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Salvation Army Bell Ringer: The Horror! The Horror!
Today at the grocery store I could hear the bell ringer when I got out of my car. It's a big-box type store. I always park a long distance from the entrance. It must have been a half a city block away.
When I got into the atrium, the bell ringing was so loud I wanted to cover my ears. The horrid woman repeated to me "Merry Christmas". I wanted to tell her, I don't approve of the Salvation Army, and I don't like their in-your-face approach. But I couldn't, she kept ringing that damn bell.
I have a 100% hearing loss on left. The right hearing is normal. If you stand to the left of me and speak, I can't tell what you are saying. I passed by her, with her on the left. It really was deafening.
What did she think - people were not contributing because they couldn't hear the damn bell? I had to walk around her to get into the store. It's not like customers didn't know she was there.
Inside the store, I went to the back of the store to find some hardware items. All the way to the back, over the damn Xmas musak, that goddam bell.
The horror! As a customer I wanted to complain to the manager, but it's not like they couldn't hear the stupid bell. I just wanted to get away from it.
On the way out, I had to go through the atrium again. That was so loud! She said "Merry Christmas" again, loud again, and I bowed my head, walked fast past her, and muttered "Jesus Christ, leave me alone!"
I have a 100% hearing loss on one side. The other side is normal. If you stand to the left of me, I can't tell what you are saying. I passed by her with her on the left. It was deafening.
I don't like the Salvation Army anyway. Other than the telling name, they are a religious christian group. As a church, they are not restricted from inquiring about the religious beliefs of their 55,000 employees. I don't give them money. But even if I liked them, that bell was too obnoxious for words.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Ted Foureagles on -
I like the kazoo idea. It's certainly annoying, but probably not nearly loud enough to engage the competition heads-up. How about bagpipes? Does anyone here remember when the Starvation Army played actual musical instruments? I could give someone money for that, and not concern myself with how they used it. But just clanging the guilt bell -- no thanks!
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Permalink Reply by Sentient Biped on -
Ted,
Thanks!
Bagpipes would be awesome! Fantastic Idea!
James,
Love the country life, but not sure about the climate! I think I'll stick with the Pacific NW Rain!
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Permalink Reply by Pat on -
Vuvuzela. A monotone kazoo on steroids. I wonder if you could get a group with varying tones, and have a vuvuzela chorus of Silent Night?
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Permalink Reply by Sentient Biped on
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Excellent. Vuvuzela AND bagpipe. I'd go for the Little Drummer Boy!
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Permalink Reply by Brent Feeney on -
Vuvuzelas should only be used when a soccer match is in progress - especially if it involves Manchester United!!!! ;)
Anything that drives Sir Alex up the wall!!!
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Permalink Reply by booklover on -
The bell is obnoxious! My son works at a grocery store and every time he brought carts in last night they rang the bell at him. He was about to lose itt! He was working! What was he supposed to donate as he worked? Lol. I won't donate to them, as they teach that being gay is a sin. Really? I think being prejudice is a sin. There are many charities that do good things w\out judging people! ~Melinda
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Permalink Reply by Sentient Biped on
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Melinda you are so right! Thank you for commenting!
According to Austin Cline, atheist writer for about.com: "Apparently, the Salvation Army believes that gay people deserve to be executed"
he has more to say here:
http://atheism.about.com/b/2012/12/07/salvation-army-gays-deserve-d...
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Permalink Reply by Pat on
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Holy sheep shit, Batman!! And, here I thought they just gave out stale bread rolls and watered down potato soup to the homeless, in exchange for trying to convince them that Jesus loves everyone on skid row. Well, of course he does. That's why they're on skid row.
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Permalink Reply by Idaho Spud on -
I can almost feel you're pain Sentient. I often have to put my fingers in my ears at my favorite grocery store because their pagers are very high-pitched and cause me pain. The bell you describe sounds 1000 times worse.
If I encountered it, I would do what I do when some ass goes by me on a motorcycle with no muffler: put my middle fingers in my ears, not only to reduce the pain, but to send a message. Of course, the best message would be a complaint to the manager, something I've been meaning to do in response to the pagers at my grocery store.
Of course, the fact that it's a discriminatory religion is too me, even worse than the pain the bell would cause. I've not given anything to them for quite a while now. Ever since I started realizing what they stood for.
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Permalink Reply by Sentient Biped on
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The comments here have given me resolve. If next trip there has the same effect, I will go to the manager's desk and make a complaint. Since the manager's desk is very close to the front entrance, I amy have to cover my ears while waiting.
I questioned my own motives about whether I was being over reactive to the loud bell because I resent the Salvation Army, but I don't think so. It really was ear-painfully loud, persistent, intrusive, and obnoxious.
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Permalink Reply by Sentient Biped on
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The comments here have given me resolve. If next trip there has the same effect, I will go to the manager's desk and make a complaint. Since the manager's desk is very close to the front entrance, I amy have to cover my ears while waiting.
I questioned my own motives about whether I was being over reactive to the loud bell because I resent the Salvation Army, but I don't think so. It really was ear-painfully loud, persistent, intrusive, and obnoxious.
I COULD just bring that kazoo, make a sign, and put my hat on the ground for donations. But we know I wont do that. Plus I don't have a kazoo. Or a bagpipe. Or a vuvuzula.
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