thomascwaters.com

The other day a friend asked me if I had been following the Target controversy, and the reality was, that I hadn’t been too closely. I knew there was a controversy, but past that, I had been putting lots of time and energy into the Highland Park gay bashing, and had let this slip by. Still, I had a gut level response, which was, I’m not going to Target anymore. My partner and I shop at Target all the time, so I knew this would present a problem. I hoped there would be time to sort out what was going on before our next needed trip to Target. So, last night I mentioned to him, my request that we stop shopping there, and he wasn’t too pleased.

Today, I received an email from MoveOn.org about this and it really alarmed me. Sure, the email was from MoveOn, but even after you cut through the hype, it is still very alarming. Target has

given money to a PAC run by people who were part of Tim Pawlenty’s group. The PAC is funding TV commercials supporting this ultra right wing candidate, who wants to eliminate the minimum wage. This candidate, Tom Emmer, is also friends with a punk Christian band, whose lead singer has called the execution of gays “moral.”

“Muslims are calling for the executions of homosexuals in America,” Dean said on YCR’s May 15 radio show on AM 1280 the Patriot. “This just shows you they themselves are upholding the laws that are even in the Bible of the Judeo-Christian God, but they seem to be more moral than even the American Christians do, because these people are livid about enforcing their laws. They know homosexuality is an abomination.”

I called the Harmar Target, where we usually shop, and asked to speak to the store manager. I spoke with a guy, who asked that I don’t include his name on my blog, who stated emphatically, that Target, and his store specifically, cares very much about LGBT rights. It was clear he was a straight guy, and less familiar with LGBT issues, still I got the impression that his affirmation of the store’s support came across as genuine.

This may or may not really be an LGBT issue. I haven’t dug too far into this, but on a different level, it doesn’t matter. Even aside from the close ties of the band and the Minnasota GOP, this is outrageous, and Emmer is just plain dangerous, in my opinion. Target’s official statement is that the gift was to help support Business and job creation. How does that translate? Tom Emmer wants to abolish the minimum wage.

What exactly is Tom Emmer’s position on the minimum wage? The short version is that the presumptive Republican nominee for governor of Minnesota has long opposed the minimum wage, calling it “a true from of socialism,” And, if that wasn’t bad enough, how about this one: What especially got Emmer in trouble was this claim: “With the tips that they get to take home, there are some that are earning over $100,000 a year — more than the very people that are providing the jobs and investing not only their life savings but their family’s future. Something has to be done about that.”

So, Emmer is opposed to the minimum wage because it is socialism, but it is his call how much a waitstaff should be able to make?

First, anyone who cares about social issues like LGBT rights must recognize that social issues are deeply connected to worker’s issues and women’s issues, and all the various economic and social issues that help the average persons. If we don’t start to get how we are all in this together, and that we need to all care about all of these things, we will be screwed.

Second, Target has to come to recognize that you can’t draw nice neat little lines around business issues as if they are separate from social issues, nor can they defend this claiming that the gift was to a PAC instead of going to a specific candidate. Is eliminating the minimum wage a part of Target’s long term business objectives? Do they feel that paying workers less than a living wage is a way to spur job growth? That’s some scary thinking.

People, you better wake up and see that if the GOP takes governor seats, House and Senate seats, at any level, we are all screwed, except for those few who are at the top of corporate America, like Target’s CEO.

Update: Wanted to add a link to Mike Jone’s blog over at change.org.  I generally love the way Mike writes about topics, and this is no exception, although, I think he may try and link Target to Emmer a bit too strongly. Maybe not. He may have researched this far more than I. Either way, he makes some great points, and his whole blog post is a great read. Here is an excerpt:

Target has continued to deflect on the $150,000 donation supporting Emmer, issuing a statement this week saying that as part of a political action committee (PAC) known as Minnesota Forward, they’re supporting Emmer because they think he’s the pro-business candidate. Target went on to say that their “commitment to the GLBT community is unwavering.”

But can a company have unwavering support for the GLBT community (in terms of their corporate policies and support for things like LGBT pride festivals and events), while spending six figures to try and elect vehemently anti-gay candidates?

Still, I tink Jones misses the important link of labor issues, and social issues. Even if Target was only concerned about supporting business issues, they can not be disconnected from civil rights. Even the issue of eliminating the minimum wage can be seen as a civil rights issue. I understand what Jone’s is doing. Stay focused on your subject and constituents, but we have to begin to see the LGBT community within the larger community too.