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I noticed the Salvation Army set up outside the SAU. I think everyone should know they are anti-LGBT. (self.rit)

submitted ago* by yit

Sure, they do some nice things. But why would a charity limit its services to a group they deem "acceptable"?

Any level of googling will bring up plenty about the issue. I have made posters, and will post them some time today. I would love if you did as well.

Just a heads up.

Edit: Good charities include:

  • Goodwill (disabled and unemployed)
  • The Red Cross (medical and emergency relief)
  • Doctors Without Borders (medical and emergency relief)
  • Habitat for Humanity (Homelessness and housing)
  • Child's Play (video games, books and toys for children's hospitals)
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[–]rdsqc22boing boing boing 31 points32 points ago

I support this. If you need/want any help putting up those posters, let me know.

I would recommend advocating a different charity, though, rather than just saying not to give to the SA; that way it doesn't look like we hate poor people. :)

[–]IAmRasputinCS '16 6 points7 points ago

I second this.

[–]TheGrayCoats 0 points1 point ago

Thirded.

Anyone looking for documentation should see this article about how the Salvation Army threatened to close its doors to protest gay rights legislation.

See also this other reddit post, with much more documentation.

[–]xScribbledANSA 2014 19 points20 points ago*

I saw them collecting on the quarter mile. For anyone wondering, I believe RIT RLI (RIT Leadership Institute) is the organization that is collecting for them. Feel free to email [removed] if you have opinions about this.

EDIT: I have received a reply from RLI stating that, due to these events, they will no longer be supporting the Salvation Army. If you see the SA on campus, it is because of another club or student organization. The lady from RLI explained that RLI (and RIT) support diversity and are not supporting SA for this reason.

[–]CythrosiMET 2013 25 points26 points ago

I think the thing that finally pushed me over the edge in tolerating their BS due to the good they do was when they threatened to close their soup kitchens in NYC over the passage of the marriage equality bill. To use charity work as a political tool like that is just downright disgusting.

So good for you for drumming up support for other charities that are just as helpful and less bigoted.

[–]psychicswordEGS Webmaster | CS '12 16 points17 points ago

You should also use sites/tools like charitynavigator to view the ratings of a Charity before donating to them(which is why I never give money to someone on the street). They are commonly rated by how much of each dollar donated goes to the cause rather than the support staff, facilities and fund raising.

[–]hoopycatEETech 2013 | RF PHY Engineering Co-op | Cloud Mechanic 5 points6 points ago

Turns out that the Salvation Army is not covered by Charity Navigator:

Many religious organizations are exempt under Internal Revenue
Code from filing the Form 990. As a result, we lack sufficient data
to evaluate their financial health.

The IRS has an online search of Publication 78, but that'll just tell you what you already know (namely, the Salvation Army is a conglomeration of zillions of tax-exempt entities, none of whom have to file much of anything.

[–]psychicswordEGS Webmaster | CS '12 9 points10 points ago

That in itself should tell you something about the Salvation Army

[–]Throwaway_by_Deafie 4 points5 points ago

This! A quick google search prevented me from donating to a charity sponsored by a fraternity last year

[–]helicopterindian 6 points7 points ago

well to be honest, the philanthropic efforts by those groups on campus do get annoying quickly.

[–]Throwaway_by_Deafie 1 point2 points ago

I absolutely appreciate what they (greek life) do for charities, I just had no money on me at the time. I think was doing laundry and kept passing them. Since I had some time between loads I googled said charity, and found out they gave very little of the donations to the cause itself.

[–]HereComesDrTranMS CS 2012 2 points3 points ago

Do you mind me asking what charity that was?

[–]Throwaway_by_Deafie 1 point2 points ago

I don't remember, it was last year. It had something to do with Haiti.

[–]Mecha_BearMechanical Eng. 2014 3 points4 points ago

In addition (and you'll have to look for a source) I believe only 3% of donations actually go to people in need.

[–]TechnicsSLANSA 2012 7 points8 points ago

Yea for whatever reason the Salvation Army is very conservative Christian.

[–]alliekinsdat csh 15 points16 points ago

Because they're not just a charity, they're a Christian church. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Salvation_Army

[–]FishToasterSE 2011 1 point2 points ago

I was really surprised when I found this out a few years ago- I'd always just assumed they were simply a charity. Actually lost a few dollars to my brother when he bet me they were actually a religion.

[–]rational_agentISF 2014 8 points9 points ago

for whatever reason

Interestingly, there is more to Christianity than hating gay people.

[–]RITheoryMath Makes Me Horny 2 points3 points ago

The sad thing is, it's not general Christians that are the issue here -- this is a group that has been known go fire gay workers and deny anyone who is LBGTQ their services. Not every christian is like that, yeah, but this group IS like that.

[–]TechnicsSLANSA 2012 5 points6 points ago

Like believing in magical sky fairies?

[–]lettuceman44 10 points11 points ago

You know, you don't have to believe in it, but you don't have to say it in such a demeaning manner.

I never understood why atheists are like this, it makes it as bad as the Christians they don't like....

[–]TechnicsSLANSA 2012 0 points1 point ago

Who said anything about atheists? I don't consider myself one. I do believe that there could be a force in the universe that we don't understand. A force with power, but a natural force, something that could be proven with science perhaps.

[–]lettuceman44 0 points1 point ago

Because all I hear are atheists who say this. Sorry for assuming, but it has just been so common that it is hard not to :P

[–]drowfacemax fischer 0 points1 point ago

Why assume they're atheist? Maybe they just have a different Real God.

[–]outpost 1 point2 points ago

Because its become pretty damn common place to see smug self-masturbatory quotes by self described atheists belittling religious groups.

[–]xScribbledANSA 2014 3 points4 points ago

And claiming that said magical sky fairy wants your money!

[–]terpingest. 2004 -1 points0 points ago

This.

[–]cryptorchidism 0 points1 point ago

Yeah, you never would have guessed that from the name...

[–]ChaosControlE. Eng - Robotics 2014 9 points10 points ago

Thanks for bringing this up and mentioning alternative donation groups.

[–]cryptorchidism 2 points3 points ago

UNICEF isn't a bad one either.

[–]drachma 7 points8 points ago

THANK YOU. It's that time of the year when I start feeling guilty for not donating to everything, because you literally get asked at EVERY cash register (mcdonalds, stop and shop, wal mart, the list goes on), not to mention the bell ringers on the sidewalks in front of those stores. Now I refuse to feel guilty. I'm a pretty charitable person most of the time too, but every time I get asked, no matter what, I feel guilty. So screw these guys, I'm gonna stick to donating to worthwhile causes.

[–]TechnicsSLANSA 2012 9 points10 points ago

I never feel guilty. If I had a good paying job I might, but as an unemployed student spending $40K a year at college I certainly don't feel there is any reason I should be donating.

[–]dont_give_a_shit 7 points8 points ago

I am very pro LGBT, and this isn't going to stop me from donating to them, because in the end it goes to someone who needs it.

I honestly don't give a shit about who stand where and what happens, because if I took the time to look at everything and judge a person because of what they stand for, then we are no better then them.

I am also going to be donating to other charities, they get alot of my support anyway, so whats a few dollars towards Salvation Army.

[–]Mousekewitz* 11 points12 points ago

if I took the time to look at everything and judge a person because of what they stand for, then we are no better then them.

Really? I think that what people stand for (or more importantly, their actions) is one of the few valid reasons to actually judge someone.

[–]dont_give_a_shit -1 points0 points ago

I meant in the sense of the charity in general. If I took the time to judge every charity and judge them and deny them support just because of what they stand for, then I am no better.

It goes to someone who needs it and that is all that matters to me. I could really care less about everything else.

Really? I think that what people stand for (or more importantly, their actions) is one of the few valid reasons to actually judge someone.

I find that it is one of the stupidest ways to judge because things have been destroyed over things that they stood for. Even subjects like politics, religions ,etc.

Like the old saying goes. "If you want to stay friends with someone don't talk about politics or religion."

[–]Mousekewitz* 3 points4 points ago

Fine, let's not talk politics or religion. Let's talk bigotry, which is what Salvation Army is being accused of here. I don't see how refusing to support a bigot is a bad thing.

[–]dont_give_a_shit 0 points1 point ago

I never said it was a bad thing. I just said that I really don't care what they stand for. My money is going to someone that needs it, that is all I am really trying to say here.

I also never said that I supported what the SA stood for.

[–]Mousekewitz* 1 point2 points ago

If SA were the only charity around, then I could understand your dilemma: is it worth supporting a charity that might discriminate against certain groups? Fortunately, we don't have to make that choice because there are lots of other excellent charities available that don't have a reputation for bigotry.

I appreciate that you want to help those in need. I'm certainly not trying to convince you to stop donating charity. All I'm trying to say is that there are other (and, in my opinion, better and less bigoted) charities available to achieve that goal.

[–]CythrosiMET 2013 0 points1 point ago

But you are still supporting an organization that uses that charity and good you support as a political tool and threat to advance a rather anti-LGBT view.

I don't care so much that the SA is anti-LGBT so much as I care that they use what they do in such a vile manner.

[–]dont_give_a_shit 1 point2 points ago

So does that make me an evil person? From what your saying it really makes me sound like a giant asshole here.

When they push their views they just end up casting themselves in a negative light and just has them looking like assholes.

You can find ways to make them seem evil in my eyes, but we all do things that are evil and horrible to other people. They may be advancing their evil and rotten views, but does it actually end up winning in the end?

Society is changing and soon LGBT will have rights, our generation will make this happen,

As long as the little money I donate goes to someone who needs it is all I care about.

[–]MortabisANSA 4 points5 points ago

Hmm, maybe I should give them a dollar for not conforming to political correctness.

[–]cryptorchidism 4 points5 points ago

I'm sure they're doing it just to be ironic.

[–]phisineburnout 0 points1 point ago

THANK YOU. I am so glad someone said this.

[–]schtik180 0 points1 point ago

I never knew this.
It Is very sad that they would use charity work as a political tool. NEED is NEED. Cold and hunger know no prejudice, so why should the SA? This type of behavior gives Christians a bad name.

[–]helicopterindian -3 points-2 points ago

Not just making poster, but actually protesting their presence on campus might be a better route. I'm sure there are numerous groups and individuals on campus who would have a problem with this if they knew it was going on.

[–][deleted] ago

[deleted]

[–]yit[S] 4 points5 points ago*

By all means, you have that choice. I do not agree with that choice, but I imagine me bickering at you over the internet won't change your mind. I just thought more people should be aware, so they can make the best decision for their views.

CONTEXT EDIT: the deleted post said something about wanting to donate MORE to the Salvation Army, given this information.

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