http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/42267135/ns/business-consumer_news/

Target sues San Diego gay rights group
Retailer alleges canvassing by activists is driving away customers

By JULIE WATSON
The Associated Press
updated 3/25/2011 9:33:24 AM ET 2011-03-25T13:33:24


SAN DIEGO — Target Corp. is suing a San Diego pro-gay marriage group to get it to stop canvassing outside its San Diego County stores, alleging its activists are driving away customers.

Rights advocates say the trial between Target and Canvass For A Cause that begins Friday could further strain relations with the gay and lesbian community after controversy over its $150,000 donation to a business group backing a Minnesota Republican candidate opposed to gay marriage.

Minnesota-based Target insists it remains committed to the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community and its lawsuit has nothing to do with the political agenda of the organization.

"Our legal action was in no way related to the cause of the organization and was done so to be consistent with our long-standing policy of providing a distraction-free shopping experience by not permitting solicitors at our stores," the company said in a statement sent to The Associated Press.

Target says it has taken similar action against a number of organizations representing a variety of causes. It alleges in the lawsuit that the San Diego group's activists harass customers by cornering them near its stores' front entrances and debating with them about their views on gay marriage.

The group says it canvasses at shopping malls, college campus and stores like Target to collect signatures and donations in support of gay marriage.

The corporation says at least eight Target stores in the area have reported receiving more than a dozen complaints daily since canvassers started working outside their stores in October 2010. Target says the activists have refused to leave when asked politely and shown the company's policy prohibiting "expressive activity" on its property.

Canvass For A Cause director Tres Watson says Target wants to silence the 12,000-member group that formed in 2009 because it promotes gay marriage.

"It's very David vs. Goliath," he said. "We understand they're the Goliath in the room. They've got all money in world to get us to stop talking about gay marriage."

Watson says volunteers are trained daily on being professional and polite and their aim is to educate the public about the rights of gays and lesbians.

He says they have a right to work outside the stores and the courts have ruled in the past that shopping centers are today's public squares where freedom of speech should be allowed.

"We train our staff and volunteers very carefully in techniques in winning people over," he said. "When you're trying to persuade voters and reach out to the community with a message, there is no advantage to being aggressive."

Target was seen as an ally of the gay and lesbian community before it gave money to MN Forward, which supported Tom Emmer, who lost the governor's race to Democrat Mark Dayton.
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Target later said it was sorry for the hurt feelings and tried to repair its public relations damage from the controversial donation. Target created a committee to help it better scrutinize decisions regarding financial donations.

The company also negotiated a deal with Lady Gaga to sell a special edition of her upcoming album in a partnership Gaga said was tied to their "reform," supporting the gay community and making up for past "mistakes." But the singer backed out a few weeks ago.

Fuck Target. Walmart is the place to shop!

Ahem, what was that, GaGa?

As someone who is already boycotting Target it pains me to say this because I completely agree with the groups stance. But doing it outside the front entrances & not leaving when asked to do so sounds like trespassing to me. Just putting it in perspective, I know if it were a religious group doing the same thing I would have a fit. Rightly so. We're entitled to a somewhat harassment free shopping experience. I believe in the cause but think it could be accomplished in a better way.

I feel like I need a shower now...

I side with Shale and CeCe on this. Please don't confront me and get in my face about any cause. You're not going to make me a convert that way especially if I don't need converting.

I hate it when I have to wade through a crowd of people trying to get me to donate/buy/sign whatever just to go in and buy a gallon of milk.

If religious nuts were doing this, Target probably wouldn't even have to sue to get them to stop harassing customers. I don't care what your cause is; don't bug me when I'm going into a store. I'll stop by your booth if I'm interested. (And that applies to you girl scouts with your fattening snacks and your guilt booboo faces too. ) Reading this article is kind of funny. lol

This is not good for Target's image, although, yes, I hate those people who harass me with pamphlets and junk.

Rockbird wrote:

This is not good for Target's image, although, yes, I hate those people who harass me with pamphlets and junk.

I don't see why not. If you let activist groups harass your customers, I would say THAT is what is not good for your image.

I think it's pretty much a lose-lose.

Rockbird wrote:

I think it's pretty much a lose-lose.

Well if America's gotten to the point where you gotta let activist groups harass your customers to avoid bad publicity then I think that's pretty sad.

But I don't think it's lose-lose at all. I think Target only would lose if it rolled over and let it's customers be harassed. I don't think most people will care about NOT being harassed when they go into Target. But people WOULD get irritated if people stop them to basically start political debates.

It's only lose-lose if Target lets it be.

Target has been in the news too much over this past year with their anti-gay political support. Them suing a pro-gay marriage group looks bad even if the group is wrong to promote & solicit at their business. This is a lose-lose for Target. Just makes them look like all around gay haters.

RobbieFTW wrote:

Target has been in the news too much over this past year with their anti-gay political support. Them suing a pro-gay marriage group looks bad even if the group is wrong to promote & solicit at their business. This is a lose-lose for Target. Just makes them look like all around gay haters.

Their "antigay" political support seems to amount to a single candidate opposed to gay marriage, and it seems like they supported him for other reasons. And I also don't see Target as being "in the news" since I've only heard very few reports about it. I don't think America really cares. I'd say Target isn't the one fighting a lose-lose battle here. If anything, what I've read seems to suggest that the opposite is true.
This isn't really a gay issue anymore at all.

CeCe wrote:

As someone who is already boycotting Target it pains me to say this because I completely agree with the groups stance. But doing it outside the front entrances & not leaving when asked to do so sounds like trespassing to me. Just putting it in perspective, I know if it were a religious group doing the same thing I would have a fit. Rightly so. We're entitled to a somewhat harassment free shopping experience. I believe in the cause but think it could be accomplished in a better way.

I feel like I need a shower now...

I feel the same way too. I'm a supporter of gay rights but I think approaching people near a store is too much.

http://www.cnn.com/2011/US/04/08/california.target.ruling/

Judge rules gay rights group can picket Target
By Leslie Tripp, CNN
April 8, 2011 4:33 p.m. EDT


(CNN) -- A pro-gay marriage group can continue to picket Target stores in California but must do so 30 feet away from a store entrance, a judge has ruled.

The retail giant had filed an injunction trying to keep Canvass for a Cause from picketing at its stores statewide. A California Superior Court judge in San Diego County denied that injunction but placed specific rules on what the group can do, according to court documents filed Thursday.

The group can only canvas one store entrance at any given time so customers' access to the store isn't impeded, the judge ruled. Also, group members are not allowed to "harass, follow, stalk, or block movements of Target's employees, management or customers."

"Target was denied a restraining order against Canvass for a Cause, citing there was no evidence volunteers were threatening or harassing! This is a win," the San Diego group said on its website.

The group began picketing Target after the corporation donated $150,000 to MN Forward, a organization that supported the failed gubernatorial campaign of Republican Tom Emmer, who opposes same-sex marriage.

Target has since apologized for the donation.

Gregg Steinhafel, the company's chairman, CEO and president, sent a letter to Target managers and employees in August.

"We remain fully committed to fostering an environment that supports and respects the rights and beliefs of all individuals," Steinhafel wrote.

They can picket Target from 30 feet away? lol That sounds like a picture for the papers. Picketing a store from 30 feet away because they gave some money to a political candidate (who lost) who you didn't like. lol I'm trying to picture this. It's funny.

Target has always had a no-soliciting policy. They don't allow Scout troops to sell outside their doors nor do they allow the Salvation Army to park there and ring their bells during the holidays.

I understand the right to assemble peaceably, but no, they shouldn't bother the customers. That's not peaceable, IMO. 30 feet away sounds like a good compromise.

I'm with most of you on this. I've avoided entrances when I see people out picketing or stoping customers for whatever reason. Not leaving when oyu're asked to is asking for trouble. I don't mind a quiet table set up on the side, waiting until people approach them, but it really annoys me when I'm trying to enter a shop and have people coming at me, trying to get my to sign this or that or buy whatever product, esp. when it happens when I go in and when I leave. If the store is reaceiving hat many complaints a day, then something really isn't right and this group needs to be held accountable.