Target Corporation Sucks andThis Lady Rocks!

If i want something they have on sale they do not have it our store where i live. I very very seldom go there anyway.
I think its horrible to let them get by with this.
Lady i am with u too.

Thanks Mrs. Reitan for your support for the LGBT community. As a disabled gay man I see not only discrimination in the disabled community but I am so tired of seeing it in my day to day life. You would think that in the year 2010 prejudice and hatred (of the 60's) would not be so prominent. I was a caretaker for mom for many years and unfortunately lost my mom last year. Our relationship could not have been any stronger and she loved to go to PFLAG meetings with me. I will no longer shop at Target and Best Buy and thank you for tenacity and support.
God Bless!
Steve Freedman
Freeport, New York

I worked for Walmart, and quit due to their being violently anti-gay. They have policies that are very "negative" to anyone who is openly gay, or is thought to be gay. My husband is disabled and unable to work (yes, I am male, and my husband is male).

When I went to work for Target as soon as they opened in my town, I was given "credit" for my time as an employee at Walmart. So I did not "start at the bottom" of the pay scale. Both my husband and I are FULLY COVERED by their health insurance plan (I do not have to pay a separate premium for my husband, they put him on just as if he was considered "married" to me by our State , "lost" 3 hours of work, by the time he came back to the Target store, but he was not "docked" for it

This just shows how much gay people COMPLAIN about everything. Really - boycott Target and Best Buy? This is retarded people.
We have more important things to worry about.

Two things I always try to remember I had to learn the hard way as a gay man. First, hate will not stop until someone stops hating - I can (and hope I now am) that someone. Second, try not to take everything so seriously. After all, if we boycott them and they boycott us - who do the girls cott and is cotting gay? (I know a bad joke).

Seriously though, this country is founded on the principle of freedom - let's keep it free even for those who do not like us. After all, there would be no Christians if someone or some group did not hate(or was it fear) Jesus Christ.

Do any of you think any of this would have been openly, publicly discussed even 10 years ago much less 100. At the very least, discussion is occurring but it remains in its infantile stage of name calling and finger pointing. Let's try to accept each other because we will never understand each other. God knows, I do not understand heterosexuals at all.

I along many of my friends strongly resent and oppose Target's financial gift of $150,000 to the "Minnesota Forward" supporting an anti-gay group who in turn is supporting the nortorious anti-gay Tom Emmer's campaign.
As an author and often speaker and book signer at various libraries and book stores, I shall make my feelings known. Furthermore, I will not shop at or recommend others shop at Target until this error on the part of Target is rectified.
C.G. Mitchell

"Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere" MLK could not have said it better!

I concur, I used to shop at target, but why bother. Best Buy does the same thing. ITs easy to find other companies that do not tolorate this and would never give donations to such hate groups.. and yes, government or not, anyone who supports any kind of discrimination, is a hate group...government officials or whoever. This is 2010, equality should be for everyone.

How quickly we forget what we did with a boycott to Floridia
Fruit Growers Assoc. We split the orange growers from the grapefruit growers. "Remeber: Antia Bryant." We can make a difference and get them to think twice.

U are so omg awesome

I used to shop at Target as an alternative to that other big box store. I will simply look a little harder to find what I need elsewhere. We live in a large enough city to have choices, people in smaller places don't have as many choices and may have to shop where they would rather not, just give them as little business as you can.

AWESOME....That is what we need is more people to stand up for their rights against these ignorant discriminatory people.I dont shop at Target and now I know why. I applaud Mrs Raitan for standing up for her son !!! Ciao, Bestbuy as I DID used to shop there !

If you all boycott Target, you are going to hurt the economy even more that it already is. Target is a huge corporation, that employees millions of people, both LGBT and straight. I'm sorry, but the economy is a little more important than my sexual orientation.

We had the same type of people like Felix and co in Germany in the 1930's, who thought first about their country and party officials -

'They been rewarded for their belief with a pink star on their chest and send later to Dachau or Auschwitz'

I think we should have learnd by now

In a perfect world there would be no such thing as the Log Cabin Republicans. Unfortunately we don't live in a perfect world.

She is an awesome mother. For those of you who don't recognize her. She's the mother of Jake Reitan from the movie 'For The Bible Tells Me So'. The father is also awesome, and a lawyer.

For those of you getting so worked up over the people on here claiming to be gay and feeling what target did is ok. I suggest you not believe everything you read. Personally I wouldn't be surprised if they are imposters. Because if they are truely gay and they continue to support those who are anti-gay then they really aren't very bright. And if that's the case, you're wasting your energy trying to communicate with them.

I agree with Felix. I am transgendered, GENETICALLY, and suffer a lot of indignities from both hetero and gay communities. I find bias on both fronts. Heteros should not jamb things down, ideologically, but neither should the gay community. All this boycott this, boycott that. I am one of those independent voters. I am 100% for the Arizona law, I have no issue with disabling violent sex offenders or permanently incarcerating them, lowering taxes, but I AM for equal rights/gay marriage. I also am 100% pro-life. I have many conservative friends/business acquaintances I discuss my views with and understand many of their positions. In turn, they understand mine. I think there are too many radicals on both sides and the world would be far better with more neutrality....or moderates. I rarely go to Target but my partner does. I have no problems with them. I have been a long time supporter of the HRC and recently heard they do NOT do much for the transgendered folks....so should I stop giving? Should I boycott? Should I stop my support? My positions differ on many things but I still think it is beneficial to a lot of my gay friends....so...even though it may not benefit me directly, I still give!

Sorry but of all the issues you listed only one, gay marriage, was a gay issue. Illegal immigration in Arizona, lower taxes, chemical castaration; those are not gay issues that I know of, and I support those issues and I am a gay man. So should I stop supporting someone, or some company because I don't agree 100% with them? Don't think so. That is called throwing out the baby with the bath water. Target is very progressive with regards to gay issues. The gay community needs to understand that there are lots of conserative gays who want gay rights but the other issues are not gay issues, they are liberal issues and we will not support those.

Target will be off my shopping list for the foreseeable future... And I will be encouraging my real estate clients to avoid it as well!

Christopher Rich
Your Gay REALTOR in Connecticut
gayconnecticutrealestate.com

in this world of hatred and hates, its should be respect and love,let there be full understanding the gay individuals to express not to suppress...............be kind.

This woman has more gumption than our president. She's a bold faced progressive!

Conversely, to Felix: Your self loathing, insulting, and rage inspired rant directed at everyone gay is pathetic. This woman isn't gay, and she's standing up for her son, so take your lousy attitude and parade for the bigots. They've got plenty of hateful "ex-gays" that you seem to have a lot in common with, and while your at it, we're going to live our lives, equally under the law, you unloved, wacky, twisted troll!

Randi Reitan and her family were one of four families profiled in a documentary called For the Bible Tells Me So. She, her husband and her son are just incredible. The went to the headquarters of Focus on the Family to deliver a letter personally to Dr. James Dobson and were promptly arrested. They have spoken out about their church's stance on homosexuality. Their courage and passion for fighting for equality is inspiring. We love you Randi!!!!!

Why is a corporation and/or individual described and labeled as "Anti-Gay" simply because they don't support gay marriage? Being against gay marriage does not mean you are Anti-Gay.
Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton and Elton John are not supporters of gay marriage, does that make them Anti-Gay? Shall we boycott all entities that supported their campaigns and/or sponsors Elton's concert tours?
A large number of individuals in the gay community don't support gay marriage and are NOT self loathing as they are often unfairly labelled.

I just spent $200 at Target last week..guess where all that merchandise is going on Monday? Yep..right back to them. The lame and rather vacaous remarks by "felix" and others makes me sad. Gay and Straight people need to get it! I was buying a car (paying cash by the way) and the guy made a homophobic remark about some other customers. When I quietly told him they were "family" he nearly had a heart attack. We had a long talk. I told him I would continue with the purchase of the car and not complain if he would promise to read a couple of books and have coffee with me to talk about it. He agreed and we are now friends..I see him when I visit to have my car serviced from time to time. He had repeatedly thanked me and sells more cars than ever (he figured out lots of us LGBT folks have money too!) We all can make a difference if we simply don't allow others to get by with being ignorant and prejudiced ..at least in our presence as a consumer. We have more power than we realize, folks! WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE!!

Hey, compared to Walmart, Target are still angels. If I totally boycott them both, I have nowhere to shop for many of the things I buy. Mrs. Reitan is a Minnesotan and has legitimate local concerns about the candidates running there and who supports them. That's fine for her, but I don't live in Minnesota and I see Target doing good things in my community. Mrs. Reitan has been part of Soulforce traveling around with her husband and gay son to confront the religious bigots. She does valuable activist work on our behalf and I respect her for that. Maybe her efforts in Minnesota can get some results.

Well Hell MoM, you go girl. Now this is a women who spoke the truth & i do support here & her son for this issue , I do feel like there are so many companies which we do shop at , that we don't know these things, until it hit the blue water lens & how they get away with this. However, i do ever shop there, but after viewing the tape, i will past this on to my friends & family members, but i do know some folks here in Memphis,Tn area who do work there @ Target's & they r Gay, but i don't know if they know this. will pass the information forward. Keep up the gr88888888888888888 work. JaBonn

Most big corporations do something bad. I stopped shopping at Target years ago when I found out they sponsored cruel rodeos where calves are roped by their necks and slammed to the ground as they run up to 27 miles per hour, where bulls are shocked to get them to buck wildly, etc.

We should shop at the few mom and pop stores that are left and take back our country from Corporate America.

Dan, I take issue with your statement about someone being anti-gay marriage, but not anti-gay. That statement seems rather hypocritical to me. I wonder how straight people would react if I told them that I was not against THEM, just against them getting married. They would probably think I had been breathing too many Clorox fumes. If you're anti-gay, JUST SAY IT! That is your right, and I respect that. But get off the "fence" and be honest about it. Nobody likes a hyprocrite. It's funny how so many of these anti-gay politicians have been caught in public restrooms with their pants down and some guy's wang in their mouth. But you'll hear them at the next rally, "I DON'T SUPPORT GAY MARRIAGE......." "But you support gay sex? Can you clarify that for us?"
Oh, incidentally, I applaud this woman for standing up for what she believes in. You are right.....Target has the right to donate money to whomever they want. But, I, as a consumer, also have the right to spend my hard earned dollars elsewhere. And I will do so from now on. If you want to get your point across to corporate America, you have to hit them where it hurts....in the pocketbook.

If you don't want to shop at Target then don't. Its a free country. Plain and simple. But find out that facts first. So many left and right wing groups/writers like to demonize people and groups just because they don't like what they stand for. They aren't devils or freaks or fantatics, just people expressing their first amendment rights. If someone is against gay marriage or for tax cuts they are not necessarily anti-gay. Since when did someone become homophobic just because they do not support gay marriage? There is no legal right in the constitution to any kind of marriage, which means it should be left to the states to decide. We must not continue down this path of politcal correctness because I feel free speech rights will ulitmately be erroded. I've been trying to find information on this Minnesota Forward group that says what they are all about. What makes them anti-gay as stated in the article? Is it because they gave money to a "mean homophobic nazi republican"? I don't know but I'm sorry I don't trust the media and have to question everything now because it's all become too political/partisan. Lets stop this name calling because someone is for tax cuts, pro business, or against gay marriage. There is nothing wrong with those positions. Just like there is nothing wrong with supporting gay marriage, human rights or raising taxes. They are all political positions that can be taken by good decent Americans.

WTF? I applaud this lady. She stood for her rights as well as the rights of others. It's a matter of love her or hate her....as for the Big Red Dot Botique, you lost $226 today. Imagine what is going to happen when others stop using your store....no ching ching for you!

I have to add something here...I am a former Target employee that was harassed by my managers to the point where I called corporate and complained that I was worried about my safety there (it reached a point where I was told by managers that I was not to come in on my days off, and one co-worker even followed me home and harassed me outside of my mother's condo when I was going to collage). All of this happened after I was seen in the parking lot with my mother's truck that had a rainbow sticker on it (I wasn't out, but she is). I was terminated shortly there after, under false pretenses, so this doesn't surprise me in the least...anyway, my 2 cents...

Hah Hah Hah ! I do shop at Target and I AM gay, but it hasn't been the corporation itself that I was against, it was the salespeople. A few years ago, I was waiting in line with my purchases when the salegirl felt she had to comment to her fellow salesclerk across the way on an Hispinic man purchasing pantyhose. She giggled after he left and said 'well, you never can tell ! " Then she pointed at the candles I was purching and said " Like this guy here buying candles!" I looked her dead in the eye and said " Well, you never CAN tell ! " She looked scared and shut her trap for the rest of the transaction. So I am living( and laughing ) vicariously with this recent Target issue.

To Dominick N

There is nothing so sad to me as a self-hating Gay.

Your arrogant statement that you were going to go out and spend some money at Target to show your support is one of the most self-destructive I've read in years.

Those dollars you spend will go to re-elect Michele Bachman and elect Emmer (whose "christian" rock band is calling for your death).

How you can gleefully run out and support those who wish you dead is beyond me. It's like a Jew donating to the Nazi party.

I know you right-wing conservatives take great pride in supporting business to the exclusion of all human concerns, but still --- to support those who wish you dead is downright psychotic.

Get halp.

To Shannon:

"It was a mistake, they are LGBT positive and have many that work for them. "

It seems that you and your partner have drunk the company Kool-Aid. It recently came out that Target's CEO and his wife gave more than $15,000 at a fundraiser for Michele Bachman headlined by Sarah Palin.

I think this proves the opposite. The top executives are extremely homophobic and the $150,000 donation from Target was just an expression of that. They treat their gay employees well because they have to - retail in America cannot survive without its gay employees, who are numerous at Target.

To my eye, they treat their employees well for business reasons, but their passion is for far right-wing lunatic homophobic politicians.

I'll never shop Target or Best Buy again.

Fortunately, there are many alternatives, especially online.

To Tommy Pearce and Felix.

You have both missed the point. I understand you don't care about gay rights, that's your right.

On the other hand, I would not donate a dime to any candidate who pofesses homophobia and hate. Unfortunately, due to Target and Best Buy and the Supreme Court, I just have.

Those are MY dollars going to Emmer, his rock band that calls for the execution of gays and Michelle Bachman, the lunatic gay-hater.

Through my purchases at those stores, I have just supported those bastards. It has sullied me and permanently tarnished both brands: Target and Best Buy.

Needless to say, I will not spend a dime at either place again as I refuse to support those who call for my death or denial of my civil rights.

This is just a rational response: don't support your enemies, anything else is simple self-destruction.

first of all, my aunt went to her local target to ask about a donation for a veteran's organization that she works with and they told her they only donate to gay and lesbian or children's charities. the veterans didn't boycott target for that! it is absolutely true that the gay "community" judges way more than other groups. get over it people, makes me want to go shop at a target in arizona!

God how i hate Walmart....but looks like ill be heading back that way from now on. =(

Felix, You are entitled to Your opinion ans I am to mine and I think You are a TWIT! Do You know what previous generations of LGTB People went through in the recent past? You say You will spend Your money anywhere You please and this is Your right as a free American but You are not a Free Person of the LGTB community in this Country as it currenty stands! You do not have the same rights as straight People! In the 1970's Gay People did stand up against the Florida Orange Growers Assn. on account That Anita Bryant was there Spokes Person and She spoke out openly about Gays! Gays and Thier Friends and Familys did Boycott Forida Orange Juice and soon after She was forced to resign as Spokesperson And soon after came a public appology from The Florida Orange Growers Assn.! In the Early 80's Coors Brewing Company had a policy of no Gay People in Their Company's hiring practices! Every Gay Bar Coast to Coast participated in this Boycott and soon after came an open appology to the LGTB Community and a change in hiring practices of Gay People! This Boycott changed laws around the Country about LGTB Desrimination in the work place! So whe You make a rash and unthoughtfull statement as a Gay Male living in this country about People of The LGTB and their Friends and Family exersizing there right to boycott a Company whom openly supports a Politician that has an open Homophobic stance ind is running for Govenor in the State of Minnesota I take offence! Target and Best Buy Corporations are 2 major Employers based in Minnesota Whom claim to be Pro-Gay openly give Money to a Candidate that has an anti-Gay platform! We have every reason in the word to Boycott these Companies! PS: Felix it isnt descimination if another Gay man turns You down because You are a stipid Twit!

And by the way, I am very proud of Mrs. Randi.. as I am sure her son is!!! WAY TO GO RANDI!!!

Well, we have closed down the Target store here already.... working on wal-mart now. havent shopped there for a couple of years now. I shop at locally owned, or mom and pop stores. support my own community. And no best buy here either. hahaha. And screw Felix AND Keith! let them die out like target and best buy.

What will it take for some people to realize they are under attack?? Will it really take being fired or arrested for suspicion of being gay like it used to happen here in America. You do realize it's still legal in several states to be fired from your job just because your employer thinks you might be gay. Targets actions are the proverbially knife in the back from someone I used to trust.

And Mr Keith Washington, there is a world of difference in Gay Vs Lesbian or or even the Black Gay VS the White Gay controversies and the pro GLBT VS the Anti-GLBT. While yes more work needs to be done in this area and Yes they may ignore each other and often do not play nice with each other, but they sure as hell don't go out and try to kill or hurt each other either. If you read up on the music group Emmer promotes, they out and out want to promote killing, maiming and hurting GLBT's. And to even equate the two as even or similar is just wrong.

Well, Shannon if Target made a mistake then they need to apologize to LGBT community. That would show accountability and humility. Till that happens I won't be shopping there.

Lucky Jake.... He has a proud, loving mother who respects him... Lucky us that she is loud and proud, in her own quiet, powerful way! Thank you for your voice, Mrs Reitan.
Stuart from Canada

to keith and felix. ARE YOU KIDDING ME?! do you have hard statistics that support what you said:
"You cannot ask communities outside the LGBT to accept or celebrate diversity when in fact they are more racist and separatist compared to our counterparts in the straight world."
I thought not. It's statements and thoughts like this that are keeping discrimination, of any kind, alive. You felt it was necessary to state your qualifications, why? All you did was show that you really shouldn't have been trusted in that position. I know an African American man that assumes that every bad thing that happens to him is because he's black, so all black people must be like that. I know a gay person that thinks drag queens are gross, so all gay people must think like that. I could go on all night but I think you see the ignorance, and in that I hope you see the ignorance in your statement that gay people are more discriminant just because you met a few people who treated you badly. News flash Keith, everyone is going to be treated as an outcast for something, sometime in their life. Yes, it's wrong, but pointing the finger at an entire culture of people is creating a bigger problem, not solving it.

The person named Felix who wrote the first response needs to learn how to spell and speak correctly. She does damn good things for the Gay community and we should all be proud of her!!

Kroger isn't any better. I work at a Kroger in Cincinnati and in June they posted a sign saying that they were sponsoring the Pride March here in Cincinnati and I thought that I worked for a good company. Then a few weeks later they had an employee appreciation week and told us on a certain day that we could wear jeans and our favorite non-offensive t-shirt. So I wore my new "legalize gay" shirt that I bought at pride this year. I was only clocked in 45 minutes before the store manager made my manager tell me to change. I had to lose an hour of work to go home and change. Money is all that matters to way too many people in this country, it's nice to see a story like this get publicity, though hope is running thin for America in my opinion.

Why does Felix have to be considered a pathetic person. I for a fact served as Governor for HRC Indiana and Kentucky for 3 years as an openly black gay male and I caught hell from the local gay pride organization in Indianapolis and a lot of white gay males (who are openly discriminatory against Blacks, Latinos, Asian, Women, Elderly and those who have disabilities. I after serving in that capacity can relate and understand what Felix is saying and that the overall majority in the Gay community (white males) have a long way to go in to get rights until they correct discrimination that is rampant in the LGBT community. You cannot ask communities outside the LGBT to accept or celebrate diversity when in fact they are more racist and separatist compared to our counterparts in the straight world.

Keith Washington
Former Governor of the Human Rights Campaign in Indiana and Kentucky

You people need to get over it. If you boycotted every store that gave money to people like that, youd have nothing from any major company or store. All big companies support politicians who are for big companies. Thats life, move on. I do know for a fact that Target isnt anti-gay. My partner is HR for them and they are freaking about the politican's stance on the subject. They were looking at his views on corporations not on his stance on that. It was a mistake, they are LGBT positive and have many that work for them. Dont go off the deep end over the situation. Take a deep breath and move on. I know I have, Im off to go to Best Buy then on to Target.

topblknavy, so hows the "anonymous" crank calling thing working for you? what are you 8? If you have a problem voice your concerns, being immature about the situation doesnt help anything. You might want to start crank calling the "navy", air force, army & marines while you are at it, how about congress & most political offices while you are at it.

Im all for being out and proud, but know what the true story is before getting crazy.

felix learn to write, Dominick N.- I pity you both and if you do believe in a higher power, let's hope that it takes pity on your souls after your passing on. I truly can't believe I'm hearing this drabble B.S. from gays, boy do you have a lot to learn about life.

Good grief Dominick what a putrid post. You are like a cartoon of a fart.