The Perfect Gift: Boycott Target

This article is a follow-up on two others, which expose Target’s choice to fund anti-gay-civil rights legislature.  All emphasis within quotations is mine.  You can read the first article, An Open Letter to Target, here, and the second here.

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Guess what I found?

A Message From Gregg Steinhafel, Chairman, President and CEO – 8/5/2010

Dear Target Leaders,

I have heard from many of you, and our team members, over the past week regarding Target’s contribution to MN Forward, and I appreciate your engagement and candor, both of which clearly demonstrate your loyalty and passion for our company.

In situations like this, it is often difficult to find the right words, but I would like to respond with the same honesty you have shown me.

The intent of our political contribution to MN Forward was to support economic growth and job creation.

While I firmly believe that a business climate conducive to growth is critical to our future, I realize our decision affected many of you in a way I did not anticipate, and for that I am genuinely sorry.

We remain fully committed to fostering an environment that supports and respects the rights and beliefs of all individuals. The diversity of our team is an important aspect of our unique culture and our success as a company, and we did not mean to disappoint you, our team or our valued guests.

Going forward, we will soon begin a strategic review and analysis of our decision-making process for financial contributions in the public policy arena. And later this fall, Target will take a leadership role in bringing together a group of companies and partner organizations for a dialogue focused on diversity and inclusion in the workplace, including GLBT issues.

Thank you for sharing your input and for your continued commitment to making Target an even stronger company.

Sincerely,
Gregg Steinhafel
Chairman, President and CEO

I would applaud Target’s CEO for publicly displaying this letter, if his company had followed up on any of the promises made within it. Let’s take a peek at what Target has been up to since it promised to “review its decision-making process” and “bring together” companies to discuss “GLBT issues.”

“Going forward, we will soon begin a strategic review and analysis of our decision-making process for financial contributions in the public policy arena.”

Target has made updates to its website, including beefing up its Civic Activity page, which is where I initially found its 2009 Corporate Responsibility Report stating that Target’s support of gay advocacy is not related to its stance on public policy.  (You know, because that makes all kinds of sense in the real world, where gay people live based on the rights given to us using public policy.)  In the almost four months since this letter was written, has Target changed its policies for financial contributions?

Nope.

“Target contributes to political candidates, caucuses and causes in a bipartisan manner based strictly on issues that directly affect our retail and business priorities. We do this through corporate contributions where legally permissible as well as through the Target Citizens Political Action Committee (PAC), which is funded through the voluntary contributions of our team members. Because our activities are bipartisan, the percentage of overall giving to various political parties changes from time to time as a reflection of the political makeup of Congress and the legislatures in states where corporate contributions are legally permissible.

[...] Before any contribution is made, we determine that it is consistent with our business interests and, under the circumstances, is an appropriate means of advancing our public policy position. This determination is made either by our vice president of Government Affairs, executive vice president, general counsel and corporate secretary or our chief executive officer.“

Those are the exact same words listed in the old Corporate Responsibility Report…just in a new place on the site. Target even added a nifty little graphic to show how bipartisan it is:

Target Corporation Direct Contributions Made in the 2009 Calendar Year

You know what that graphic proves?  Nothing.  It only reaffirms what Target has been saying since before the scandal: its shareholders and directors stay in the middle of the political isle, with no regard for anything but their own profit margins and a desire to appear balanced by making half their contributions (and donations from their employees through a PAC) to each major political party.

“And later this fall, Target will take a leadership role in bringing together a group of companies and partner organizations for a dialogue focused on diversity and inclusion in the workplace, including GLBT issues.”

Dear Target: It’s now winter.  I’ve searched, and I’ve searched again, and I’ve found nothing. No mention of a “dialogue focused on diversity,” no gay rights summit, no articles on Target as a leader, bringing together companies to talk about “GLBT issues.”  Nothing.

When is “later this fall,” Target?

Gregg Steinhafel | Chairman, President and CEO | Target

Speaking of searches, you know what I have found?  Reminders of why this whole issue is such a mess.  Target, you gave $150,000 to MN Forward, which directly funded a guy whose campaign is decidedly anti-choice and anti-gay.  Tom Emmer has voted against a woman’s right to an abortion “100% of the time,” supports a constitutional amendment to “protect traditional marriage,” and opposes legislation to combat school bullying against gay and lesbian young people. Dear gays: with Emmer, it doesn’t get better.

Tom Emmer may have lost the election (though it’s close enough for a recount), but that doesn’t negate Target’s donation.  Think about it:

1. Target made a name for itself as a company that supports gay civil rights, with contributions to pride parades and health care benefits for its gay employees.
2. Target donated $150,ooo – one hundred fifty thousand dollars! – to an anti-gay politician.
3. Target then claimed it was okay because their fiscal policies don’t have to match up with their “commitment to gays”…and we took to the streets.  We boycotted Target.
4. Target said, “Oops!” and promised they’d make it right, starting with a conversation with the Human Rights Campaign…that led nowhere.  (HRC then made its own contributions: $110,000 to WIN Minnesota and $40,000 to other pro-LGBT organizations and candidates.)
5. Target’s CEO, pictured above, sent the above letter to its employees, making more promises to change his company’s ways.  Target sent nothing to you, me, or anyone else that stood up as a consumer.
6. People stopped boycotting Target.

When this news initially came out, I asked that we all write letters to Target, and request that they make real changes to their policy.  I never received a response, and as far as I know, no one else did either.  So this time, instead of asking you all to reach out to one of the companies you shop at most, I’m asking you to stop shopping there.

This holiday season, boycott Target.

Think of it as a gift to your gay, lesbian, transgendered and otherwise queer friends, lovers, and family.

Give the LGBT community your support of civil rights for all.

Boycott Target Now.

Tags: abortion, boycott target, corporations, gay civil rights, gay rights, minnesota, target, target corp., target corporation, tom emmer

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