Why isn't this illegal?

Question

http://www.soulforce.org/article/582

The gay community placed these coupons in salvation army kettles.It seems a type of vandalism or fraud or littering.

Perhaps no one called them on it.It is reprehensable to do that to the bell ringers.

Answer 1

The Salvation Army is a church if was founded by William Booth a Methodist minister. Booth was a circuit preacher who wanted to take his ministry to the homeless of London's East end. When the he was denied permission from the Methodist church he formed his own and, modeled it after the English army. Thus the name The Salvation Army. The Salvation Army does not discriminate against anyone. They are an equal opportunity employer and, actually employ many openly gay people. The one thing they do not do is to extend insurance coverage to domestic partners.

Answer 2

To answer the question, I think a law against placing opinionated messages in collection kettles would not full under vandalism, fraud, or littering.

No property was permanently ruined or scarred, so it would not be vandalism.

Fraud or counterfeiting would describe it if something passing as money was placed in a bucket in return for a service, which it was not.

Littering might work if the paper accidentally fell on the ground, but it made it into the bucket in this case.

The real question would be in what circumstance would this be illegal? It would be a crime if somebody said "this is a dollar bill" and placed the note in the bucket, receiving a good or service in return.

Answer 3

It's legal, comes under the freedom of speech. Not vandalism either. Still it isn't right.

This isn't new, on a few occasions I've found what looked like a folded 10 dollar bill lying on the street. When I picked up I see it's a cleverly disguised ad for a religious organization. At the top it said "don't be fooled".

I was none too pleased about it but what can you do?

Answer 4

Despicable! They attack the boy scouts and the Salvation Army and expect the rest of the world to accept them! Freedom of speech is one thing but trying to force people to accept something they believe is wrong is quite another. Would this also be the same "tolerant" group of folks whose Folsom Street Festival ad depicted gay men and women mocking the Last Supper with sex toys on the table? I will never except that!

Answer 5

i'm sure the bell ringers have better things to be pissed off about- especially if they're gay, apparently...

Answer 6

I think it's a perfectly legitimate form of protest. If other companies who have taken away domestic partner benefits were ringing bells in front of every store, you can bet there would be protests against them too. It's peaceful, and is obviously making a difference.

Answer 7

It's a valid form of protest doing no physical harm.
Who elses free speach would you like to restrict?

Answer 8

What do you expect from a bunch of perverted butt pirates.

The Salvation Army is the best charity organization in America.

Answer 9

jesus christ the gay thing again. people GET IT THROUGH YOUR HEADS: let gays be gay as long as you arent invited to the wedding, and for you christians: didnt jesus preach about FREEDOM OF WILL?!? LET THEM BE GAY AND IF YOU BELEIVE THEYL BURN IN HELL FOR IT, GO AHEAD AND BELEIVE IT BUT KEEP IT TO YOURSELF!!! dont force them or your infringing on their freedom of will, which as far as i know is a S-I-N. *sigh*

Answer 10

it is legal and also legal if the bellringers refused to allow them to put it in their kettle!