Target Corporation has come under fire this week for a $150,000 donation to a Minnesota PAC that supports Republican gubernatorial candidate Tom Emmer—who has in turn expressed support for a ministry/rock band that says Muslim countries that kill gay people are moral. Michael Jones at Change.org has the details, and a petition you can sign; I’ve added a few thoughts of my own over there on what this means for a company that scored a perfect 100 on the HRC Corporate Equality Index last year.
Michael has also pointed out a touching video of mother and grandmother Randi Reitan, who is making a statement by shopping at Target one last time and then returning the merchandise. Her son is gay, and she says, “A number of the items were for my grandchildren, and they love their Uncle Jake so much, and Jake is gay. They wouldn’t want to have things come from a store that contributes to a campaign that would have a governor candidate with the anti-gay views that Tom Emmer has.”
A Target spokeswoman told Minnesota Public Radio that the company gives funds not based on party, but rather on matters that “directly effect [sic] the company’s retail agenda.” With more mothers like Reitan, they might have to reevaluate exactly what political donations to make in that regard.
Watch after the jump:
Photo credit: Cote