the U.S....Lets say that they allowed the salvation army to solicit in front of there stores and the united nogro college fund asked to solicit also...If they refused the uncf they would run the risk of being sued...
There is always the added personal injury risk associated with anyone soliciting on your property...
If someone put money in the kettle and got there finger stuck and had to have it removed surgicaly target would be liable....lol...
If someone tripped over the collection kettle and broke their head again target would be liable...lol...
A boycott of certain products made abroad would be much more productive...
Negative, Target has always had a ban on money collecting. However they made exceptions to the Salvation Army at Christmas time. This year they chose to ban them from ringing their little bells in front of the store. Many people including myself associate the Bell with the Holiday season, its part of it as much as shopping for Christmas trees and hanging lights. Not to mention that the Salvation Army does the most good in this country at feeding and sheltering the homeless. They are a "Salvation" based Christian group and most of those people ringing the bell once had their own faces in the gutters finding their own "salvation" in a bottle of MadDog 20/20. So if Target chose a stance so be it, the people have a right "choose" to shop at Wal-Mart or Sears or a host of other stores that don't seem to have an issue with a bell and some dude singing Christmas carols. Personally I hate Wal-Mart and it will take more of an "incident" to tear me away from Target but I do miss the bell. The bells reeks of Christmas tidings.
Maracu, the USA has HUGE parking lots in front of their stores; they don't actually face a street. And in our urban design the bell ringers would be on a street with cars going about 50 miles an hour. No one walks among these desolate streets of suburbia. In New York or Chicago, that would be different in the down town areas, but for the most part Target is affronted with 100 yards of parking space.
I was so angered by Target's decision that I actually called my folks last night to tell them about the story I'd seen as well. Mum told me that she'd heard about it a month ago, when the decision was first reached by Target, and that she hasn't shopped there since. I'm sorry to have brought this to you so late in the game, but better late than never.
Undertaker - I agree completely. It seems to me, these days more than ever, Maximum Profits mean more to businessmen than Peace on Earth and Goodwill towards Man.
Muracu - to answer your question - In the US, a Business has the right to refuse to do business with or permit anyone on their premeses at any time for any reason. Were the Salvation Army to attempt to return, I'm quite sure they would find themselves arrested. Now if they were to set bellringers within 6 feet of the roadway leading into Target...
Zombiemann - A very interesting idea, having a bellringer sit in the bed of your truck, but there's precedent governing it as well. While on the property of a business, the business actually has certain rights to your vehicle and its contents. This is how Morton Thiokol (who had a huge plant in my are for ammuntion) gets away with searching both vehicles and employees for stolen items, contraband, etc. Most businesses don't enforce this, but if pressed, I'm quite sure Target would exercise it's right to remove said bellringer, and could do so legally.
Negative and Marcus - There is a VAST difference in precedent here unfortunately. Salvation Army was the first to stand in front of stores. They've been doing it for so long now it's considered a holiday tradition, like Santa in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, or the Christmas tree over Rockafeller Center. In addition, the Salvation Army uses its Christmas bellringer fundraiser as its sole source of income (barring independent private donations). This is the only time of year they ever openly ask for money, and although donations are accepted at other times of year, it is this one big push that funds them. Target in their greed, fear, whatever, cost them NINE MILLION DOLLARS. (sorry, I like capping such a large sum.) Broken down to terms we can actually visualize, that's the annual operating budget of 4 1/2 shelters (figuring a nice round 2 million per shelter) which help how many thousands of people per year?
How many people will die freezing in the street because the 'Sally' can't help them due to that missing 9 million? How many will be refused? How many will starve? Personally I think it's a disgrace.
So what are you doing to help? Are you serving at the food banks? Offering food to those that need it, even if it's just an Apple Pie from McDonalds or a coffee from Starbucks? Rather than deal with things negatively why not look to positive solutions that actually make a difference?Quote:
Personally I think it's a disgrace.
Target officially banned them about 4 weeks ago. I just did some checking, since it is my experience that most of the major US corporations are actually funded by old European money, since the US has a large potential for growth and profit. Most corps. are held by holding companies, actually it's stupid not to isolate your investment money from the corporation via a holding company. So who is the holding company for Target..... here's a run down from the famous British firm Hoover's:
The Advest Group holds Target and is based in the USA they then became part of the AXA Financial Group. So a little diggin into AXA finds, guess what the French. lol. Not that I care but it's hilarious. "The firm is a subsidiary of French financial insurance giant AXA." Source Sure target is a self running corporation but the big daddy is French. Oui? One could definitely make the case that the French own Target. I always pronounced it Tarzjeh anyhoo. :) Wonder who owns all the Safeways in Britain?
Are you sure that article's ligit? I went to our local target just the other day, and there was a Salvation Army bellringer in place as usual.
Isn't that exactly what I said, Road? :pQuote:
Negative, Target has always had a ban on money collecting. However they made exceptions to the Salvation Army at Christmas time. This year they chose to ban them from ringing their little bells in front of the store.
Road > I think you're wrong on your financial info... the group held by Advest is called "Target Holding Company", not "Target Corporation"... Target Holding Company is some Chinese cell phone operator... Target is 100% American as far as I can find out...
In addition to withholding my 'almighty dollar' from Target, I regularly donate to the bellringers outside my local grocer's.Quote:
So what are you doing to help?
Actually, I don't shop at Starbucks. I don't see the reason in paying 5 bucks for a cup of coffee. I *DO*, however, do the following -Quote:
Are you serving at the food banks? Offering food to those that need it, even if it's just an Apple Pie from McDonalds or a coffee from Starbucks?
There's a rule around my household to which my wife and I faithfully adhere - when we're too tired to cook our own meals and decide on fast food, we always buy an additional meal equivalent to what we're eating and give it to a random homeless person we see in the street. It has to do with spiritual growth and a lesson we learned a long time back from a dear friend.
I spend 3 days a week helping at our local animal shelter, in the form of cleaning kennels, feeding, bathing, and providing much-needed love to their occupants.
Mrs |ce is a 'Heart' voulenteer with our local Women's Shelter - she acts as 'patient advocate' for victims of domestic violence or sex crimes, assisting them in getting the help they need, and reassuring them that said help WILL come.
We spend 1 day per weekend helping one of our local charities 'Helping Hands' in passing out groceries to the needy. Mrs |ce not as often as I, but then again she's working and attending school full time. I'm there every weekend.
We donate canned food and money to various charities in our area, most especially around the holidays, but also during the summer months, when the money they garnered from last Christmas starts to run out.
MsMittens, I'm quite surprised to see your post pointing fingers this way. I'd have guessed by now you'd figured out I'm not one of those 'sit at home and bitch' Americans. I deal negatively with things warranting such behaviour. Target is one of them.
RC - the fact the money trail leads to France has absolutely no bearing on this.
Not only did you say it, you bolded ALL. lol. I was singling you out on the other issues. I am not a Jounalist that's for sure. I am retracing my Target research.
And the activities you just mentioned weren't evident in the initial post. Might I suggest that while you are encouraging others to boycott this place to perhaps send the money they would have spent directly to Salvation Army directly? They now have the "Kettle" online.Quote:
MsMittens, I'm quite surprised to see your post pointing fingers this way. I'd have guessed by now you'd figured out I'm not one of those 'sit at home and bitch' Americans. I deal negatively with things warranting such behaviour. Target is one of them.
Absolutely and thanks for the suggestion!
Well **** on tick...
Negative called me out and he wins. I assumed Target Holding Company was associated with Target Corporation. I looked around the stock info on the exchange and they are not. I could look into each investor and try and dangle some shred of evidence that someone who is a majority stock holder is French but even if that was true, I call that "grasping for straws". ;) WE own Target. Seems the French like Chinese investments.
/EDIT Tried to apply a stike-out text on earlier post... failed.
/off topic
And the chinese just bought out IBM's PC manufacturing activities. SO big blue is gone yellow :p.
/end off topic.
|3lack|ce Thats a nice philosophy.
GASP! What is one mans folly is another mans desire. Starbucks: hands down there is no better coffee outside of Italy. Just a cup of non-poofta Joe is a meager 1.70 US.Quote:
Actually, I don't shop at Starbucks. I don't see the reason in paying 5 bucks for a cup of coffee.
::coffee::
Quote:
Walmart has a ban the entire year, but they make an exception for 14 days around the holidays
Actually around these parts Walmart is a lot more supportive of charities. We have the Boy Scouts / Girl Guides (or whatever the PC term for them is nowadays), the Air Cadets, the CNIB (Canadian National Institute for the Blind), and the Salvation Army all collecting at some point during the year. They are very careful about who they allow to collect at thier doors.
I think what separates the Salvation Army from other charitable organizations is their history. The Salvation Army is nearly 150 years old and staffed by officers who devote their entire lives to the welfare of others. In my opinion, that gives them the right to ask for donations anytime they wish. They have proven to the world that the money is spent wisely, and that by donating to them I will help create a better future for my children because my money will ensure thier continued existence.
It exists for no other reason then helping the needy. They exist because our greed-driven capitalist society has created homelessness and continues to push it aside when it is inconvienient to look at. They exist because of the same ideals embodied by Target. Ironic I think..
The Salvation Army is the modern definition of Virtue, and Target has left them out in the cold. I don't care what their excuse is. The Salvation Army is different.
I take your approach on this Striek. Although you see the same in socialized/dictator countries. They just have better beds and or drugs handed out in the rich one's and absolutely nothing in the poor ones.