Wednesday, January 28, 2004

Target is not a good neighbor

I received an e-mail from a lady [who] lives in Georgia and had an interesting observation about our new neighbors-to-be, Target Stores.

She approached a Target store to be a proud sponsor for a upcoming visit of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall, to her city. The following is the response from Target (US):

“Veterans do not meet our area of giving. We only donate to the arts, social action groups, education, and gay and lesbian causes.”

This lady e-mailed Target (US) corporate headquarters and received the same response citing that the above quote is their national policy.

Further, Target Stores will not allow Marines to collect for the Toys for Tots campaign, at any of their stores.

In addition, Target is being asked to explain why during the Iraq deployment, families of people called up to serve in Iraq were not allowed to keep insurance benefits during their spouses’ service.

I have been on one of the committees for a responsible development of the Kedron properties. This committee has tried to bend over backwards to work with this company, its Lawyers, and the Peachtree City government.

After these revelations I think it is time to take a stand. I do not want Target as my neighbor, I do not want their store in Peachtree City. I don’t think we need their taxes and the jobs associated with their store. We have a Wal-Mart and a Kmart in our city and we should support them.

[I’m] a veteran and Vietnam veteran, [and] 58,000 young men and women died protecting the rights of Target to think, say, and create policies that they like. The same people died for my right to say that I don’t like what I hear about this company and they are not in keeping with the tradition of supporting America and American troops for service to the country.

Finally I find it interesting that the Marines who collect Toys for Tots [for] kids in need for Christmas always ask that you contribute a new toy. I bet you Target Stores does not mind you spending your money in their store, to buy the toy. They certainly don’t mind the Marines asking for new toys, or do they?

Target is not a good neighbor, they are a French-owned, non-American-supporting, corporate bully. I wonder why the Peachtree City government is so much on their side?

J.R. Young

Peachtree City, Ga.