Letters to the Editor
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Get the Hell Outta Here!
Romney and his k-k-klan are showing their colors, people... don't ignore the underlying messages, or the understanding that he's another republican who's going to try screw this country up even more if he gets the chance. Let's not give him that chance.
Sorry for my stuttering.
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The Worst Soundbites
Yeah, the bell can be annoying. The bell can also be a happy, holiday season sound.
Madden's comment is just one of those non-scripted (at least I hope non-scripted) remarks that reveals some little truth about a candidate and/or plays into the worst soundbites about the candidate. So, the worst soundbites for "No longer will the guy with the Salvation Army bell outside the door be the most annoying person" would include:
1. Romney, as a Mormon, isn't really a Christian. Don't vote for him, Evangelicals!
2. Only godless liberals hate Christmas. See, Romney's not really a Republican, just a guy who will say anything to get elected.
3. Romney is an effete, Massachusetts, big corporation stiff out of touch with the needs of ordinary Americans.
Has Romney himself said anything about this?
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Trivial
Come on, this is exactly the sort of meaningless trivial statement that gets taken out of context and harped on by the blowhard conservative commentators all the time. Let's not get just as banal and where-is-your-flag-pin as them, or we'll be the ones who are forcing politicians to speak in nothing but focus-group-approved mush.
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Scare quotes
I certainly hope this causes problems for Romney. But I was wondering why you put scare quotes aroeunf "in need." Whatever issues one might have with the Salvation Army's policies toward gays or other groups, is there really any doubt that they put the money they raise toward helping people genuinely in financial need?
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The Sexist Army
I worked at the Salvation Army here in Chicago in their accounting department. I was appalled when I learned that in the case of married officers (these are the people actually in the faux military uniforms) only the husband receives a paycheck! So you have some woman working 40 hours a week and her compensation is...nothing. I have refused to drop a dime in one of their buckets since then.
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Tim
Stop busting trivial people for little jokes, no matter how idiotic. This guy's stupid comment does not rise to the level required for public notice.
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it was a joke!
lighten up!
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Don't listen to the critics Tim. This was an amusing tidbit worthy of blogging.
It reminds me of a puerile song we used to sing in grade school as we passed a bell-ringer on the street:
Sal-va-tion Arrr-my
Sal-va-tion Arrr-my
Put a nickel on the drum
Save another drunken bum
Sal-va-tion Arrr-my
Sal-va-tion Arrr-my
Put a nickel on the drum and you'll be saved
But really, I know Romney and company would never join the Army, but I thought at least they would support our men and women in uniform. Ow!
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Trivial, perhaps, but still demonstrative
Yep, it's trivial, and others are right in saying that the right-wing commentators would be playing this up as disrespecting Christianity if a Democrat said it.
However, this will serve to demonstrate the difference between how the press and pundits treat the story. Is Air America going to have someone blasting Romney for being anti-Christian? Is the left-wing "Mighty Wurlitzer" going to be pushing the story?
If it was someone from Hillary Clinton's campaign who said this then there'd be all sorts of mainstream stories about her "stumble" and demanding that the spokesperson be fired.
As it is there's mostly just Tim.
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Go to charitynavigator.org -- under FAQs
Why don't you list the Salvation Army?
The Salvation Army is exempt under Internal Revenue Code from filing Form 990 as a "church or convention or association of churches." As a result, we lack sufficient data to evaluate their financial health. We know many donors are interested in this organization and have asked the Salvation Army to submit their financial data to us for review, and they have elected to decline, as they are allowed under federal law.
Estimates vary regarding the amount allocated for administrative costs, but the Salvation Army spends a bundle on those "fees."
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Some much for being able to take a joke
Remember just a few years ago when conservatives and Republicans when off the deep end over a lame joke that John Kerry tried to make about George Bush, but which came across as sounding like he was criticizing soldiers in Iraq? Back then it was liberals (and bloggers like Tim Grieve) saying that conservatives should lighten up and not be such trivialists.
Is this just the beginning of liberal outrage over the slightest transgression by a conservative? If it is, let me know so I can spend my time more productively be reading something else.
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I'm not a fan of Romney, but...
This was clearly a joke and not a condemnation of the Salvation Army. Be careful, because if you use up too much outrage on stupid stuff like this it undermines your position when you have something legitimate to complain about.
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Such a pity
Having a sense of humor is wasted among liberals.
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War Room
Is turning pretty bitchy isn't it?
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Lighten up
Those bells ARE annoying. I'd donate every time if it would only stop them from ringing the damn things.
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Actual Info On Salvation Army
The Salvation Army really does help people in need. It always has. The S.A. focusses so much on that mission that many present-day "political Christian" leaders distrust the S.A., because their mission of actually helping seems kind of "liberal."
And the S.A. always has stayed away from politics and war.
The Salvation Army is not perfect, but you need not question their sincere commitment to people in need. They truly follow the real Jesus in this regard. They put "political Christians" to shame.
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The Salvation Army bell ringers are annoying
As is the bum with the urine soaked pants with his hand out outside a store I'm leaving. As is the aggressive guy who wants to wipe my windshield at the gas station. As is the woman on the street who uses her kids as a prop and begs me for change. I go to a store to shop, not to donate to a denominational charity. See how fun it will be for people when a Muslim group sets up it's bell ringing begging center right outside the stores and how quickly people will have a problem with it. The more money you put in faith based initiative coffers, the less responsibility our government takes for these people. Notice all the insane people walking around your streets? They have no where to go. State institutions that once helped them have been taken down. Put a dime in a Salvation Army kettle and you are saying that we as individuals need to chip in individually to help the poor. Refuse to do so, and you are saying the poor are not just the responsibility of the church, the salvation army, the local non-profit... They are the responsibility of all of us, and by proxy the responsibility of our government.
I don't find anything wrong with a faith based effort to help the poor. I've participated myself. I do find something wrong with a government that wishes to "privatize" its responsibilities to the poor by laying it off on faith based organizations.