NOM Aims Low on Boycott of Target Over Support for Marriage Equality

Right on cue, the National Organization for Marriage is launching a boycott of Target over the retailer's public support for same-sex marriage. But even NOM seems to have low expectations, posting a petition with a goal of getting 1,500 signatures.

The petition on ActRight, headlined "Boycott Target for Insulting Pro-Marriage Americans," claims Target "has chosen to support this radical agenda, and to insult me and other pro-family Americans like me." NOM and its supporters "recognize the essential meaning of marriage, and stand by the common sense principle that kids do best with a loving mom and dad."

There was a time not to long ago -- 2011 -- when Target pledged to stay out of the marriage equality debate and all political issues because of backlash. In 2010, Target CEO Gregg Steinhafel apologized for giving $150,000 to a political action committee tied to antigay Minnesota gubernatorial candidate Tom Emmer.

This week, Target signed on to an amicus brief in support of marriage equality in two cases being weighed by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh District. NOM's president, Brian Brown, pointed out in a blog post about the boycott that Starbucks and a number of other major companies have also signed onto the friend of the court brief. And NOM has long attempted to boycott Starbucks.