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Homosexual advocates countered in Salvation Army donation protest

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WASHINGTON (BP)–The American Family Association (AFA) of Michigan said it will redeem, in cash, phony $5 bills a pro-homosexuality group plans to distribute to the Salvation Army over the holiday season, CNSNews.com reported Nov. 27.

Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians & Gays (PFLAG) of Genesee County has vowed to distribute “phony $5 bills” in a campaign against the Salvation Army. The fake bills will be dropped in charity kettles across the state of Michigan, said Mary Scholl, the organization’s president.

“It is to let the Salvation Army know that their policies [against homosexuality] are unacceptable, and that we will donate to other organizations instead,” Scholl said. “We want to let them know that their policies are hurtful to our loved ones.”

The Salvation Army recently rescinded a decision that would have allowed domestic partner benefits for its Western Territory employees. As a result, Army employees are prohibited from including domestic partners, some of whom are homosexual, on their healthcare insurance plans.

Scholl and her husband, Bob, are the parents of a homosexual man and have decided to fight against organizations that believe homosexuality is wrong.

“I do not believe that the love and sexual expression my son and his partner have for each other or any of my friends is any less natural and beautiful than my relationship with my husband,” Scholl said.

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The AFA-Michigan plans to take steps to counter the fake bills. Gary Glenn, president of the organization, said he would donate a real $5 bill for every phony bill that PFLAG places in the Salvation Army kettles, up to $1,000.

“We hope homosexual activists and their allies will go to the expense and effort of printing and dropping at least 200 phony fives in the kettle this Christmas, as AFA-Michigan is anxious to show at least $1,000 of support for the Salvation Army’s work at this special time of year,” Glenn said.

AFA-Michigan is also recruiting other groups in Flint and around Michigan to redeem fake bills.

Glenn said that “since it’s unlikely those who drop fake donations into Salvation Army kettles were ever actual donors in the past, the local chapter of the over century-old Christian charity will enjoy a net increase in the state.

“What homosexuality advocates intend for harm, with God’s grace at this Christmas season, we will turn to good,” Glenn said.

Scholl said her organization is not worried about any legal problems that might ensue as a result of distributing the fake money. She said the bills they plan to drop in the kettles do not resemble United States currency.

Their bills more closely resemble a slip of paper with the message: “I would have donated five dollars but the Salvation Army decision to discriminate against gays & lesbian employees prevents my donation now and in the future.”

However, one pro-homosexuality group based in Cleveland, Ohio, has printed fake bills that resemble a United States $1 bill. “It is called ‘queer as a three dollar bill.’ They have taken the dollar bill and changed it to a three,” Scholl said. A picture of the bill is currently on her website, but she said she is considering removing it because of its resemblance to real currency.

Glenn said of PFLAG’s campaign, “Nothing could be more cold-hearted and callous, especially at Christmas, than trying to advance a political cause by attacking charitable efforts to help the poorest and neediest citizens of Flint.”

He said it is understandable for parents to be emotionally compelled to “rationalize and defend” their children’s “self-destructive behavior,” but PFLAG’s efforts to legitimize homosexual behavior are harmful.

“Fully informed parents who truly care about their children’s well-being do not enable and validate morally suspect behavior that dramatically increases their children’s risk of domestic violence, mental illness, life-threatening diseases and premature death,” Glenn said.
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Pyeatt is a staff writer with www.CNSNews.com. Used by permission.