Salvation Army Fears Growing Gay Rights Protests Over Health Benefits

c. 2001 Religion News Service

Gay rights activists are stuffing fake $3 and $5 bills into the Salvation Army's red kettles this holiday season, protesting its denial of health benefits to gay partners of its employees.

The protests have been scattered so far. But officials at the Salvation Army--which takes in more donations than any other charity in the country--worry that they will mushroom after the holidays, making the organization, like the Boy Scouts of America, a symbol in the divisive battle over gay rights.

"Just wait, it's going to come," said Salvation Army Commissioner Joe Noland, commander of the eastern territory and one of five members of the Army's national policymaking team.

Gay rights groups have hinted that a broad-based, national campaign may be unleashed when the timing is right. They have been reluctant to go on the offensive while bombs drop in Afghanistan and amid public desire for domestic unity in the aftermath of Sept. 11.

But "when all of this subsides, and it will, this issue with the Salvation Army will still be there and there will be a reaction," said David Smith, a spokesman for the Washington-based Human Rights Campaign, a leading gay rights group. "The same thing will happen to them that happened to the Boy Scouts."

The Boy Scouts ban gays, and in communities across the country, pressure has been put on the United Way, a major source of scout funding, to withhold money.

The current hullabaloo arises from the Salvation Army's decision--and later reversal of that decision--to permit its 13-state western territory to offer benefits to "legally domiciled adults," a broad term that could include gay partners of employees. At a time when the Bush administration is pushing government funding for faith-based groups, it illustrates the predicament some face in accepting money with stipulations that run contrary to religious beliefs.

"What can seem like a relatively insignificant decision--even a well-intentioned one--can five, 10 or 15 years down the line be one of historical significance. And this decision has that kind of importance," said retired Salvation Army national commander Robert Watson, referring to the insurance benefit.

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