The Homophobic Salvation Army - Another Look

I previously posted about the debate on whether or not it's appropriate to donate to the Salvation Army in light of the organization's glaring homophobia and Christianist view of LGBT citizens. True, as some readers have pointed out, the organization helps many needy individuals and might even offer assistance to gays needing shelter or food. But until now I did not realize that the organization has actively lobbied against gay rights. Thus, I feel vindicated in my position that one should not donate to the Salvation Army at all - it's better to find other worthy charities that do not actively work to keep LGBT Americans second class citizens. Here are some highlights from a column by Lisa Neff at 365gay.com on the issue:

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And she regretted that she had volunteered to collect money for the Salvation Army, which has gone as far as lobbying the White House to obstruct efforts to treat gays and lesbians equally — as citizens and as employees.
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Many, many good people — my friends and neighbors — ring the bell for the Salvation Army during December. And many, many good people — my friends and neighbors — donate to the Salvation Army’s red kettles during December. But I do not. I do not ring the bell for the Salvation Army. I do not donate to the Salvation Army, because the Salvation Army discriminates against gays and lesbians in employment, works to defeat civil rights measures that protect gays and lesbians and promotes position that gay relationships “do not conform to God’s will for society.”
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Some will say, but the Salvation Army performs good work — the organization feeds the hungry, shelters the homeless, clothes the impoverished, whether gay or straight. Yes, yet there are many other organizations performing the same work as the Salvation Army that do not discriminate against gays and lesbians, that will not use your donation against you.
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From the Salvation Army’s Web site: “The Army regards the origins of a homosexual orientation as a mystery and does not regard a homosexual disposition as blameworthy in and of itself or rectifiable at will. Nevertheless, while we are not responsible for what we are, we are accountable for what we do; and homosexual conduct, like heterosexual conduct, is controllable and may be morally evaluated therefore in light of scriptural teaching.
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I agree with Lisa Neff and simply do not believe in donating to those who would deprive you of civil legal rights merely because you do not subscribe to a particular set of religious beliefs. This nation is supposed to have moved on beyond religious based discrimination, yet we gays face such discrimination daily. It makes the promise of freedo of religion in the Constitution a farce.