PETE BUTTIGIEG CRITICIZED BY LGBT MAGAZINE FOR VOLUNTEER WORK WITH 'HOMOPHOBIC' SALVATION ARMY

[TexasTowelie]

81. I hope that you never become homeless.

Last edited Wed Dec 4, 2019, 10:51 PM - Edit history (1)

I've seen the work that they do and I think that a lot people would change their opinions of the organization if they ever fell into a predicament where they needed help. There are organizations that are far worse than the Salvation Army.

When I was homeless in Dallas I stayed at a facility where the homeless were allowed to stay for one week without having to pay. After the one week period, the clients were moved onto the list to work at the facility (intake, kitchen duty). After the first week, the clients also had to decide whether to pay $10 a night or enroll in their religious indoctrination program for a month and they were not allowed to leave the facility grounds. How are the homeless going to get out of their predicament if they cannot leave the facilities, have no access to computers to find work, or even beg to keep their phones connected? Meanwhile, the religious brethren that ran the facility arrived in $50,000 SUVs and dressed in their Sunday best wardrobe. There were a few people that stayed at the facility for a year and went through the indoctrination program that were offered minimum wage jobs, but in some ways it could be viewed that the owners had a captive work force that earned less than minimum wage during that year. That facility was supposedly one of the best in the city and was even lauded by the city government.

So tell me which is worse, the Salvation Army, an alternative option facility like I described, or sleeping on the street (especially if you have to carry insulin which requires refrigeration)? While I don't agree with homophobic policies in any organization, beggars can't be choosers and looking at the situation from a different perspective is invaluable. If you don't want to donate to the Salvation Army that is your choice, but actively discouraging other people from making donations or condemning political candidates because they worked with the group crosses the line in my opinion and does more harm than good.