Add the Union Mission to "Charities" to Boycott This Holiday Season

For many the holiday season is a time of year to extend extra kindness and a helping hand to the less fortunate.  Sort of a time to be mindful of putting the parable of the Good Samaritan into action (not that this shouldn't be done year round).  Sadly, it is some of the "godly folk" who are the least inclined to overlook hate and prejudice and as a result, they refuse to help the needy who don't conform to their pernicious hate and fear based religious dogma.  It's if the put their idolatry of   selective Bible passages above living, breathing humans.  One such "charity" that should be avoided is the Union Mission where being gay or transgender disqualifies one from help in the form of housing and other aid.  As noted in connection with the Salvation Army and it's anti-gay policies, there are plenty of worthy charities that one can donate to.  Avoid those that place hate and bigotry over helping their fellow man.  Here are highlights from Think Progress on the Union Mission's bigotry:

The City Union Mission in Kansas City, Missouri boasts that it has provided as many as 165,121 beds in a given year for the homeless, but there is one group who will not have the same access: same-sex families. The shelter announced this week that married same-sex couples will not be allowed to stay together there like other married families do.

Executive Director Dan Doty explained to the Kansas City Star, “We are a Christian, faith-based organization that really does adhere to biblical standards. Our view is that it is inappropriate. Our intent is not to shelter same-sex couples together.”

City Union Mission does not receive any government funding, allowing it to run as a private organization that is not impacted by Kansas City’s civil rights ordinance. It is currently hoping for an influx of donations around the holidays because it is facing a $300,000 budget shortfall.

The shelter also has a policy that requires transgender people to dress according to the gender they were assigned at birth instead of the one they identify with.

Homelessness is particularly problematic for LGBT youth — which is what research has largely focused on — but LGBT people of all ages are generally more vulnerable to homelessness due to discrimination in both housing and employment, as well as lack of family support. As many as 30 percent of clients utilizing housing programs across the country identify as LGBT.

Yes, it's their club and they can set the rules.  But that does not mean the rest of us need to be financially supporting such bigoted organizations.  As seems to be so often the case, religious belief is used to justify evil conduct.