Targeting GLBT

Target CEO Gregg Steinhafel Needs To Decide Which Target He Wants To Lead

2010-07-27T15:03:00.000-07:00

In a letter released today, Target CEO Gregg Steinhafel claimed Target does not have "a political or social agenda."

Steinhafel's attempt to deny Target's history of support for progressive social policy is as distressing as his attempt to deny Target's major political contributions to Emmer-supporting MN Forward. Target has a long and commendable history of supporting GLBT rights both within the company as well as in our communities. That's what makes their support for Tom Emmer so jarring. The fact that Steinhafel refuses to acknowledge Target's past or present political and social agenda shows just how unwilling Target is to come to terms with the conflict between its progressive public image and conservative behind the scenes political dealings.

Gregg Steinhafel needs to decide which Target he wants to lead: the Target that plays an active role in supporting an inclusive, diverse, and respectful community... or the Target that blindly pushes for profit at any cost, no matter how damaging to its employees, customers, and community.

Target CEO Gregg Steinhafel Letter About Tom Emmer Controversy Never Mentions Tom Emmer

2010-07-27T14:50:00.001-07:00

Today, Target released a letter from chairman, president and CEO Gregg Steinhafel. The letter never mentions the name Tom Emmer and does not specifically state that Target disagrees with Tom Emmer's positions on GLBT issues. We'll be posting more analysis of the letter later tonight. For now, here's the text of Steinhafel's letter:

Dear Target Team,

In the past week I’ve heard from some of you, including our GLBT team members, regarding your concerns with Target’s recent contributions to MN Forward, an independent expenditure committee that is supported by a broad coalition of large and small businesses throughout the state, including the Minnesota Business Partnership and the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce.

As you know, Target has a history of supporting organizations and candidates, on both sides of the aisle, who seek to advance policies aligned with our business objectives, such as job creation and economic growth. MN Forward is focused specifically on those issues and is committed to supporting candidates from any party who will work to improve the state's job climate. However, it is also important to note that we rarely endorse all advocated positions of the organizations or candidates we support, and we do not have a political or social agenda.

In the context of this contribution, some of you have raised questions regarding our commitment to diversity, and more specifically, the GLBT community. Let me be very clear, Target’s support of the GLBT community is unwavering, and inclusiveness remains a core value of our company. Some current examples of that support include:
Domestic Partner Benefits
Sponsorship of Twin Cities Pride
Sponsorship of Out & Equal Workplace Summit
In addition, Target’s rating of 100% on the 2009 and 2010 Human Rights Campaign Corporate Equality Index further demonstrates the reputation our company has earned.

As CEO, I consider it my responsibility to create conditions in which Target can thrive, and I promise to do so with the best interests of our guests, team, shareholders and communities in mind. I appreciate your input and understanding.

Sincerely,

Gregg Steinhafel

Chairman, President and CEO

Illinois State Rep. Greg Harris On Target: "They Can't Have It Both Ways ... I Hope That They Will Rethink This Contribution"

2010-07-26T19:09:00.000-07:00

Illinois State Representative Greg Harris, an openly gay Democrat from Chicago who was present at the opening of Target's new location in Chicago, is surprised to learn about Target's support for anti-gay candidate Tom Emmer in Target's home state of Minnesota:

"This shows how important effective campaign disclosure laws are, so that we can follow the money that supports candidates who actively work against our community or who fund anti-gay ballot initiatives," said Harris. "Companies like Target need to understand that they can't have it both ways when it comes to issues of our basic rights, and that the facts will eventually come out. I hope that they will rethink this contribution and find a way to make it right.

Target's troubles are quickly going national, yet they remain silent on this issue. How much damage is Target willing to do to its brand in order to put Tom Emmer in the governor's seat?

Human Rights Campaign: Target "Helping A Candidate Who Shamelessly Rejects Equality For LGBT Minnesotans"

2010-07-26T15:48:00.001-07:00

Human Rights Campaign, one of the largest and most visible GLBT rights organizations in the United States, released this statement criticizing Target's support for anti-gay Republican Tom Emmer:

Target has worked hard to create a fair and equitable workplace for its LGBT employees, and should be proud of its leadership in this area. It is for this reason that HRC is very disappointed in Target's significant monetary contribution to Minnesota Forward, a group supporting the most clearly anti-LGBT candidate for Governor in Minnesota. We have reached out to Target to express our concern over this contribution. While political contributions to support candidates are not a factor in HRC Foundation's Corporate Equality Index, HRC finds it puzzling that Target would take great steps to support LGBT inclusiveness while simultaneously helping a candidate who shamelessly rejects equality for LGBT Minnesotans.

Read more about the HRC's statement and Target's response (or lack thereof) to the national outcry over their support for Tom Emmer at MN Progressive Project.

NBC Bay Area: Target "Chooses To Ignore That As Governor [Tom Emmer Would] Work To Deny Rights To The Company's LGBT Customers And Employees"

2010-07-23T16:43:00.001-07:00

The current top story on NBC Bay Area's website is headlined "Target Supporting Anti-Gay Minnesota Candidate." It doesn't get any better from there. This is more awful news for Target, as the company is currently working to secure approval for its first San Francisco locations. Highlights:

While San Francisco shoppers eagerly anticipate not just one but possibly two new outlets for Target in the City, political news from the Minneapolis-based company's home state of Minnesota might spoil some enthusiasm.

It turns out that Target has contributed $150,000 to a Political Action Committee that supports Minnesota Republican gubernatorial candidate Tom Emmer. ...

The company response? "Target supports causes and candidates based strictly on issues that affect our retail and business interests." In other words, it sees Emmer as more business-friendly than his Democratic opponent, and just chooses to ignore that as governor he'd work to deny rights to the company's LGBT customers and employees.

How long will Target stand by and watch its carefully crafted image collapse?

Reader Letter: Target and the Politics of Diversity

2010-07-23T12:46:00.000-07:00

This letter from Targeting GLBT reader David Weiss speaks for itself:

“Dare. Dream. Do.” Target Corporation uses those words to brand its diversity commitment. “Dare not. Damn. Don’t.” might accurately brand Tom Emmer’s position on full civil rights for gay and lesbian persons. But Target recently chose Emmer as recipient of their $150,000 expression of free speech through a contribution to a PAC seeking to get Emmer elected as governor.

Target is one of the highest profile corporations to be publicly supportive of LGBT persons. Tom Emmer is the only major gubernatorial candidate with avowedly anti-gay views. Besides authoring the 2007 constitutional amendment that sought to ban same-sex marriage, Emmer has tried to alter wording in other bills to insure that same-sex couples are excluded from protections provided to other Minnesota families. Some families just aren’t worthy to dare, dream, or do in Emmer’s book.

Gregg Steinhafel, president and CEO, asserts on the company website that Target is committed to “foster an inclusive culture,” “strengthening the communities where we do business,” and “to play an active role in [their] progress.” Target has defended their PAC donation, saying it was “based strictly on issues that affect our retail and business interests.” Apparently diversity is not such an issue. So Target thinks its bottom line will be helped by creating a Minnesota under Emmer where an inclusive culture will be under attack and where LGBT persons will see community progress rolled back.

Well, I have about $1000 of annual spending I’ve done at Target for each of the past ten years that think otherwise. I’m willing to bet I have 150 friends who agree, and probably another 15,000 people I don’t know, but who also care enough about LGBT diversity and justice to offer Target a little tutorial on the intersection between diversity and “retail and business interests.” Redirecting dollars for diversity; like Target says, let’s dare, dream, and do.

David R. Weiss is the author of To the Tune of a Welcoming God: Lyrical reflections on sexuality, spirituality and the wideness of God's welcome (2008, Langdon Street Press). A theologian, writer, poet and hymnist committed to doing “public theology,” David lives in St. Paul, Minnesota and is a self-employed speaker and writer around issues of sexuality, justice, diversity, and peace. You can reach him at http://tothetune.wordpress.com.

Target Candidate Tom Emmer's "Nice People" On Homosexuals: "On Average, They Molest 117 People Before They're Found Out"

2010-07-23T12:05:00.000-07:00

I wanted to highlight one particular passage from the SFist story we just posted:

Bradlee Dean, the frontman of a Christian rock band in Minnesota called You Can Run But You Cannot Hide, recently said that Muslim countries that execute LGBTs are "more moral than even the American Christians," plus some mouth-foaming about gays engaging in abominations and child molestation. Ugh. ...

Tom Emmer seems to like Bradlee Dean -- as in, really like. "These are nice people," Tom said of the band. Meanwhile, Bradlee told an interviewer, "On average, they molest 117 people before they're found out. How many kids have been destroyed, how many adults have been destroyed because of crimes against nature?"

Ladies and gentlemen, Target candidate Tom Emmer.

SFist: Target's Financial Backing of Anti-Gay Politician

2010-07-23T12:01:00.000-07:00

SFist, a San Francisco cultural blog, just posted a brutal story on Target's support for anti-gay Republican Tom Emmer. This is awful news for Target, as the company is currently working to secure approval for its first San Francisco locations. Highlights:

Here's something that may give fans of San Francisco's impending Target invasion some pause: the company's financial support for an anti-gay Republican politician whose friends include a "kill-the-gays" Christian rock singer.

Aaaaaaaawkward.

The story goes like this:

Bradlee Dean, the frontman of a Christian rock band in Minnesota called You Can Run But You Cannot Hide, recently said that Muslim countries that execute LGBTs are "more moral than even the American Christians," plus some mouth-foaming about gays engaging in abominations and child molestation. Ugh.

So what's the Target connection? Well, Bradlee's ministry received money and support from Tom Emmer, an anti-gay Minnesota Republican running for Governor. And Tom Emmer's campaign got a boost from Minnesota Forward, a PAC running TV ads on his behalf. And Minnesota Forward got $150,000 -- which amounts to about a third of all of their donations -- from Target.

So, to follow the money: Target gave $150,000 to Minnesota Forward, which bought TV ads for Tom Emmer, who says "I believe marriage is the union between one man and one woman," and who hangs out with a guy who thinks killing gays is moral.

Tom Emmer seems to like Bradlee Dean -- as in, really like. "These are nice people," Tom said of the band. Meanwhile, Bradlee told an interviewer, "On average, they molest 117 people before they're found out. How many kids have been destroyed, how many adults have been destroyed because of crimes against nature?"

In Target's defense, backing Emmer could have been more about getting corporate welfare for their company, and the anti-gay stuff didn't even appear on their radar. Which is a shame, because it really should have. Maybe they donate to politicians who support their business needs? Fine. Bu at what point do you say, "this person may be good for the bottom line but they want to hurt people and we can't support that." While Target didn't know about Dean's "kill the gays" bile, the certainly knew that Emmer wants to stop gays from marrying, and they want ahead and gave him the money anyway.

Read and comment on the post at SFist.

Target Feeling The Heat On Facebook

2010-07-23T11:27:00.001-07:00

Target's Facebook page is quickly filling up with comments from employees and customers disappointed by Target's support for anti-gay Republican Tom Emmer. Here's are two recent comments from real Target customers (names removed):

If you're disappointed by Target's political decisions, let them know on Facebook.

Twin Cities Pride Reviewing Options In Wake Of Target Support For Anti-Gay Republican Tom Emmer

2010-07-22T19:36:00.001-07:00

Target's support for anti-gay Republican Tom Emmer is burning bridges and destroying trust with communities and organizations that thought Target was on their side. The latest: Twin Cities Pride is now discussing how to respond to Target's decision. From TheColu.mn:

Twin Cities Pride Executive Director Dot Betsler tells TheColu.mn that her organization is still trying to decide how to respond to Target Corporation’s donation of $100,000 in cash and $50,000 worth of goods and services to MN Forward, a Republican pressure group founded by former Pawlenty deputy chief of staff Brian McClung that’s helping fund ads supporting GOP gubernatorial candidate Tom Emmer. ...

Pro-business Emmer may be, but the state legislator has also been linked to a prominent local anti-gay group, and has not exactly been at the forefront of the fight for LGBTQ equality in the Minnesota legislature, last May voting against a popular anti-bullying bill that was ultimately vetoed by Governo Tim Pawlenty.

Target Twists Numbers And Facts In Attempt To Limit Fallout From Support For Anti-Gay Republican Tom Emmer

2010-07-22T17:15:00.001-07:00

Target just got caught fudging the numbers in a PR statement released in response to building controversy over Target's support for anti-gay Republican Tom Emmer.

This is what Target wants you to hear:

Target supports causes and candidates based strictly on issues that affect our retail and business interests. In fact, Target's Federal PAC contributions year-to-date are very balanced between Republicans and Democrats, and we work collaboratively with legislators and officials at all points on the political spectrum.

These are the facts: Target Corporation, not Target's PAC, donated $150,000 to a group supporting anti-gay Republican Tom Emmer. The funds came directly from Target Corporation, an arrangement recently approved in the Citizens United Supreme Court decision.

Target wants you to think a separate political entity is supporting anti-gay candidate Tom Emmer. The reality is, Target Corporation's funds went directly to an organization supporting anti-gay candidate Tom Emmer. No middleman, no PAC -- just your shopping dollars.

For the latest updates on Target's support for anti-gay politicians, follow us on Twitter.

Target Spin v. Target Facts

2010-07-22T17:09:00.000-07:00

From WCCO, we learn that Target PR just released a statement reading, in part:

Target is proud of the diversity of its team, and we greatly value the wide range of perspectives offered by all of our team members. It is this diversity that creates our unique and inclusive corporate culture while helping our company remain relevant and competitive.

Question to Target: How does your support for a politician who scores points by demonizing and discriminating against your GLBT employees foster a diverse and inclusive community?

OutFront Minnesota "Appalled" By Target's Support For Anti-Gay Candidate Tom Emmer: "Target Should Not Stand With Him"

2010-07-22T15:34:00.001-07:00

Today, leading GLBT rights group OutFront Minnesota released an open letter to Gregg W. Steinhafel, Target Corporation's chairman, president, and CEO. This letter is a must-read:

Target Corporation has long been a strong ally of Minnesota's GLBT community and OutFront Minnesota and many other GLBT organizations have looked to Target as a model of the corporate support for diversity. Because of this, OutFront Minnesota is disappointed and appalled to learn that Target's political action committee recently contributed $150,000 to a right-wing political group called Minnesota Forward, which is working to elect State Representative Tom Emmer – a candidate with a long history of attacks against GLBT Minnesotans and their families for his own political gain – governor.

Target should recognize that its support of Representative Emmer's campaign supports his toxic social agenda, significant parts of which involve targeting GLBT people, immigrants, and low-income workers for discrimination and marginalization.

Target should be aware of the damage to the lives of GLBT Minnesotans that its spending in support of Representative Emmer will have. Because of this, OutFront Minnesota calls on Target to do the right thing and make amends for the damage it has done by taking back its donation to Minnesota Forward, or by donating an equal amount to a political committee or cause of its choice that works to combat the attacks, dehumanization and marginalization of GLBT people, immigrants, and low-income workers represented by Emmer and Minnesota Forward.

Emmer stands alone among candidates for governor in opposing equality for GLBT Minnesotans. Target should not stand with him. [emphasis added]

Read the letter on OutFront Minnesota's website.

Target's Corporate Rainbow-washing: How Many Pride Attendees Knew Their Shopping Dollars Would Support Anti-Equality Tom Emmer?

2010-07-22T15:07:00.000-07:00

At this year's Twin Cities Pride festival, Target sponsored a large area featuring photo booths, temporary tattoos, and other heavily branded promotions. To Pride visitors, it would seem that Target is an uncompromising supporter of the GLBT community. But Target's recently revealed support of anti-gay candidate Tom Emmer shows that Target's attempted outreach is little more than cynical rainbow-washing.

When it came time to choose a candidate for the highest office in their home state of Minnesota, Target chose to throw its corporate support behind Tom Emmer, by far the GLBT community's biggest opponent in the 2010 gubernatorial race.

Numerous political candidates flooded Pride with campaign literature, stickers, buttons, and supporters to spread the word about their pro-equality plans if elected governor... but Target candidate Tom Emmer was nowhere to be found.

Numerous political candidates participated in the Pride parade to show solidarity with the GLBT community. Target candidate Tom Emmer was also at a parade that same day -- 75 miles away, at the Lake City Water Ski Days.

Target's attempted outreach to the GLBT community is swiftly being revealed as nothing more than cynical rainbow-washing. Photo booths and temporary tattoos are fun, but when it came time to choose a candidate to lead our state, Target chose Tom Emmer.

Target/Emmer Outrage Spreads: "Target Corporation: Have They Been Lying to the LGBT Community?"

2010-07-20T23:36:00.000-07:00

From a new post at Minnesota political blog MN Progressive Project:

The news has only begun to ripple through the LGBT Community and is already receiving some bad press. Many are shocked and dismayed that Target a company that participates in many LGBT related functions including Twin Cities Pride and the Minnesota AIDS Walk every year, would even consider sponsoring an ad for the most anti-gay candidate for Governor.

Read the rest of the post at MN Progressive Project. Highly recommended.

Targeting Marriage: Target's Corporate Electioneering Hurts Minnesota GLBT Families (Part 2)

2010-07-20T13:56:00.000-07:00

In our last post, we highlighted Target candidate Tom Emmer's anti-marriage equality views. Target not only made a bad choice by supporting Tom Emmer -- they made the worst choice, using their corporate cash to support the number one anti-equality candidate in the race.

That's right -- Target candidate Tom Emmer is the only major party candidate to oppose same-sex marriage.

From the Minnesota Independent:

With the exception of Republican candidate Tom Emmer, all major candidates for governor are strongly in favor of same-sex marriage. ...

Of the candidates for governor, all but the Republican seem enthusiastic about making LGBT equality a reality. ...

“I believe marriage is the union between one man and one woman,” he says on his campaign website. “As a legislator, I have consistently supported the constitutional marriage amendment that protects traditional marriage.”

In 2007, Emmer authored a constitutional amendment to prohibit same-sex marriage and civil unions.

In many instances, Emmer has tried to change language in bills to that same-sex couples cannot benefit.

Target candidate Tom Emmer stands alone in his anti-equality, anti-gay views. Target presents itself as a diverse, inclusive, and progressive corporation. But when it came time to put their money where their mouth is, Target chose Tom Emmer.

Targeting Marriage: Target's Corporate Electioneering Hurts Minnesota GLBT Families (Part 1)

2010-07-20T13:30:00.000-07:00

Many Target customers, aware of the company's public image as a diverse and inclusive corporation, would be surprised to learn that Target bankrolls special interest groups supporting anti-marriage equality candidates. But that's exactly the case.

MN Forward's Target supported pro-Emmer advertisment:

"Minnesota needs Tom Emmer. ... Tom Emmer: The fighter Minnesota needs"

Target candidate Tom Emmer's campaign website:

I believe marriage is the union between one man and one woman. As a legislator, I have consistently supported the constitutional marriage amendment that protects traditional marriage.

Tom Emmer is a vocal opponent of equality for Minnesota's GLBT families, a position that stands in stark contrast to Target's self-portrayal as a diverse and progressive corporation.

In our next post, we'll investigate how Target not only made a bad choice by supporting Tom Emmer -- they made the worst choice, using their corporate cash to support the number one anti-equality candidate in the race.

Follow our RSS and Twitter feeds for the latest updates on Target's anti-gay candidate Tom Emmer.

Official Targeting GLBT Twitter Account Launched

2010-07-19T23:56:00.001-07:00

The official Targeting GLBT Twitter feed is now live. Follow us on Twitter for the latest updates on Target's support for anti-gay candidate Tom Emmer.

Why Target?

2010-07-19T21:57:00.000-07:00

In public, Target presents itself as a diverse, inclusive, and progressive company. But behind the scenes, Target is contributing cash and services to support an anti-gay extremist as governor of Minnesota, Target's home state.

Target's contributions to MN Forward helped fund an advertisement supporting Tom Emmer. These contributions represent clear support for Tom Emmer from the Target Corporation. Minnesotans deserve to know where their shopping dollars are really going.