Target apologizes after firing employee for handwriting ‘trust in Jesus’ on nametag

Why do Target employees put their personal beliefs on their name tags in the first place? Have they not heard of jewelry?

Rainbow themed tags are a sign of inclusion and acceptance of all people. Overt Christian and religious tagging is exclusivity . That is the distinction between the two. Perhaps if it said God Loves You it would be seen as more accepting. If you are of another religion, you will likely be offended by seeing religious doctrines displayed. How about if I wear my Daughters of Satan name tag then?

Maybe wear nothing at all on the nametag ? No rainbow, no religious doctrines, no kitty cats, no puppies...

[quote]If you are of another religion, you will likely be offended by seeing religious doctrines displayed.

We have freedom of religion in this country for a reason, r2. This woman is as allowed to wear Christian symbolism on her name tag as much as a Satanist is allowed to wear the symbol of Baphomet. "Offending" people isn't illegal in this country. Thankfully.

R4 We may have freedom of religion in this country, but she is employed by Target and they have their own rules and dress code (which apparently does not include religious symbolism). If she's not happy with their dress code, she can find another company to work for.

It's not about being free to practice your own religion. It's most company policies not to openly flaunt your religion or proselytize in company space. Wearing a Cross, or Star of David, or Crescent & Star necklace is understated and acceptable, but when it comes to things like signs or writings it starts to cross a line.

Why are these types always bleached blondes?

If she responded by retorting that people have worn rainbows then she was intentionally being provocative and she deserved to be fired.

r6 I understand that, but playing devil's advocate, here, a lot of religious people are offended by LGBTQ symbolism and Target allowed employees to put the rainbow flag on their name tags. It's well-known that's a controversial/offensive issue for the religious (whether it makes sense or not). If Target didn't want this to be an issue with their religious employees, they'd have to tell employees not to wear pride gear either. This is likely how she got her job back. This is a lawsuit waiting to happen, and she'd very likely win. In a huge way.

I don't think this person is real. This story sounds like a hoax.

[quote] Rainbow themed tags are a sign of inclusion and acceptance of all people.

Riiiight, as long as you’re not a Jew. 🙄

The rainbow symbol is now a political symbol. Are you going say it’s okay to have BLM on one but not Jesus? You can’t have it both ways. Nobody should have anything in their name tag aside from their name. Religious liberty is protected in the US. Target would have faced a huge lawsuit if they didn’t hire her back.

R9 Quite honestly, we don't know for sure what happened to those 'rainbow' employees. They may very well could have been called aside and told the same thing she was told - it was against the dress code - and they either removed their nametag, or they were fired. All we know is she saw some employees wearing the rainbow, so she felt empowered to 'enhance' her own nametag. No one said if they're still wearing the rainbow nametags.

As for the company now 'taking appropriate steps' to address the 'behavior of the individual leader involved' - what bullshit. I'm sure he / she was doing exactly what they were instructed to do in a case like this by 'upper management'.

Can she provide photos of the other employees and their rainbow stickers? I'm a believer in yes, if you allowed one thing, it needs to be made available to the others. BUT, the article says she starting doing this on her nametag after Halloween, the excuse being "rainbow" imagery. If it was a Pride thing, that was June. Something set her off to do that when she did...my guess is the election. But, she will not go back to work or at least not stay long once she returns. She will become the latest pariah for the right and throw in a lawsuit fir good measure.

[quote]We have freedom of religion in this country for a reason, [R2].

The Constitution allows her to practice her religion on her own time free from government intrusion.

Advertising your religion while at work is not the same thing.

"FOR"

[quote]Why are these types always bleached blondes?

They all give off “Daddy touched me” vibes too.

Religion should be a private thing and I don't want to know.

Furthermore, if the employees were wearing a rainbow on their nametag, I think they may have some protection - they could say they were 'echoing/ advertising' the pride / rainbow collection of merchandise sold in the store. Similar to someone with a nametag having Mickey Mouse on it, and them saying they were echoing / advertising the Disney merchandise in the store. TARGET would have a tough time fighting either one.

But having 'trust in Jesus' - if Target had a 'Christian collection of merchandise' they were selling, it could work. If they don't (and they don't) she's out of luck.

Huge difference between the unfiltered pic with this article and her heavily filtered pic she uses on Instagram which blurs her skin so it looks like that of a three year old. I’m so sick of middle aged women doing this.

"Excuse me, ma'am, can you tell me which aisle has laundry detergent?"

"Just trust in Jesus, and he will show you the way."

Shoddy reporting or editing:

Kendrick claimed her employee responded: “‘Well, you can’t work here anymore.’”

The fake Jesus shit is only going to be 10 times worse starting in 2025.

Very telling that she sees a rainbow flag as justifying a religious message. She clearly regards other people’s pride as an affront to her religion, when it is nothing of the sort.

If you’re employed as a part time cashier at Target you’d be better off putting your trust in Horse 5, Race 3 at the local track. More chance of actual improvement in your life.

R25 Can you explain that a little better, I'm not following you. What do you mean by, "Pride is now all about Jew-hating, communism, and white-hating." I honestly don't understand. Thanks !

Bible thumpers must be really insecure if they have to impose their beliefs on everyone around them.

r28 Christianity literally teaches its followers to do that.

R26 If you're working at Target you're now just watching customers ring up their own shit at the self serve registers. Just help them steal the shit, wrap it in a Jesus motif, and collect the paycheck.

She looks like MTG's bratty younger sister.

I have no love for performative Christianity but unless she was being overtly rude or pushy about it I don't see why she can't have the same right to personalize her name tag that apparently everybody else does.

Trump will probably put her in charge of the Department of Commerce.

The Supreme Court has preemptively ruled in her favor. And Alito has already leaked the opinion.

In the US the flag that represents all people is not the Pride flag that so many on DL constantly complain about and want to exclude certain folks from.

I realize the non servers the Trump like draft dodgers or those that were home schooled may not realize it but we do have an American flag.

"I'm a devout Christian." = "I'm an illiterate know-nothing who is absolutely terrified of the unfamiliar."

R2 has it right. Inclusivity vs exclusivity.

Plus, her sweater and hairstyle are tacky.

The real story is “why the fuck does anyone shop at Target.”

Not surprised they apologized. Most of the public does not agree with DL on this matter regardless of any weak justifications such as inclusion vs. exclusion. Most people see it as if you allow people to add one message, you should people to add the other. Personally, I'm with r3. Nothing on the nametag.

[quote] devout Christian who worked as a cashier

This is EXACTLY what self checkout is for.

The look on her face in the OP photo screams "batshit crazy".

R41 wrong thread they are discussing defacto and his picture on a different thread.

[quote]But having 'trust in Jesus' - if Target had a 'Christian collection of merchandise' they were selling, it could work. If they don't (and they don't) she's out of luck.

Target sells Bibles and a line of "Faithful Finds" merchandise.

I knew as soon as I clicked on it that she was making a point about 'rainbow flags'.

We'll see more of this shit once Trump takes office because some Christians feel oppressed and will do anything they can to show it.

They are oppressed by not being able to put gay people back into closets.

They need to feel superior and holy and having the ungodly flaunting their disobedience of God is an imposition on their freedom! It suggests they are not better than everyone else.

The comments to the Yahoo article are, for the most part, a dreadful testament to MAGAT culture.

MAGAt cunt

She doesn't look too bright.

Devout Christian=judgmental, racist, sexist who hates everyone who is not a white Christian and is constantly accusing and blaming everyone but has a double standard when any white Christian gets caught doing anything they are constantly condemning. Basically, the opposite of what Jesus Christ was and taught.

It would be nice if smug performative Christians performed like Jesus .

Her hair looks like a wig.

All Target has to say is that they don't want employees writing on their tags. Understandably, it looks tacky and unprofessional.

I don’t know why they need name tags at all. Who addresses shop clerks by name?

To be a Christian you have to believe:

—A virgin gave birth

—A corpse reanimated after having been dead for three days

—The supernatural entity called “God” that created everything — earth, Jupiter, the asteroids, gravity, the tides, photosynthesis, the stars — is in league with another supernatural entity called “Satan,” whose purpose is to impose an eternity of excruciating torment and pain on you if you don’t worship the “God” in the way it wants to be worshipped.

I’d be more surprised if this credulous bigot-for-Jesus did not look crazy.

There’s a difference between celebrating your faith and telling others what to do. Her name tag tells others that they should do something specific. It’s proselytizing and not ok. Next up will be some thing like accept the lord or burn in hell.

R43 That collection is not available / sold in their stores. It's not a part of Target. It's actually an on-line business called 'Infinite Commerce'. They are "A Target Plus Partner" which they clearly point out is strictly a third-party company that sells and ships items directly to you through Target.com and the Target apps. Ininite Commerce has over 7,000 items on their website which you can access via Target.com. None of those items are in Target Stores. The company is headquartered in Seattle.

This woman is working for Target - not Infinite Commerce, so she's out of luck.

People who spend so much effort flaunting their religion are not good people. They're creepy, controlling, and ego-driven.

R57 The argument can be had to say the same thing about those who spend so much effort flaunting their sexuality.

Everyone does things to be noticed - whether it's through their religious beliefs or sexuality.

The views of many on this thread are as intolerant as those you accuse of the same thing. It's an innocuous, harmless statement that should be offensive to NO ONE. In the same way a woman wearing a burka shouldn't be. Get it? Same fucking thing. Freedom of religious expression is a hallmark of the tolerant society most of you want to live in, no? Or is it a double standard for white people? Just tell me so I know.

This is what they mean when they say lefties eat their own. Smfh.

R59. Shake your "fucking" head until it falls off. Why are you bringing race into this? You don't know the race of those responding. However, given that you are "Mao" aka "Teacakes," we know your real race. Give it rest with the "white people" jive. You're tiresome at best.

Either R59 has no idea about the societal cancer of Christian supremacy today or is sympathetic to it.

Your only post, r59?

How about nothing at all added to name tags, r59?

I don't need to see Jesus Loves You or think about how the pride flag now has race and trans stuff added to it when I'm shopping.

Not adding shit to your name tag is a good compromise everyone should be able to agree on.

Target should probably have a rule that nothing can be added to name badges.

Or they can allow symbols like a rainbow flag or a cross, but no words.

However, this woman is already wearing a cross around her neck. Her motivation in writing on her badge would be obvious even if she didn’t expressly say so. She is RESPONDING to the pride flags

That makes her message an implicit threat. She is saying that gay people pray the gay away and if that fails, they should hide in shame. That would be problematic enough in the best of times, but we are facing a Christian Nationalist movement in this country that wants to impose its religious views by law.

Christians who argue that allowing LGBT people to live openly in society is somehow an assault on their freedom and an assault on Christianity itself really mean that they are uncomfortable being reminded that not everyone shares their religious beliefs. They want to live in a country where no one makes them doubt their own beliefs. That’s not freedom. That’s a form of fascism.

So in terms of policy, Target should treat everyone the same. But that doesn’t mean wearing a Pride Flag and wearing a “Trust Jesus” sign in response are just two sides of the same coin. They are not.

R64. Great thoughts and response! Thank you for that.

R64 is not going to deal with the next 4-8 years well.

I think the Christian Nationalists are going to blow their wad in a giant fail, but if they somehow manage to impose their views on the federal government, the coasts will not go along quietly. They will ultimately secede, peacefully or not. If not peacefully, none of us is going to deal with the next decade well.

she scribbled that on her nametag on Halloween, you know it was to ward off the devil. these people are simple minded primates.

R67

Will cnn be showing live the USAF bombing the shit out of the California national guard and destroying California milita when they secede or not?

Peaceful or not :-)

I’m not so sure anyone will want to fight a war to keep a country with irreconcilable difference together by force when that would just mean further decades of partisan stalemate.

R70 you can’t possibly think any president of any party is going to let any state walk away. People can’t be that fucking dumb ?

If I encountered her at Target, I’d say “Thanks so much for your help, Hay-sus!” and sashay away.

I am that fucking dumb.

[quote] Pride is now all about Jew-hating, communism, and white-hating

Fuck this asshole.

See dumb is not all on maga

[Quote]Trust in Jesus

Right on, sister! We have to wear our faith loud and proud. Don't forget to watch my latest Christmas film on Great American Family!

If it said “trust in allah” or “trust in satan”, I doubt many people would be defending the woman. Christians are just the biggest and loudest cult

R77 So do you think the cults which follow allah and satan need to step up their game ?

[quote]she scribbled that on her nametag on Halloween, you know it was to ward off the devil. these people are simple minded primates.

So if she doesn't celebrate Halloween, and wants to scribble this on her nametag for what she believes in, she's simple minded ?

If she doesn't celebrate Christmas, and scribbled 'Happy Chanukah' on her nametag for the month of December, would you consider her simple-minded ?

If you allow things and try to draw lines, then there is no end. You end up writing essays on why pride is good, Jesus is not (and I agree with that post, to be clear) and fighting over the real meaning of any expression. And since the world isn't run by us, they get a voice too. And it becomes a mess in practice. In the case of name tags at work, stick to the damn name and nothing else.

I see a lot of pride flags at work stations in my doctors’ offices. I never know if I’m supposed to say “Congratulations” or something.

R79. God, I wish I had another FF to level on you, but I've reached my limit today. YES! She is simple minded if she was leveling her beliefs in response to the beliefs of others...whether it was Pride or Halloween. That is a simple or narrow minded view. She didn't just write it because it's what she believes in. According to her own white trash lips, she did it in response to the rainbow stickers. AND, learn to not put spaces before your ending punctuation...that's another "tell" as to whom you are.

Jeanane Garofalo looks good with blond hair.

I wish they'd realize that anyone who is not Christian gets Christianity shoved down their throat from the time they can figure out what's on TV or appreciate Xmas decorations. Many Christians are completely ignorant of other religions but need to inflict theirs on everyone else. The proof is no Muslim, Jew, Hindu or Buddhist would feel comfortable advertising their faith on an employment ID.

R82 We can all see on the this forum how tolerant you are of people who are not like you . Very open-minded, and very accepting of others who are different from you . Not to mention you know first-hand other people's motives and thought process (the woman in the article) when they're different from your views. Very impressive .

Time to block you and your MAGA level of intelligence .

[quote] I wish they'd realize

They know, honey

Dear Lord, that hair.

[quote]Devout Christian=judgmental, racist, sexist who hates everyone who is not a white Christian

r49 Get out of your bubble. There are Black Christians who are even more heavy-handed with their beliefs. I was raisedby and around it. And I had a bad time.

she looks inbred with that big Matt Gaetz esque forehead

[quote]The views of many on this thread are as intolerant as those you accuse of the same thing.

r59 A lot of the posters here are more than likely survivors of religious trauma. Stories like this can be triggering.

There shouldn't be anything on the name tags. No Jesus, no Satan, no Pride flags. The end.

Denise needs a weekend in NYC and a good seeing to by an escort.

R85. No reference to your race-baiting though? Interesting.

I completely block out people like this Target employee.

I have nothing against Christians who keep their beliefs to themselves, & who don’t run around actively proselytizing to their neighbors, family members, friends, or coworkers who are non-believers. But as soon as I see religious memorabilia? I’m out.

Believe whatever you wish, just don’t try to shove it down my throat, like I do not shove my atheism down yours. This goes for ALL religions, not just Christianity.

Also, I agree with other posters here: a name tag used specifically for work, shouldn’t have anything but one’s name, title, & the store one works for.

[quote]And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 6 But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

R59, if she were doing it to "be noticed," she could easily have worn the motto "I Trust in Jesus" rather than the directive to everyone to trust in Jesus irrespective of their own deeply held beliefs (if any). That's proselytizing, and it has no place in the workplace. And don't come back at me with claims about rainbow flags, because that's not proselytizing; it's showing support to communities that are at risk of discrimination and oppression.

[quote]If it said “trust in allah”

r77 To be fair, when it's Allah, it'd more than likely be written like the writing in the image linked below and go unnoticed by the vast majority of non-Arabic speaking individuals. Many would probably praise the move as "brave" and encourage others to embrace the move in a misguided attempt to celebrate diversity.

I meant R58.

Looks like he got a new supply of "stuff"

This would be a fun and campy Karen Black performance.

It would be fun if Kirsten Wiig did a sketch on her on SNL.

You’re right, R88. I was exclusively referring to the white ones. Black Christians are very hardcore. I don’t know any, but I’ll take it from you.

Oh please. Most black Christians are way more loving and accepting than white Evangelicals.

R103 Cissy Houston was an excellent example of the 'loving and accepting' Black Christian you talk about. She was very accepting of Whitney being a lesbian. Very accepting, indeed. Just ask Whitney's former lover Robyn. She'll tell you how accepting and loving Cissy and the Houston family were to her and Whitney as a lesbian couple. Very accepting.

Jesus doesn’t love your lying Teacake

R105 Fuck is you talkin bout?

She should be able to have a religious symbol but not a religious message, IMO. Are the gay dudes allowed to write “suck a dick” on their tags? No.

[quote]Most black Christians are way more loving and accepting than white Evangelicals.

r103 False. Anything LGBT-related is harshly condemned in the Black Christian community. Unless you're musically gifted. Then they make you the praise and worship team leader. Bonus points if you can play the organ.

My family still casually talks about how I'm "demonically oppressed" because I'm a lesbian. To my face. They also blame my fractured relationship with my father for it. Just every offensive stereotype for "why I chose to be gay" one can think of. Again. To my face. I've learned to let it go in one ear and out of the other at this point. But no, homophobia is severe in the Black church.

R82 is the first poster on DL to complain he or she or them has run out of FF and needs some more. A strange request to make. But a request none the less.

I’d send he or she or them one of mine but I keep mine to turn in for a major prize someday.

I don't even think writing that is the equivalent to, say, a small rainbow on a nametag.

The equivalent would be wearing a cross, which I think should be allowed and is OK. After all, both are symbols, not text, and can easily be ignored.

But writing "Trust in Jesus" is like writing "Be gay and happy" on a nametag. They're instructions to customers and fellow staff, neither of which has a place in a customer-facing business.

R79/R85, seriously, the spaces you're putting before punctuation marks are just bonkers--and wrong.

Did you learn that somewhere weird, like a neighborhood mom's home-schooling set-up, or are you just off your Clozaril?

[quote]She should be able to have a religious symbol but not a religious message,

Symbols also send messages. If she's wearing the Star of David, a Cross, whatever...the symbol is still sending a message of her faith. (BTW, I'm not saying that she shouldn't be wearing a symbol - just pointing out it's 'six of one, half a dozen of another'. )

A “message of her faith” doesn’t hurt anyone. Same as wearing a burka or yarmulke or the cross necklace she wears. It’s the explicit proselytizing that’s inappropriate.

R97 I'm guessing one of the people who would have a problem with it is the subject of this thread. Freedom for me but not for thee.