Memo about Target and Veterans.

[cool45auto]

If this has been posted before I'm sorry. A friend brought this to work for us to see and I thought it was interesting.

"Subject: FW: Target

by Dick Forrey of the Vietnam Veterans Association


Recently we asked the local TARGET store to be a proud sponsor of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall during our spring recognition event.

We received the following reply from the local TARGET management: "Veterans do not meet our area of giving. We only donate to the arts, social action groups, gay & lesbian causes, and education."

So I'm thinking, if the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall and veterans in general do not meet their donation criteria, then something is really wrong at this TARGET store. We were not asking for thousands of dollars, not even hundreds, just a small sponsorship for a memorial remembrance.

As a follow-up, I e-mailed the TARGET U.S. corporate headquarters and their response was the same. That's their national policy.

Then I looked into the company further. They will not allow the Marines to collect for 'Toys for Tots' at any of their stores. And during the recent Iraq deployment, they would not allow families of employees who were called up for active duty to continue their insurance coverage while they were on military service. Then as I dig further, TARGET is a French-owned corporation.

Now, I'm thinking again. If TARGET can not support American Veterans, then why should I and my family support their stores by spending our hard earned American dollars and to have their profits sent to France. Without the American Vets, where would France be today?

Feel free to pass this along to whomever you want.

Sincerely,

Dick Forrey
Veterans helping Veterans"

So what do you guys think? This is the first I've heard of it.

 

[Azrael256]

Ok, for the last time, this is not true. http://www.snopes.com/politics/military/target.asp

 

[WvaBill]

It is wrong.

prior thread

 

[Pilgrim]

Target and Vietnam Veterans
December 2003

This rumor originally started in 2002 and I hoped it would go away but lately, it has come back with additional comments. A well balanced account of this rumor is available on Snopes, including a retraction by the author of the original writer. You can also read a response by the Vietnam Veterans of America and a reply from Target about this rumor.

Does Target donate to veterans organizations? Sure it does. Just because an organization does not donate to your pet project is no reason to call for a boycott. Do you donate to every good cause that comes your way? I would bet not; I know I don't. Instead of donating a trivial amount to a lot of different causes, I make more substantial donations to a few that I am interested in. Big organizations like Target do the same and by making that choice, they are not saying that the other causes are not deserving, just that they cannot take care of everybody.

When this rumor started in 2002, it was the following, relatively short comment on one man's experience with Target.

TARGET STORES DO NOT SUPPORT VETERANS!!!
Subject: Vietnam vets not worthy?

Vietnam Veterans Not Worthy Of Target's Help?
By Dick Forrey, Vietnam Veterans Association.

We asked our local Target store to be a sponsor of the Vietnam Veterans'
Memorial Wall during our spring recognition event. We received back a r
eply from Target management that "veterans do not meet our area of giving.
We only donate to the areas of arts, social actions and education."

My thought: If the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall and the Vietnam veteran
himself, does not meet the criteria of these areas, something is wrong at
Target. We were not asking for thousands of dollars, not even hundreds,
but simply sponsorship endorsement for a "memorial remembrance".

As follow-up, I e-mailed the Corporate Headquarters and their response
was the same. Personally, I will NOT be buying anything at Target Stores
again. If the Vietnam Veteran does not meet their area of giving then why
should I as a Vietnam veteran, spend my hard earned money in their stores?

Please pass this on to as many people as you know. Maybe Target and other
businesses will get the message.

Lately, someone has added to the letter, probably with the intent to incite people's prejudices and keep the rumor alive. Now Target is
French owned - no
supports gay and lesbian causes - no
does not support Toys for Tots - wrong
does not support employees called up for military service. - no way
None of this is true.
I never much cared for Target and now I know why.
Dick Forrey of the Vietnam Veterans Association

Recently we asked the local TARGET store to be a proud sponsor of the
Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall during our spring recognition event.
We received the following reply from the local TARGET management: "Veterans
do not meet our area of giving. We only donate to the arts, social action
groups, gay &lesbian causes, and education."

So I'm thinking, if the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall and veterans in
general do not meet their donation criteria, then something is really wrong
at this TARGET store. We were not asking for thousands of dollars, not even
hundreds, just a small sponsorship for a memorial remembrance.

As a follow-up, I e-mailed the TARGET U.S. corporate headquarters and their
response was the same. That's their national policy.

Then I looked into the company further. They will not allow the Marines to
collect for 'Toys for Tots' at any of their stores. And during the recent
Iraq deployment, they would not allow families of employees who were called
up for active duty to continue their insurance coverage while they were on
military service. Then as I dig further, TARGET is a French-owned corporation.

Now, I'm thinking again. If TARGET can not support American Veterans, then
why should I and my family support their stores by spending our hard earned
American dollars and to have their profits sent to France. Without the American
Vets, where would France be today?

Feel free to pass this along to whomever you want.

Sincerely,

Dick Forrey, Veterans Helping Veterans


Link You have to scroll down.

 

[cool45auto]

Okay, thanks guys and also - sorry! Like I said, it was the first I'd heard of it. I'm glad its not true, in fact, because the local Target is about the only place I go.

I did do a search but when I put in "Target" of course it brought back a billion answers! Shoulda known better on THR!