No good deed goes unpunished

Target received the ire of several gay rights activists last week after it made a $150,000 donation to MN Forward, a non-partisan organization that claims to support candidates it believes will stimulate job and economic growth in Minnesota.

The controversy surrounding Target’s support of MN Forward is based on the group’s endorsement republican gubernatorial candidate Tom Emmer, who is against gay marriage and defined marriage on his website as a “union between one man and one woman.” Emmer has also drawn criticism for his support of the Christian rock band You Can Run But You Cannot Hide, which is known to have expressed anti-gay sentiments.

MN Forward, according to reports, said it selected Emmer to support because his position on job growth and Minnesota’s economy were in line with its mission.

Though Target may have donated to MN Forward because of its economic position, that didn’t stop GLBT rights groups and their supporters from expressing their displeasure with the company through such actions as boycotting. In response, Target CEO, Gregg Steinhafel issued a statement on the company’s investor relations website, saying that its support of MN Forward did not change its support of GLBT rights.

“As you know, Target has a history of supporting organizations and candidates, on both sides of the aisle, who seek to advance policies aligned with our business objectives, such as job creation and economic growth.  MN Forward is focused specifically on those issues and is committed to supporting candidates from any party who will work to improve the state's job climate,” said Steinhafel. “However, it is also important to note that we rarely endorse all advocated positions of the organizations or candidates we support, and we do not have a political or social agenda.”

Steinhafel added that Target was still unwavering in its support of the GLBT community and noted that it had earned a rating o 100% on the 2009 and 2010 Human Rights Campaign Corporate Equality Index.