Mark Dayton’s campaign ads tend to feature timeworn photos of his family’s department store downtown. For those old enough to remember, the pictures conjure memories of whimsical Christmas displays, fat old Santas and the smell of caramel corn wafting from the candy store.<\/p>\n
Down the street, Target, the discount chain that Dayton’s launched, has carved a similarly feel-good atmosphere that makes us crave that lime green wastebasket or retro toaster, even if we don’t really need it.<\/p>\n
Now that Target has jumped into the corporate political sweepstakes by donating $150,000 to an organization that supports Rep. Tom Emmer for governor, you have to wonder whether every American outing will eventually be tainted and influenced by the nasty politics that divide us.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
You mean, like every child’s “outing” to school, every single day, is “tainted” now that the teachers’ union has donated at least twice as much<\/a> <\/em>to the anti-Emmer “Alliance for a Better Minnesota?”<\/p>\n
By Tuesday, Target was on the defensive because of the immediate response of gays and lesbians, many of whom are no doubt valued “guests” of the Tar-zhay experience.<\/p>\n
“We rarely endorse all advocated positions of the organizations or candidates we support, and we do not have a political or social agenda,” Target CEO Gregg Steinhafel said.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
Target offers domestic partner benefits and was a sponsor of the recent pride parade. But some gay groups are now criticizing Target because Emmer is against gay marriage.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
And right there is your proof positive that Tevlin is getting his writing marching orders directly from the DFL. \u00a0Because while Emmer is no more a gay marriage supporter<\/a> than most Minnesotans, he’s also correctly noted (in this Northern Alliance podcast from the State Fair<\/a>) that the next governor of Minnesota has much, much bigger problems to deal with, and that it’s never really going to be an issue for that governor.<\/p>\n
This is proof, by the way, that there is no way to appease the liberal special interest monster; as Tevlin notes, Target gives benefits to domestic partners, has aggressively led the way on “diversity in the workplace”, sponsors Minneapolis’ annual Pride rally<\/em>, and among its 160-plus milllion in annual charitable giving are not a few bucks to gay-friendly non-profits.<\/p>\n
But offend the gay political orthodoxy by supporting a candidate who supports business policies more palabable to Target’s board’s fiduciary duty<\/em>, and you might as well be Andrew Dice Clay.<\/p>\n
Like here:<\/p>\n
OutFront asks that Target rescind the donation or give to one supporting candidates who fight for gay rights.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
I have a better idea, Target; keep doing what you’re doing, and tell OutFront to go to WalMart.<\/p>\n
\n<\/div>\nI, on the other hand, like to think of our political system as a delicate product. So remember, Target, if you break it, you own it.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
Does that mean Alida Messinger and the Minnesota Federation of Teachers are shoplifting<\/a>?<\/p>\n
Oh, by the way?<\/p>\n
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