Where’s a girl gonna shop now?

Aside from an occasional need for cookie decorating supplies or a quick dash for office supplies, I have been Wal-Mart free for years.  It started out with just a personal distaste for the WM environment but then as more and more information was revealed about their business practices, I actively avoided the place.  Instead, when the need for discount merchandise arose, I opted for Target.  Target in all it’s trendy but economic wonderful-ness was the “progressive” alternative to becoming a Wal-Martian.  Besides being the parent company of the once-beloved JL Hudson department store, Target gained a reputation for supporting local communities, embracing diversity and being a generally OK company.

That all changed this week, thanks to the courage of  Randi Reitan (featured in the above video).  You see, it turns out that The Target Company has made a $150,000 donation to Minnesota Forward in support of Minnesota Republican Governor candidate, Tom Emmer.  Target claims their support for Minnesota Forward is due to the groups pro-business stance, and that their support of the gay community is “unwavering”.  But, Minnesota Forward is supporting anti-gay candidate Emmer.

I sure hope COSTCO is still OK….


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8 responses to “Where’s a girl gonna shop now?”

  1. JerryT Avatar
    JerryT

    Seconded.
    “Economic growth and job creation” are only a part of a successful and thriving community. Excluding part of that community from full participation, besides being wrong, is ultimately detrimental anyway.

  2. Drew Avatar
    Drew

    Nope, or at least I won’t. The difference between that note and their previous ones is tone, not substance: it’s clear that Target will continue to contribute to anti-gay candidates if those candidates “support economic growth and job creation” (read: subsidies and tax cuts for Target and its rich CEO).

    I’ll wait until Target completes its “strategic review and analysis of our decision-making process for financial contributions in the public policy arena” and reveals the result before I decide to shop there again. If the “decision-making process” forbids contributions to anti-gay candidates, then maybe I’ll go back.

  3. LisaH Avatar
    LisaH

    Yes — I also feel I’ve been betrayed.

    Then, I tell myself:
    1. I have been an advocate in the gay rights community for 20 yrs;
    2. Only through my coaxing does a still severely conservative relative now dance at “Hot-Lanta,” the largest gay squaredance group in Atlanta Metro, to take lessons more advanced than the ones offered at his usual squaredance club. He even dances the girl’s part;
    3. This same relative is now in favor of gay marriage when before he felt it was an abomination.

    It isn’t as though Target suddenly began treating their employees like WalMart does. If that was true, I would stop going cold turkey. I can make a difference in this movement in every other part of my life. It doesn’t counter completely the offensive conduct of Target, but it balances enough so this newly bankrupt, partially disabled, part time worker can justify continuing to shop at Target.

  4. JMPrince Avatar

    Impressive record there. I go to evil W about 1-2x a year. If that. But yeah. Now what? JMP

  5. Rubyduby Avatar
    Rubyduby

    Damn it Target!!! Where am I going to shop now??? I haven’t purchased a thing from the Evil Empire (WM) in over 8 years now and I couldn’t tell you the last time I was even in one. Target was my comfort, my solace…my place to get Real Simple items while getting toothpaste.

    Darn you Target! Darn you to heck!!

  6. JMPrince Avatar

    Depressingly underhanded all around.

  7. PaulaG Avatar
    PaulaG

    Aw, f*ck it. And apparently IKEA is a no-go, too:

    http://www.salon.com/books/review/2009/07/12/cheap/index.html

    I give up.

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