On a furum board that I frequent, the subject of charity donations came up. The paper back home does a "sad story of the day" thing where they appeal for donations and someone posted about the nature of the family profiled on one particular day (getting public assistance, living in subsidized housing, paid utilities, etc.; three kids with perhaps different fathers and another on the way). Despite all the aid she was already getting, the woman was asking for someone else to provide presents for her kids. This sparked a debate on the legitimacy of those "Empty Stocking" type pleas. While someone must nominate the people, one has to wonder how hard they really screen those folks.
The subject then turned to the question of people getting aid, yet dressing in the latest and greatest and driving better cars than those of us who haul ass to work everyday to make Christmas nice for our family. One person specifically mentioned the $150 Nikes and cell phone sported by a kid getting a free lunch at the school where she works while she was scrounging through her purse to find lunch money. Another made the point that sometimes you can buy designer at the thrift stores, but it was pointed out that you don't get cell phones at the Goodwill. I know you can get good jeans and some basic items at the thrifts (I live for Savers and $.99 Mondays!), but not those Nikes!
I hate to come off like Scrooge, but I am getting tired of all the calls for my money and people whining that they need, need, need! Damn it! I need some things, too, but I don't stand on the street corner with a sign demanding that people give me money.
However, that seems to be the career of choice for so many in this city. I understand that some of the professional beggars can make 3 times what I make for putting in a little face time on the corner. There's a somewhat apocryphal story about a lawyer who supplemented his income by doing so on his lunch hours. Changed clothes at a nearby fast-food restaurant, stood on the corner for an hour, then changed back and hopped into the Benz to go back to the office. Why work when you can get someone to give it to you?
My biggest gripe this week has to do with the Freecycle phenomenon, though. I am a member of the local group and will likely get booted for this, but I have to say it: STOP BEGGING FOR PEOPLE TO OUTFIT YOUR HOUSE AND BUY YOUR CLOTHES AND FOOD!!! My other bitch is that the people offering items have now taken to make it a "sob story" contest- whoever comes up with the saddest story gets the item, whether or not the story is confirmable. That is not what the thing was created for. The original concept as posted at http://www.freecycle.org is that it would be a way to dump the stuff cluttering up your house or garage by passing it on to someone who is looking for just that stuff. It was never meant to be a charity clearinghouse where every hard luck story in the world could be posted in hopes that someone will give them whatever. The thing that gets me is that people can't afford a lamp or a chair (or so they post), but they DO have a computer at home.
The nerviest post of the day to me was the lady who asked for a digital camera (with all attachments, designed for Windows XP) to take pictures of her kids to make Christmas cards. She also asked for the photo paper to print the things!!!!! This woman was asking for toys a few days ago. Now, if she had asked for someone to loan her the camera (not mine-I see "pawn shop") or take the pictures for her, I wouldn't be so derisive. I guess I am getting tired of people asking for cars and furniture and clothes and major appliances, only to have to compete with some of them for some little item I might be able to use and losing because I'm not needy enough!
So I'm freakin' cynical! Sue me! I would love to be able to go to the store and not have to buy the store brand $.88 TV dinners for D because they are cheaper than cooking "real" food! I would also love to have something for breakfast other than $.25 Cup-O-Noodles, but sometimes there is only enough to take care of D. I go without, I drop some weight (though not much because cheap food has more empty calories than quality food). D goes without, I go to jail for neglect.
Yeah, it's been one of those weeks...
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