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Post by Deleted on Feb 27, 2022 23:49:11 GMT
Let's not pretend it isn't.
It's largely up to you where your discretionary money goes, who it supports, and who it harms.
For example....
"But on Capitol Hill, the president’s biggest commitment to LGBTQ Americans continues to languish, a likely casualty of the Senate filibuster, renewed conservative hostility to transgender people—and a slow-motion, under-the-radar dark money campaign to kill a bill nearly half a century in the making.
The Equality Act, which would make it illegal to discriminate against lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people in most settings, is supported by more than two-thirds of Americans. It passed the House of Representatives in February with a bipartisan majority, and Biden has promised to sign the final bill. But instead of becoming law more than four decades after it was first introduced, it’s falling victim to what one LGBTQ movement leader called one of “the most sophisticated dark money operations” they’ve ever seen.
The source of much of that money, according to a review of tax filings by allied non-profits and some accidental public disclosures provided to The Daily Beast, is the National Christian Charitable Foundation (NCF), the nation’s sixth-largest charity and one of the biggest bankrollers of organizations currently on the front lines in the fight against the Equality Act. The NCF’s list of high-dollar donors includes some of the country’s richest and most powerful families. Among them: Betsy DeVos’ eponymous family foundation, as well as the private foundations of the Anschutz oil dynasty, the late Republican megadonor Foster Friess, Hobby Lobby, and Dan Cathy, the billionaire owner of Chick-fil-A, the six-days-a-week fast-food chain, which promised to stop donating to anti-LGBT causes last year....
According to the NCF’s Form 990, in 2018 it granted $6,585,923 to the Alliance Defending Freedom, a Christian legal interest group, one of its largest grants to a single political organization that year. With that cash in hand, ADF has crafted a vast network of more than 3,300 affiliated “allied attorneys.” A Media Matters for America report on ADF included a list of about 300 of those, noting that the cadre includes multiple state attorneys general and state lawmakers. Terry Parker, co-founder of NCF, served as director or treasurer for more than half a dozen such foundations, many of which have anodyne names like “The Jesus Fund Foundation” or the “Christian Heritage Foundation of Steamboat Springs.” But LGBTQ movement leaders say that the structure is deliberate in order to keep fingerprints of some of the nation’s richest families off of some of the more unseemly activities of NCF’s grantees. ...
the NCF is also a major grantor of many of the biggest players in the push to defeat the Equality Act. In particular, the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank, and Alliance Defending Freedom have been major players in the fight over expanded rights for LGBTQ people since the wars over same-sex marriage."
Of course a lot of you don't give a crap. And if you don't care, you don't care. Maybe when some issue affects you/your family/your loved ones PERSONALLY, you'll start to care. Some people don't empathize with others until/unless the others are someone they know or love.
But let's not pretend there aren't consequences when money transfers from our wallets/Zelle accounts into the bank accounts of some for-profit entities and their majority individual shareholders.
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Post by papercrafteradvocate on Feb 28, 2022 2:10:58 GMT
Let's not pretend it isn't.
It's largely up to you where your discretionary money goes, who it supports, and who it harms.
For example....
"But on Capitol Hill, the president’s biggest commitment to LGBTQ Americans continues to languish, a likely casualty of the Senate filibuster, renewed conservative hostility to transgender people—and a slow-motion, under-the-radar dark money campaign to kill a bill nearly half a century in the making.
The Equality Act, which would make it illegal to discriminate against lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people in most settings, is supported by more than two-thirds of Americans. It passed the House of Representatives in February with a bipartisan majority, and Biden has promised to sign the final bill. But instead of becoming law more than four decades after it was first introduced, it’s falling victim to what one LGBTQ movement leader called one of “the most sophisticated dark money operations” they’ve ever seen.
The source of much of that money, according to a review of tax filings by allied non-profits and some accidental public disclosures provided to The Daily Beast, is the National Christian Charitable Foundation (NCF), the nation’s sixth-largest charity and one of the biggest bankrollers of organizations currently on the front lines in the fight against the Equality Act. The NCF’s list of high-dollar donors includes some of the country’s richest and most powerful families. Among them: Betsy DeVos’ eponymous family foundation, as well as the private foundations of the Anschutz oil dynasty, the late Republican megadonor Foster Friess, Hobby Lobby, and Dan Cathy, the billionaire owner of Chick-fil-A, the six-days-a-week fast-food chain, which promised to stop donating to anti-LGBT causes last year....
According to the NCF’s Form 990, in 2018 it granted $6,585,923 to the Alliance Defending Freedom, a Christian legal interest group, one of its largest grants to a single political organization that year. With that cash in hand, ADF has crafted a vast network of more than 3,300 affiliated “allied attorneys.” A Media Matters for America report on ADF included a list of about 300 of those, noting that the cadre includes multiple state attorneys general and state lawmakers. Terry Parker, co-founder of NCF, served as director or treasurer for more than half a dozen such foundations, many of which have anodyne names like “The Jesus Fund Foundation” or the “Christian Heritage Foundation of Steamboat Springs.” But LGBTQ movement leaders say that the structure is deliberate in order to keep fingerprints of some of the nation’s richest families off of some of the more unseemly activities of NCF’s grantees. ...
the NCF is also a major grantor of many of the biggest players in the push to defeat the Equality Act. In particular, the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank, and Alliance Defending Freedom have been major players in the fight over expanded rights for LGBTQ people since the wars over same-sex marriage."
Of course a lot of you don't give a crap. And if you don't care, you don't care. Maybe when some issue affects you/your family/your loved ones PERSONALLY, you'll start to care. Some people don't empathize with others until/unless the others are someone they know or love.
But let's not pretend there aren't consequences when money transfers from our wallets/Zelle accounts into the bank accounts of some for-profit entities and their majority individual shareholders.
The sole reason we no longer patronize Chick-fil-A. Going on 2+ years of not going! 🌈 |
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Post by Deleted on Feb 28, 2022 13:44:15 GMT
ps - Travel is a political act Who are your travel dollars attacking? Who are they supporting? "Several states controlled by the GOP have introduced laws to curtail or prohibit public schools from addressing the needs of LGBTQ students or teaching tolerance for LGBTQ people. In Tennessee where I live, a bill has been proposed that would ban the use of “textbooks and instructional materials… that promote, normalize, support, or address [LGBT] lifestyles.” In Kansas, a bill would amend the state’s obscenity laws to make using such materials a class-B misdemeanor. None, however, are as infamous as the bill currently being debated in the Florida legislature. Dubbed the “don’t-say-gay” bill, if enacted this law would forbid discussion of sexual orientation and gender identity in schools throughout the Sunshine State. And though an even more nefarious amendment that would have required students to be outed to their parents was withdrawn, the bill will advance to a full House vote on Thursday (February 24, 2022)." dailyyonder.com/commentary-dont-say-gay-bills-will-harm-the-kids-they-claim-to-help/2022/02/24/www.tennessean.com/story/opinion/2021/11/19/trans-awareness-week-tennessee-law-makes-lgbtq-citizens-journey-hard/8655908002/ |
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Post by Linda on Feb 28, 2022 14:10:09 GMT
Thank you for sharing these - I do agree it's important for us to be aware.
I WOULD prefer not to be shamed though. We all make decisions based on what is best for us and our families - sometimes circumstances are such that not everyone can avoid all the companies and places that are in conflict with their beliefs. And quite honestly, I don't think boycotts are actually very effective - esp. not of companies with a wide consumer base (national/international). You may disagree. But we all have limited time and energy to bring to the table and we aren't all going to focus that time and energy the same way. That does NOT necessarily mean a lack of support for a particular movement or group of people.
there's an old adage about honey and vinegar...
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Post by Deleted on Feb 28, 2022 14:27:38 GMT
sometimes circumstances are such that not everyone can avoid all the companies and places that are in conflict with their beliefs. Agreed. Of course when it's the life, safety and health of your child, you tend to think about it more. Sometimes w/honey, sometimes w/vinegar. But you can't stop thinking about it because you love them more than life, more than any taste or experiences or sights. |
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Post by Linda on Feb 28, 2022 14:37:03 GMT
Of course when it's the life, safety and health of your child, you tend to think about it more. And of course - and I'm sure sometimes that causes us (general) to be more blunt or speak less kindly than we would otherwise. There are multiple ways that people can show support to LGBTQ+ and other causes. My decision not to move out of Florida for instance does not mean I support what's happening here politically - it means that a) moving isn't what's best for my family and b) I'm choosing other avenues of support. And while I don't live in a tourist destination - many of the areas that are, are also the parts of Florida that are working hard to change things here for the better (ie more blue areas than the dark red area I live in). And yes - I have family members and friends who are LGBTQ+ - and I imagine most people do although perhaps not everyone is aware that they do. |
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Post by jeremysgirl on Feb 28, 2022 14:41:54 GMT
Thank you for posting this @zima. I was one of the ones who wasn't super bothered by the Hobby Lobby fight to prevent coverage of birth control. It wasn't enough incentive for me to stop shopping there. I have my reasons for that, but I don't want to argue that point because that's not the focus of this thread. The Chik-fil-A I have never supported. I won't eat there, period because of this discrimination. But it is good to know who is funneling money to politicians that are looking to oppose this legislation. I do have a transgender child. And I will no longer be shopping at Hobby Lobby because of their involvement here.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 28, 2022 14:44:26 GMT
And of course - and I'm sure sometimes that causes us (general) to be more blunt or speak less kindly than we would otherwise. Thanks. Same. Especially when people continually label your child's life, health and safety as POLITICALAnd I totally agree w/you about "moving". That's not at issue. But spending money and discretionary travel are, to me. Money is one of the most effective ways to change behavior and it's too little used, imo. I think the coming generations are much more savvy about it and I hope they will help us get the changes we need to let each other live in peace - instead of forcing each other to live by the rules of ignorant and/or cruel people. |
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Post by Linda on Feb 28, 2022 14:50:46 GMT
I suspect people are labelling LGBTQ+ issues as political not because they think your child's life is political but because like it or not - in this country at this time, those issues and concerns ARE political. Our politicans have made it so. In some cases, that's been good - protections have been passed - in other cases (and Florida is certainly one of them) -it's not good.
And as far as the board label - when discussing bills/laws and legislatures etc... the politics label is appropriate. If you're sharing personal experiences or concerns, then that's different, IMO.
Personally -some days I'm up for a good discussion and/or argument. Some days, I avoid every thread labelled politics for my mental health. And I appreciate that I don't have to guess from the thread title which to avoid.
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Post by aj2hall on Feb 28, 2022 14:52:35 GMT
Slightly off topic, but I came across this today about boycotting Russian vodka, groups & artists and thought it was interesting www.npr.org/2022/02/28/1083385057/boycotts-russian-effectsThinking about boycotts in general, I wish the people boycotting Spotify over the Joe Rogan controversy had more of an impact. I was optimistic last summer when companies started boycotting Georgia over their voter suppression bills, but regrettably, that seems like it was only temporary. I also wish there was more transparency about donations to politicians and PACs. Then people could make more informed choices about where to spend money (and where to avoid) |
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Post by Linda on Feb 28, 2022 14:57:35 GMT
it is interesting. I do agree that boycotts (in general, not just the russian vodka for example) aren't usually effective from an economic standpoint. The symbolism and solidarity impacts make sense and I think perhaps that's what @zima is getting at - she wants to know that her child is supported by others here and perhaps, from her perspective, a public willingness to boycott certain companies/destinations shows that support to her. Or perhaps I'm off base there. |
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sassyangel
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Post by sassyangel on Feb 28, 2022 15:13:07 GMT
Slightly off topic, but I came across this today about boycotting Russian vodka, groups & artists and thought it was interesting www.npr.org/2022/02/28/1083385057/boycotts-russian-effectsThinking about boycotts in general, I wish the people boycotting Spotify over the Joe Rogan controversy had more of an impact. I was optimistic last summer when companies started boycotting Georgia over their voter suppression bills, but regrettably, that seems like it was only temporary. I also wish there was more transparency about donations to politicians and PACs. Then people could make more informed choices about where to spend money (and where to avoid) Yes, most of the vodka people are talking of boycotting isn’t even made in Russia anymore. Stolichnaya is Latvian (a NATO member, so they definitely don’t need punishing) neither is Smirnoff. The need to actively do something (which I am on board with) should be based in facts as well as emotion, i.e finding the brands that truly should be boycotted. |
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sassyangel
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Post by sassyangel on Feb 28, 2022 15:18:44 GMT
Slightly off topic, but I came across this today about boycotting Russian vodka, groups & artists and thought it was interesting www.npr.org/2022/02/28/1083385057/boycotts-russian-effectsThinking about boycotts in general, I wish the people boycotting Spotify over the Joe Rogan controversy had more of an impact. I was optimistic last summer when companies started boycotting Georgia over their voter suppression bills, but regrettably, that seems like it was only temporary. I also wish there was more transparency about donations to politicians and PACs. Then people could make more informed choices about where to spend money (and where to avoid) This guy -Judd Legum- works (independently, I think) to do just that. Unravels all the PAC donor filings and names names of donors popular.info/ |
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Post by Deleted on Feb 28, 2022 15:35:50 GMT
she wants to know that her child is supported by others here and perhaps, from her perspective, a public willingness to boycott certain companies/destinations shows that support to her. Or perhaps I'm off base there. It's more about what it shows to fellow HUMANS vs. just what it shows to me. Do we care about how our spending affects others? the planet? animals? etc. I try never to knowingly buy " fast fashion" because I know that it largely comes from underpaid, under-regulated workers whose safety and health and wages are appalling. Eat ethically sourced meat and go meatless at least 50% of the nights. etc. It goes beyond just what affects me personally. It is about growing up (metaphorically) and realizing that: knowledge (or lack of) informs beliefs; beliefs inform values; values inform actions; actions change the world. |
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Post by Linda on Feb 28, 2022 15:51:43 GMT
I try never to knowingly buy " fast fashion" because I know that it largely comes from underpaid, under-regulated workers whose safety and health and wages are appalling. Eat ethically sourced meat and go meatless at least 50% of the nights. etc. and those are great things to do - but the ABILITY to do those things depends on personal circumstances and there's a definite degree of privilege involved in choosing to avoid fast fashion or eat ethically sourced meat etc... It is about growing up (metaphorically) and realizing that: knowledge (or lack of) informs beliefs; beliefs inform values; values inform actions; actions change the world. And shaming people who are at a different place on that journey or who have taken a different path than you have isn't helpful to anyone. |
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Post by Deleted on Feb 28, 2022 16:00:55 GMT
And shaming people who are at a different place on that journey or who have taken a different path than you have isn't helpful to anyone. You call it "shaming", I call it "naming". |
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Post by jeremysgirl on Feb 28, 2022 16:01:29 GMT
And shaming people who are at a different place on that journey or who have taken a different path than you have isn't helpful to anyone. Shaming is never appropriate. But as Brene Brown says, there's a difference between shaming and accountability. If you choose to support organizations knowing they are engaging in behavior that is discriminatory toward LGBTQ persons, then you have to own that you are OK with this discrimination. Now, it's one thing if you aren't informed. But @zima put this post out there and she informed me. Now, it's up to me to act. I have to live my values in nearly every circumstance I can. Do I understand that someone might only be able to afford a $6.00 fast fashion t-shirt? Yes, I do. But if you are the kind of person who is buying 20 different $6.00 t-shirts that are irresponsibly made when you could afford 3 ethically made ones, well...that's not in accordance with my values as I have recently been informed. |
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Post by monklady123 on Feb 28, 2022 16:08:27 GMT
Slightly off topic, but I came across this today about boycotting Russian vodka, groups & artists and thought it was interesting www.npr.org/2022/02/28/1083385057/boycotts-russian-effectsThinking about boycotts in general, I wish the people boycotting Spotify over the Joe Rogan controversy had more of an impact. I was optimistic last summer when companies started boycotting Georgia over their voter suppression bills, but regrettably, that seems like it was only temporary.
I also wish there was more transparency about donations to politicians and PACs. Then people could make more informed choices about where to spend money (and where to avoid) I can't boycott Georgia because my son lives there.  In fact we're going down to see him and his family in May.  (I know I'm not a company... but just felt like mentioning that... lol) |
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Post by voltagain on Feb 28, 2022 16:21:27 GMT
And shaming people who are at a different place on that journey or who have taken a different path than you have isn't helpful to anyone. Shaming is never appropriate. But as Brene Brown says, there's a difference between shaming and accountability. If you choose to support organizations knowing they are engaging in behavior that is discriminatory toward LGBTQ persons, then you have to own that you are OK with this discrimination. Now, it's one thing if you aren't informed. But @zima put this post out there and she informed me. Now, it's up to me to act. I have to live my values in nearly every circumstance I can. Do I understand that someone might only be able to afford a $6.00 fast fashion t-shirt? Yes, I do. But if you are the kind of person who is buying 20 different $6.00 t-shirts that are irresponsibly made when you could afford 3 ethically made ones, well...that's not in accordance with my values as I have recently been informed. I am all for individuals living their lives based on their values. At for owning 20 different "fast fashion" t shirts, at one time that was me. I was living in a homeless shelter doing laundry in a laundromat and working a sweaty job. I could only wear a tshirt one work shift before it was too smelly to wear a second time. Coin laundries are too expensive to wash just a small load. A load of two changes of clothes cost the same at a full load. 3 ethical tshirts didn't make a large enough load plus the time it took to wait (2 hours). You can't do something else while the machines run because people will literally take your clothes out, throw them on the floor and put their wash in your machine to use your money for their laundry. |
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Post by Deleted on Feb 28, 2022 16:25:33 GMT
I was living in a homeless shelter doing laundry in a laundromat and working a sweaty job. I could only wear a tshirt one work shift before it was too smelly to wear a second time. Excellent example of how we live our values. In your situation, I would have done exactly the same thing. Fast fashion is definitely correlated with income and living situation. Terrorizing, minimizing, and destroying the lives of the LGBTQ is more correlated with your ability to empathize and think beyond bronze age morality. |
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Post by voltagain on Feb 28, 2022 16:28:01 GMT
I was living in a homeless shelter doing laundry in a laundromat and working a sweaty job. I could only wear a tshirt one work shift before it was too smelly to wear a second time. Excellent example of how we live our values. In your situation, I would have done exactly the same thing. Fast fashion is definitely correlated with income and living situation. Terrorizing, minimizing, and destroying the lives of the LGBTQ is more correlated with your ability to empathize and think beyond bronze age morality. With that, I can empathize and not marginalize people. |
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Post by pixiechick on Feb 28, 2022 16:30:44 GMT
Shaming is never appropriate. But as Brene Brown says, there's a difference between shaming and accountability. If you choose to support organizations knowing they are engaging in behavior that is discriminatory toward LGBTQ persons, then you have to own that you are OK with this discrimination. Now, it's one thing if you aren't informed. But @zima put this post out there and she informed me. Now, it's up to me to act. I have to live my values in nearly every circumstance I can. Do I understand that someone might only be able to afford a $6.00 fast fashion t-shirt? Yes, I do. But if you are the kind of person who is buying 20 different $6.00 t-shirts that are irresponsibly made when you could afford 3 ethically made ones, well...that's not in accordance with my values as I have recently been informed. I am all for individuals living their lives based on their values. At for owning 20 different "fast fashion" t shirts, at one time that was me. I was living in a homeless shelter doing laundry in a laundromat and working a sweaty job. I could only wear a tshirt one work shift before it was too smelly to wear a second time. Coin laundries are too expensive to wash just a small load. A load of two changes of clothes cost the same at a full load. 3 ethical tshirts didn't make a large enough load plus the time it took to wait (2 hours). You can't do something else while the machines run because people will literally take your clothes out, throw them on the floor and put their wash in your machine to use your money for their laundry. This just goes to show, that so often shaming/naming is based on your knowledge, your ability and your privilege. As opposed to the person you're shaming. |
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Post by Deleted on Feb 28, 2022 16:31:19 GMT
With that, I can empathize and not marginalize people. Most good people can. But some don't/can't. Sometimes it's through meanness, sometimes through religious beliefs, sometimes it's because they've never stopped for a moment to consider it. |
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Post by Linda on Feb 28, 2022 16:31:43 GMT
And shaming people who are at a different place on that journey or who have taken a different path than you have isn't helpful to anyone. Shaming is never appropriate. But as Brene Brown says, there's a difference between shaming and accountability. If you choose to support organizations knowing they are engaging in behavior that is discriminatory toward LGBTQ persons, then you have to own that you are OK with this discrimination. Now, it's one thing if you aren't informed. But @zima put this post out there and she informed me. Now, it's up to me to act. I have to live my values in nearly every circumstance I can. Do I understand that someone might only be able to afford a $6.00 fast fashion t-shirt? Yes, I do. But if you are the kind of person who is buying 20 different $6.00 t-shirts that are irresponsibly made when you could afford 3 ethically made ones, well...that's not in accordance with my values as I have recently been informed. I agree that as we know better - we should do better. But changing isn't always immediate and some changes are quicker/easier to make than others. And in some cases - values conflict...Buying local is best. My local shops often support causes I don't. Buying an ethically made shirt (for me) requires online shopping, buying fabric to make one myself either requires shopping at HL or shopping online. Which is better? That's a judgement call and we don't always call it the same way. There are often trade-offs and it's a rare person who can make all the right choices all the time. |
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Post by jeremysgirl on Feb 28, 2022 16:33:42 GMT
Shaming is never appropriate. But as Brene Brown says, there's a difference between shaming and accountability. If you choose to support organizations knowing they are engaging in behavior that is discriminatory toward LGBTQ persons, then you have to own that you are OK with this discrimination. Now, it's one thing if you aren't informed. But @zima put this post out there and she informed me. Now, it's up to me to act. I have to live my values in nearly every circumstance I can. Do I understand that someone might only be able to afford a $6.00 fast fashion t-shirt? Yes, I do. But if you are the kind of person who is buying 20 different $6.00 t-shirts that are irresponsibly made when you could afford 3 ethically made ones, well...that's not in accordance with my values as I have recently been informed. I am all for individuals living their lives based on their values. At for owning 20 different "fast fashion" t shirts, at one time that was me. I was living in a homeless shelter doing laundry in a laundromat and working a sweaty job. I could only wear a tshirt one work shift before it was too smelly to wear a second time. Coin laundries are too expensive to wash just a small load. A load of two changes of clothes cost the same at a full load. 3 ethical tshirts didn't make a large enough load plus the time it took to wait (2 hours). You can't do something else while the machines run because people will literally take your clothes out, throw them on the floor and put their wash in your machine to use your money for their laundry. I don't have a problem with this. Your life circumstance that I would say was beyond your level of control at that time was such that a different choice had to be made. I get that. I've lived through some pretty rough financial times myself. Shaming is about the way we talk to people. The way we treat them with disrespect. I don't do that. Accountability is owning your choice knowing the ramifications of it. I'm trying to find gray area with shopping at Hobby Lobby on this one as I usually am prone to look for the gray area. In addition I will say that not shopping there will be a sacrifice too as I like their house brand yarns. But I cannot justify it in my mind knowing what I know based on the OP. And again, I am usually one who can find gray area as with your story above. I just can't seem to find it here. |
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Post by jeremysgirl on Feb 28, 2022 16:47:28 GMT
I am all for individuals living their lives based on their values. At for owning 20 different "fast fashion" t shirts, at one time that was me. I was living in a homeless shelter doing laundry in a laundromat and working a sweaty job. I could only wear a tshirt one work shift before it was too smelly to wear a second time. Coin laundries are too expensive to wash just a small load. A load of two changes of clothes cost the same at a full load. 3 ethical tshirts didn't make a large enough load plus the time it took to wait (2 hours). You can't do something else while the machines run because people will literally take your clothes out, throw them on the floor and put their wash in your machine to use your money for their laundry. This just goes to show, that so often shaming/naming is based on your knowledge, your ability and your privilege. As opposed to the person you're shaming. I agree with this. I do have privilege that others don't. I do have knowledge that others don't (I try to share where I can). And again, shaming is being disrespectful. It is putting someone down and saying hurtful things. There is a snideness and superiority to it. I don't need to do that to people. It's not even close to my MO. But this thread informs. And I'm having trouble with the idea of privilege coming into question for Hobby Lobby shopping and Chik-fil-A eating. I can't find the gray area. And even if it does, in fact, exist, *still* you've got to own that you are doing something that is funding anti-LGBTQ legislation. It's completely not outside the realm of possibility that (general) you might feel shame, outside of anyone else saying anything other than what's going on. And sharing knowledge, isn't shaming. |
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sassyangel
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Post by sassyangel on Feb 28, 2022 16:53:30 GMT
Shaming is never appropriate. But as Brene Brown says, there's a difference between shaming and accountability. If you choose to support organizations knowing they are engaging in behavior that is discriminatory toward LGBTQ persons, then you have to own that you are OK with this discrimination. Now, it's one thing if you aren't informed. But @zima put this post out there and she informed me. Now, it's up to me to act. I have to live my values in nearly every circumstance I can. Do I understand that someone might only be able to afford a $6.00 fast fashion t-shirt? Yes, I do. But if you are the kind of person who is buying 20 different $6.00 t-shirts that are irresponsibly made when you could afford 3 ethically made ones, well...that's not in accordance with my values as I have recently been informed. I agree that as we know better - we should do better. But changing isn't always immediate and some changes are quicker/easier to make than others. And in some cases - values conflict...Buying local is best. My local shops often support causes I don't. Buying an ethically made shirt (for me) requires online shopping, buying fabric to make one myself either requires shopping at HL or shopping online. Which is better? That's a judgement call and we don't always call it the same way. There are often trade-offs and it's a rare person who can make all the right choices all the time. Yes, it’s sometimes very complex. Through a series of acquisitions, I now work for an employer - who, much to my disgust - is often named as one that is supporting these politicians in TX that pushed SB8 and other things/states that are politically distasteful to me, through its PACs. I don’t understand how a company that talks the womens/gender and race equality game it does, can support politicians that are openly pushing bills that are the antithesis of what they claim they stand for, and hurt their employees directly. 😣😒 I’m good at my job, I like it most of the time and I’ve done it long enough that I have decent pay, and while I am actively looking (because these things ARE dealbreakers to me) it’s not a change I’m going to pull the trigger on and just take anything to get out, in order to take a stand *now* either. |
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Just T
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Post by Just T on Feb 28, 2022 17:06:46 GMT
There are often trade-offs and it's a rare person who can make all the right choices all the time. While I agree with you, I get what Zima is saying, too. When it is something as important as your child's life and their rights not being what everyone else's are, it is hard to see past those who support politicians and businesses who want your child/ren to not have those rights. I'm going on very little sleep and probably not thinking clearly. An example from my own family: I have two children, a son and a daughter, who are gay. My son is married to a guy who dresses femininely, carries purses, and wears makeup and jewelry. He says he is not transgendered, he just likes women's things, but to look at him, you would think he is transgendered. My daughter is gay and had a long term girlfriend who she has broken up with in recent months. With that background in mind, I have quite a few family members who are very right wing Christian. They will never ever vote for a Democrat for any reason because they think being a Democrat is synonymous with being a Commie. They all are huge Trump supporters. My whole family knows about my gay son because he is very open about it, but my daughter is more private and my parents don't even know she is gay. Some family members do, however. So it is real hard for me to think about my own family, aunts and cousins who in the past I was very close to, supporting people like Trump and Pence or any politician or Supreme Court Justice who want to take rights away from MY CHILDREN, who they profess to love. One of my cousin's daughters is married to a man who works for Chik Fil A. He is working his way up to own a franchise. My cousin once posted about this fantastic company and how her daughter is so lucky that her husband works for a company with such Christian values. Of course, that didn't go over well with my son, and he ended up in a huge argument with my cousin and her daughter over it. He wouldn't back down, and neither would they. My cousin's daughter finally said "You are family and we love you, but...you need to stop." Or something like that. He said in reply, how can you say you love me when you think a company that is openly anti gay rights is a fantastic company. He's not wrong. I have another cousin who has posted anti gay, anti transgendered stuff on FB. He has 4 little girls, and I always want to say to him that if one of his children is gay, I sure hope he doesn't have to witness people in his own family spewing such hatred. Sorry for all that rambling! I too hate that gay rights is a political issue. To me, it is a human rights/civil rights issue. |
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Post by hop2 on Feb 28, 2022 17:19:50 GMT
Thank you for having this discussion in its own thread instead of a random travel thread plopping onto any unaware pea.
I have recently tried to be very thoughtful where my discretionary spending goes. No, I’m not always aware, but for larger companies I do try to be. As long as I have a choice, for example, I do not have a choice in my utility companies or my internet provider. I mean, not real choices anyway.
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Post by pixiechick on Feb 28, 2022 17:34:33 GMT
I have had this conversation with family. I think slowly but surely, more and more people will become aware that this is always a possibility in their own lives and their own little bubbles. The hard part for those currently living it is waiting for this to become standard knowledge for everyone. So many people can't see past their current experience and current situation in their own lives. I hope that makes sense.🤔 |
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In fact we're going down to see him and his family in May. 
(I know I'm not a company... but just felt like mentioning that... lol)
