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Salvation Army Issues Sorry, Not Sorry Statement, Withdraws Racist Guide “For Appropriate Review”

Salvation Army Issues Sorry, Not Sorry Statement, Withdraws Racist Guide “For Appropriate Review”

This statement from the Salvation Army may have been intended to calm donors, but frankly, it is cause for even more alarm. 

The Salvation Army has come under fire for its vile, un-American, and racist “antiracist” materials.  In response, the organization issued a confusing mix of a defiant non-apology coupled with acknowledgment that the criticism is warranted in that the most offensive material has been “withdrawn for appropriate review.”

The Salvation Army writes (archive link):

But although we remain committed to serving everyone in need—regardless of their beliefs, backgrounds, or lifestyle—some individuals and groups have recently attempted to mislabel our organization to serve their own agendas. They have claimed that we believe our donors should apologize for their skin color, that The Salvation Army believes America is an inherently racist society, and that we have abandoned our Christian faith for one ideology or another.

Those claims are simply false, and they distort the very goal of our work.

The truth is that The Salvation Army believes that racism is fundamentally incompatible with Christianity, and that we are called by God to work toward a world where all people are loved, accepted, and valued. Our positional statement on racism makes this clear. These beliefs and goals are critically important because we know that racism exists, and we are determined to do everything the Bible asks of us to overcome it.

The Salvation Army occasionally publishes internal study guides on various complex topics to help foster positive conversations and grace-filled reflection among Salvationists. By openly discussing these issues, we always hope to encourage the development of a more thoughtful organization that is better positioned to support those in need. But no one is being told how to think. Period.

In this case, the guide “Let’s Talk About Racism,” was issued as a voluntary resource, but it has since become a focus of controversy. We have done our best to provide accurate information, but unfortunately, some have chosen to ignore those efforts. At the same time, International Headquarters realized that certain aspects of the guide may need to be clarified.

Consequently, for both reasons, the International Social Justice Commission has now withdrawn the guide for appropriate review.

I’m not going to get into a religious debate about the Bible or God’s will here because that is not the point of the criticism directed at the Salvation Army. The point of Critical Race training, as with all Marxist ideologies, after all, is the replacement of God with government, but I don’t think the Salvation Army understands that what they are imbibing—and yes, telling their Salvationists to think—is rooted in racist cum Marxist ideology.

As I previously noted, the “ Salvation Army .pdf entitled ‘Let’s Talk About . . . Racism’ (archive link) is a 67-page screed railing against America; it’s a document that is riddled with vile anti-American lies, insulting racist stereotypes, and woke Marxist drivel.”  So it’s a good thing that the document has been withdrawn for . . . checks notes . . . ‘clarification.’

It doesn’t take one long, however, on the Salvation Army’s website to discover that the organization is steeped in the divisive, racist “antiracist” ideology.

And I do mean steeped.  At one point on its webpage—not in the problematic “internal” document—the organization, in the grand tradition of Chairman Mao, emerges from its struggle session to announce that it has been racist, is probably still racist, and contributes to systemic racism.  But gee, they will do better.  Okay, they don’t put it quite like that, but that’s the gist of it (archive link).

The section is, befitting of its struggle session origin, entitled, “Our Confession Acknowledgment.”

While many Salvationists have acted firmly and courageously against racism, The Salvation Army acknowledges with regret, that Salvationists have sometimes shared in the sins of racism and conformed to economic, organizational and social pressures that perpetuate racism. The Salvation Army is committed to fight against racism wherever it is experienced and will speak into societies around the world wherever we encounter it.

This statement, by the way, is taken in full from the document the Salvation Army’s sorry, not sorry bizarro statement claims redeems them from critics, their “positional statement on racism” (archive link).

It’s not redeeming at all; in fact, its very existence is an insult to thinking Americans. Who doesn’t oppose (actual) racism? What “positional statement on racism” is going to say anything other than that the organization opposes racism?

The bigger question is why the Salvation Army feels the need to issue such a statement in the first place. Why it needs to be four pages of text. Why it needs to include the above “acknowledgement” of their self-proclaimed rampant racism and their deep sorrow it ever happened and their promise to do better. Why they are so proud of their acknowledgment and promise to be more “antiracist” that they plastered it on their website for all the world to see.

In what world is this not bizarre as . . . erm, all get out?

In the world in which proponents of this toxic, divisive, anti-and un-American CRT brew live. To them, it’s perfectly normal to claim America is irredeemably racist, that every white person (including those still in the womb) has contributed to that “systemic racism,” and that we need to publicly self-flagellate over it as we internalize our self-hatred over an immutable genetic characteristic. Yeah, no.

Additionally, the Salvation Army’s website—again not the offensive document that drew justifiably harsh criticism—states that its “Commitment” is:

. . . to combatting [sic] racism and its impacts at an organizational, individual, and societal level. This includes providing robust systems to report and discuss racism, continuing to make efforts to ensure ethnic diversity in leadership roles, and ultimately becoming a more welcoming, diverse organization that stands as a model for inclusion and non-discrimination.

Presumably the offensive and deeply problematic “Let’s Talk About Racism” guide was part of this “robust” system to “discuss racism.”  Who knows how “racism” is forced/encouraged to be “reported” in the organization, but based on what we know about the divisive, paranoia- and hate-inducing effects of this evil training, my guess is egg-shell walking, Keiths and Karens pettily reporting “offensive” racist blah blah to earn back-pats, self-and other-hate are sky high in the Salvation Army culture.  What corporate culture can withstand this level of hate yourself, but hate and distrust (and report) your colleagues even more, insanity?

But I digress.  Other helpful tips are provided in the document to which the Salvation Army points in its sorry, not sorry drivel as the final word on the topic of how they view and treat racism.

So let’s take a look at more of that Salvation Army public document, its “Positional Statement On Racism,” (linked above); the following is from the “Practical Responses” section:

Ah, yes, “sorrow and repentance” are needed . .. if you buy into the absolute crazy that simply being born white is a sin for which to be sorrowful and repent.  Who knows what guarding against the “infiltration of racism” looks like?  Or even means.

Here’s the bottom half of that page so you can marvel at the call from a charitable organization for political action on behalf of “racial justice”:

This statement from the Salvation Army may have been intended to calm donors, but frankly, it is cause for even more alarm.

Seriously, this organization seems deeply immersed in the racist crazy of “antiracists” like Ibram Kendi, whose black supremacist manifesto is recommended reading by the Salvation Army’s racist guide and who infamously stated that being “antiracist” means accepting that “The only remedy to racist discrimination is antiracist discrimination. The only remedy to past discrimination is present discrimination. The only remedy to present discrimination is future discrimination.”

If there were any actual investigative journalists still working in the U.S., it might be interesting to see if the Salvation Army has delved this far into CRT and is providing its resources based on race and “the need for present discrimination to overcome past discrimination” . . . at the expense of present-day needy white people.  That’s a report I would be interested in reading/viewing.

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Comments

I am not donating to them again regardless, and the only thing I am putting in their bucket is a note saying “Sorry I’m not bipoc”.

They had a donor before now they have someone who donates to other charities.

The thing about charity is you are aware your donation helps the people in charge of the institution as well as the needy they are helping. I see no reason to help people who think I am sub-human. Nobody was trying to make them do this which means their race race uber alles beliefs are sincere.

There are a lot of better charities.

    mckyj57 in reply to Danny. | November 30, 2021 at 8:00 am

    There are not many better charities when it comes to how much of your dollar reaches the person in need. I am partners in a charitable company which donates all its profits to charity (modeled on Newman’s Own) and Salvation Army was our top recipient because they have about the lowest overhead.

    But I am done donating until such time as they clean house. That 67-page document is rife with with constructions of CRT like “intersectionality”, “white privilege”, “racial equity”, “systemic racism” etc. It advances the concept that if you aren’t speaking out you are racist, which is vile. It suggests you have to make this crap your focus *every day* if you want to be a good member.

    Just having an International Social Justice Commission is a sign you are of the left.

      Feisty Granny in reply to mckyj57. | November 30, 2021 at 7:24 pm

      Every year, even years I couldn’t afford it – I’d donate to the Salvation Army. This year I’ll bypass them. Nothing will they get from me. Not one thin dime!! BTW – I refuse to apologize because I’m white!!

        Good for you Feisty Granny! Never ever succumb to this crazy and divisive leftist racist “antiracist” lunacy. Being born white is not a sin, it’s not bad, it’s not evil; it’s beyond our control, and we will not take a knee to the crazies who insist we are sinful or culpable for [whatever] for being white. The Salvation Army has taken that knee, and it is tragic. But I will not support any organization that is steeped in CRT.

    jmccandles in reply to Danny. | November 30, 2021 at 8:30 am

    No more donations in the red kettle, go Marxist Woke Go Broke.

    Temujin in reply to Danny. | November 30, 2021 at 1:21 pm

    The Salvation Army had become my go to place for donations, because the MARXIST DEMONCRAT PARTY seemed to have infiltrated every other “nonprofit”, which they then perverted to their propaganda use and to add to the revolving door support organizations of lower level MARXIST political trainees. Back to the drawing board.

When you depend on donations even all stripes you might want to keep your big mouth shut.

The SA response makes no sense because woke makes no sense. Changing lead into gold is tough to do.

“Everything woke turns to shit.” Donald Trump

The Friendly Grizzly | November 29, 2021 at 9:51 am

“Withdrawn for review.” Translation: “we really stepped on our own…”

Too stupid to predict a backlash.
Backlash comes. Lose supporters.
Too stupid to figure out what to do.
More backlash. Lose still more supporters.

Lucifer Morningstar | November 29, 2021 at 9:53 am

Sorry, too little too late. I’m more than sure they’ll still be pushing that racist CRT crap on their religious membership. (Don’t forget, The SA is not just a charity but an actual religion) The Salvation Army leadership will just be more careful to make sure it doesn’t go as public as it did with this booklet.

In any case, haven’t donated to the Salvation Army in years for other reasons and won’t start now.

Two months ago I gave my local chapter a small donation, and had planned to start doing it regularly. For some reason, the Red Cross gets more attention, although the Salvation Army goes to disasters, too.

But when I see this, I’m so discouraged. I want to give, I appreciate the work they do when fires, floods, etc., strike, but I surely don’t want to support this corrosive outlook.

Seeing every institution eaten up by anti-Americanism disheartens me.

    Given what’s happening in medical schools, it’s only a short matter of time before the Red Cross gets infected with woeness, if it isn’t already.

      Morning Sunshine in reply to randian. | November 29, 2021 at 11:09 am

      I quit donating to them after 9/11. I was disgusted by the attitudes of the recipients,

      MajorWood in reply to randian. | November 29, 2021 at 11:45 am

      I am a lifetime double-digit gallon Oneg donor and due to some recent cardiac issues I have stopped, but even before then there were signs that Red Cross was losing it priorities. There is now competing service Bloodworks NW which may have been formed to deal with the inability of RC to get their act together. One of my last donations was horrible, and after talking to a few nurses, lodged a complain with RC to look into it as the phlebobomist who was servicing me was not competent. Crickets response from RC, and when they asked why I had stopped donating, I mentioned the recent complaint, of which they now apparently had “no record.” That sealed it for me with them.

      The Red Cross supports Planned Parenthood, so they’re off my list of charities.

      Major Kong in reply to randian. | November 30, 2021 at 12:00 pm

      The only good thing that came out of the RC were the Donut Dollies who volunteered to go to Nam to entertain the grunts……

      bhwms in reply to randian. | November 30, 2021 at 3:48 pm

      They definitely are already. To start with, it is a chartered corporation under the supervision of the United States government — the President gets to appoint several board members, and two cabinet secretaries sit on the board of governors.

      They raise millions of dollars in response to disasters, yet a fraction ends up actually helping people – most of the money is spent on the organization itself, including lavish salaries. They have come under fire for specific disaster fund mismanagement: Ok City, 9/11, and Katrina to name a few. An internet search will turn up lots of info.

      Feisty Granny in reply to randian. | November 30, 2021 at 7:30 pm

      Sorry, but Red Cross, UNICEF, and other charities are already crooked.

Another thing: their bell ringers used to be nicely dressed. Now they all look like hard-luck stories.

I see everything around us falling apart.

The Left is on a jihad against institutional racism, yet who controls the institutions?

There are many similarities between CRT and Islam, False belief of superiority, enforcement of dogma with violence, closed mindless, totalitarianism. Both feel that they should rule the roost.

I’ve donated $100 each Christmas to the SA for almost 40 years. I’ll do more research, but it looks like they’ll be losing me as a supporter. I’ve now abandoned my Catholic HS, the Boy Scouts, and I suspect the SA. I will NOT give a dime to anything connected with this woke bullshit. Guess I’ll have to spend more on myself as a result.

    JLSpeidel in reply to MAJack. | November 29, 2021 at 12:40 pm

    Trail Life for Boys replaced Boy Scouts when they went woke. Heritage Girls replaced the Girl Scouts after they partnered with Planned Parenthood.

Too late, SA.

We know what you really think — whitey is born racist and must actively atone for this original sin for all their life.

No more donations for you.

The Friendly Grizzly | November 29, 2021 at 11:28 am

The Salvation Army takes a very strong stand against homosexuality. As a lot of the regulars here know, I play for the other team. Still, because their work has always been so good, I donated to the Salvation Army. No more. They have way overstepped their bounds. I can see their viewpoint on homosexuality being held because of their Christian beliefs. This latest thing however, is completely unacceptable to me.

    Lucifer Morningstar in reply to The Friendly Grizzly. | November 30, 2021 at 9:42 am

    I can see their viewpoint on homosexuality being held because of their Christian beliefs.

    I can’t. One verse, Leviticus 20:13, and they condemn a whole group of people. But they certainly don’t follow any of the other proscriptions in that same book. They still all probably eat shellfish. That’s forbidden (Leviticus 11:12) for some reason. They all still wear clothes of “mixed fibers”. That’s forbidden (Leviticus 19:19, Deuteronomy 22:11) . Tattoos are prohibited (Leviticus 19:28) but many have them. Prostitution gets the death penalty. As does incest, bestiality, and blasphemy and a host of other proscriptions (Leviticus 20:1-27) But they certainly don’t follow those proscriptions. Leviticus also urges people and priests to shun the disabled (Leviticus 21:16-23) and women are with less than men (Leviticus 27:1-4). So do they follow those rules? Probably not. This is the modern world after all.

    So no, I don’t understand this obsession with Leviticus 201:3. Never have and never will. And that’s why I will never be really religious. Too much hypocrisy.

      But Christians follow Jesus Christ, not Moses. Jesus Christ and His apostles taught that the old Mosaic dietary laws no longer were required for Christians.

      How is that hypocritical? I don’t see it.

        I think a lot of people who condemn perceived “hypocrisy” in Christian thought don’t actually understand the difference between the Old and New Testaments, the Word of Jesus Christ. I’m not sure if this intentional or just plain obtuseness.

        I’m pretty sure that Jesus never said to love homosexuality, specifically, but I am very sure that he said to love our neighbor as ourselves. That does include ALL of our neighbors, including fantastic conservatives like Grizz.

        I’ll stick with the Word and leave whatever judgment to God.

Not. A. Freaking. Penny. Ever. Again.

“…the International Social Justice Commission has now withdrawn the guide for appropriate review.“ Who the hell is that?

From the SA website:

“The International Social Justice Commission is The Salvation Army’s strategic voice to advocate for human dignity and social justice with the world’s poor and oppressed. We are part of The Salvation Army’s International Headquarters and our office is based in New York City.“

“Advocate for human dignity and social justice…” Another way of saying we want make it easy for you to virtue signal after you give us a bunch of money.

They’re not getting another dime from me.

    Milhouse in reply to Idonttweet. | November 29, 2021 at 4:17 pm

    The fact that they have an “International Social Justice Commission” is enough to tell you who they are. “Social justice”, like all “adjective justices”, is injustice.

    henrybowman in reply to Idonttweet. | November 29, 2021 at 4:20 pm

    I’m sorry. If you have any department with “Social Justice” in its name, you’re already lost.
    Social Justice is to Justice what Women’s Health is to Health.

I always threw money into any kettle I passed–no more–I’ll donate to our local food pantry or a local charity that I know isn’t woke.

I was pondering this the other day. This kind of stuff is how the marxist left/ big Government types / Globalists win. Americans are the most generous in the world, especially Christian-based organizations. In volunteer time and money. The leftist ideology ( Godless) has wormed into organization , one by one, ruining them where normal Americans no longer want to donate to them… leaving the door only open for the paid leftist ” volunteer ” or the Government NGO to take control of the hand-out and help-out.
The Catholic Charities, the Boy Scouts, Red Cross and this, the Salvation Army… they’ve been ridden with leftist , BS, ultimately willing to put daylight between their traditional donors and volunteers and tee-up to big Government and international control. At some level, they are doing this on purpose.

I won’t donate any more until they completely repudiate CRT. There are more worthwhile charities to donate to than I have dollars to donate. If you are shopping for charities, first try Charity Navigator. They do a decent job of rating based on IRS Form 990 and other documents.

They’ve seen their last donation from me. I will never again give to those retarded social justice morons.

The document that’s been withdrawn was ugly, but it was an internal discussion document. It was not policy and expressly stated so. It even linked directly to their discrimination policy statement that is heavily scripture based and pretty solid (https://s3.amazonaws.com/cache.salvationarmy.org/7d3c015c-1af5-4211-830f-b7b0c6a65898_English+Racism+IPS.pdf). We are all created in the image of God and have equal rights and value etc. I do not appreciate the continued references to diversity and inclusion. Diversity, equity and inclusion are the three tent poles of CRT and are misleadingly used and abused and should be avoided. I do think the SA should follow up the ‘discssion document’ with a clear statement of disavowal of that document. I would be best for them to simply focus on their mission and serve the Lord, but having opened the discussion, they need to pick a side and clarify why their discussion document is incompatible with their positional statement.

    They started this which strongly suggests that they are looking to make some changes. Was this “internal discussion document” just testing the waters for something knew would be controversial? Sounds kind of like someone with little experience but with an agenda just took charge and is looking for the best way to make big changes without rocking the boat?

    I smell a rat.

      henrybowman in reply to Pasadena Phil. | November 29, 2021 at 4:13 pm

      No problem. Issue a statement that so-and-so took the bit between his teeth, started making unauthorized changes, and was summarily fired for pissing off all the donors. If they can’t say that, then fuggem.

    Milhouse in reply to amackent. | November 29, 2021 at 4:20 pm

    The fact that they thought the ideas in that document were worth discussing is enough. It’s not as if they would ever have put out, just for internal discussion, an essay espousing white supremacy, or slavery, or Roman Catholicism, or even atheism.

    As is the fact that they have a “Social Justice Commission”.

      alaskabob in reply to Milhouse. | November 29, 2021 at 4:38 pm

      Trust is so hard to regain… and just their “thinking” about that is enough for me also. Next.. maybe joint services with Satanists for inclusion and diversity? Some places one doesn’t go or even think about going. King Saul proved that one big time. at Endor.

Been a supported for longwer than I can remember — several/many decades. Pull it all they want, but they have already shown their new hand. Last they will see of me.

“They have claimed that we believe our donors should apologize for their skin color”

Did they or did they not request a “sincere apology for racism” from white people?

“the organization issued a confusing mix of a defiant non-apology”

Um, nope. Nothing short of a “sincere apology” will do.
For starters.

Innocence can only be lost once. Forgive? ..yes…. forget? Never!

I used to donate to the Salvation Army kettles at the store doorways. Now… the only thing I’m going to stuff into them is a note saying, “It’s OK to be white.”

Being Southern Baptist, it’s easy for us to find faith based charities to give to, starting with my own church. From there it goes to food pantries, childrens homes, and disaster relief. The Bride worked at Alabama Baptist Childrens Homes And Family Ministries for years. They appreciate every buck they get.

Forget the big international organizations. Give to your *_local_* organizations. You will know what your money is used for and you can have a say in how it’s spent. Designating where a donation goes is usually easy – just call and ask.
.

Sorry, salvation army does not qualify for a resurrection !!

They were my favorite charity. No more. Adios, SA!

does anyone believe they sincerely apologized?

Withdrawn for review means they will reel it in until the storm blows over and then revise it quietly later and re-issue in an even more virulent manner.

They are lost to society and will never see my money again, ever.

This article is designed to spark outrage. I can’t rise to that level today. Is the statement offensive to donors – maybe, does the SA do good work – maybe? What is your local SA doing that offends you so much?

    Actually, as the person who wrote this piece, I can assure you that it was not “designed to spark outrage”; indeed, as in all my pieces for LI, this piece reflects and gives voice to my personal outrage. If others are outraged by my analysis and opinion, so be it. My goal is not to torpedo the Salvation Army; why would I since they seem intent on doing that to themselves with this godless, Marxist, and deeply racist “antiracist” ideology?

    What is my local SA doing that offends me? It is tied to and using the name of SA, an organization so steeped in anti-American, evil, divisive, hate-creating ideology that it is still plastered on their websites (both the international version and the U.S. version).

    Personally, I believe that any organization this steeped in racist “antiracism” (as I have detailed in my OP) is likely engaging in illegal race-based aid decisions, that it may be withholding aid from needy white people to further its pledge and “acknowledgment.” That’s why I want some investigative journalist, if such a creature still exists, to delve into this seemingly completely corrupted by CRT organization.

    My local SA can redeem themselves by rejecting the national and international “social justice” and “antiracism” crazy. That they can’t do that and still remain affiliated with SA is your answer. Sit down.

So, the Salvation Army hates white people. I’ll add them to my “do not support” list.

Too little, too late. Me and my money are now out!

I will never knowingly contribute to a non-profit, charity that has now publicly acknowledged employing racist employees and volunteers.

What the Salvation Army needs most right now is an independent, forensic audit. An audit will determine whether any of these white racists may have intentionally violated the civil rights of people of color who sought their help. If so, then both the perpetrators and the supervisors of this naked racism should be immediately terminated. Compensation by the SA, of course, should also be discussed for the discriminated individuals.

Another “woke” organization offends its donor base and now attempts to turn back the clock with an attempt to clarify it’s original thoroughly clear statements. The SA was perfectly clear about its feelings towards White, Christian, Americans.

Sorry, no “do overs” allowed. Put me on your lost donor list. You will never see another dime from this White, Christian, American.

I have supported the Salvation Army since my conversion to Christ as a young teenager, nearly 50 years ago. The SA simple but effective theology was all I needed:

‘Jesus loves the little children
All the children of the world
Red and yellow, black and white, they are precious in his sight
Jesus loves the little children of the world’.

Like too many churches originally founded in the belief that all humans are sinners and are saved through Jesus Christ and Him alone, the Salvation Army has lost its way.

PPPFFFFFFTTT!………..my donation and answer to them.

The addition of the SA to the MARXIST PROPAGANDA SYSTEM and LEFTIST REVOLVING DOOR PROGRAM has succeeded. Jesus has left the building !!!!!

When was the Salvation Army taken over by a cabal of its enemies?

If they thought they were going to recover from this misstep, they’re not:

https://townhall.com/political-cartoons/2021/11/30/186754

The Friday this event occurred it happened that I watched a video of the New York Stock Exchange “closing bell” ceremony. The honorees ringing the bell were muckety-mucks of the Salvation Army. There were approximately 15 representatives in the group. None appeared to be black. Incidentally, it was the worst day of performance on the stock exchange in over a year.