What happened to the Salvation Army bell ringers?

[corarose]

I noticed Something very odd today when I went to mail a package. I didn't see one single bell ringer for the Salvation Army on State Street in front of any of the dept. stores.

Every Christmas they are out in front of the stores ringing bells and collecting for the needy. Where are they?

[impeach the gop]

1. Homophobia

n/t

[Limbought]

2. They kept getting mugged by

roving gangs of "drag queens."

[ClintonTyree]

3. They must all be in Central Florida.............

you can't swing a dead cat and not hit one around here. Every specialty store, Mall, grocery store and even $1 stores has a bell ringer posted around here. It must be a weather thing.

[militarymanusaf]

5. ROTFLMAO!

That just made my day! Here's to you :toast:
*It's 9:00 PM here in Korea so drinking right now is legit*

[corarose]

4. Do you want to piss one off?

When I use to to stand up comedy I did a skit about making change out of their bucket. Also in my routine I would go into making change out of the collection basket at Mass without giving them money.

Got that was a funny routine and I wrote it myself even Bill Hicks laughed at it.

I would though in a joke about asking the Priest for another communion wafer because I was hungry and asking him about the calorie content and fat grams that are in a communion wafer.

[elperromagico]

6. They're here.

There was one outside the mall today.

[KG]

7. what's worse than 1 idiot inceasently ringing that dam bell?

2 of them, like there was in front of my local publix. argh!

[trof]

8. They've been activated & they're in Iraq.

We're scraping the bottom of the barrel now.

[corarose]

11. Could possibly be

It's very odd not seeing bell ringers on State Street during the holidays.

[MattNC]

9. i saw them

yesterday and gave 'em a few dollars. they've been having trouble getting volunteers though which is why you might not have seen them.

[trotsky]

10. They're here in Minnesota.

I used to drop change in there all the time. And then I read about their blatant discrimination, and they will never see another penny from me again.

I wish I could lay into the bell ringers about that, telling them why I just walk past, but I know it's not their decision to make and why verbally assault someone when they can't remedy the situation?

What does everyone else do?

[Breezy du Nord]

12. I used to do it when I was in 4-H

A few days ago, the old club called and asked if i would do it again. So I said yes and brought my friend Richie.

These people come by and, honest-to-god, they said "I wouldn't give any money to a chink," or something like that.

Man, did that rile me up. I posted about on here and then everyone came after me for bell-ringing in the first place, becuase apparently the Salvation Army is "homophobic," something I didn't know. So i doubt I'll do it again. Honestly, I didn't know anything about them. How are they homophobic? I mean, what have they done. It's not that I don't believe you, I just didn't know. :shrug:

[hlthe2b]

17. I'm angry at Salvation Army for many of their stances...

But, like you Breezygirl, I still believe in what their original objective was and still beieve they do far more good than most other charities combined. I WILL continue to donate to their bell-ringers and salute you for having been one of them. At the same time, I will continue to pressure them on their attitudes/policies towards homosexuals, as I did a year ago with some letter writing campaigns.

BTW, I must not be up on my slurs, as I don't even know what a "chink" is supposed to be.

:toast: to your efforts!

[YellowRubberDuckie]

13. They make me wanna do all my fucking shopping online...

That damned bell bugs the crap out of me.
Duckie

[Piperay]

14. Here in CA

the Salvation Army is having a difficult time because of the supermarket strike. They are usually outside of the markets but because of the strike there is no point in them standing outside the Von's and Albertsons since hardly anyone is shopping in them.

[amazona]

15. maybe they're all down here in Louisiana

I can't go out without tripping over one -- or more.

[scarlet_owl]

16. They are everywhere here.

I never carry cash, so I never have anything to give to them. I like to give alms anyonymously anyway.

[hlthe2b]

18. Someone threw a Gold Krugerand into one of their pots

in one of the CO front range communties-- an annual tradition by one anonymous family, dating back several decades.

Seems that throwing money in their pot is pretty anonymous way to give alms....?

[sleipnir]

19. Joe Trippi bought them all up for Howard Dean's new fundraising campaign!

HA! ;)