Some bad apples ruin things for everyone else
So Christine the Curmudgeon has been seeing many reminders in the media about how donations to charities like the Salvation Army are down, such as this one. The main reason given is the bad economy, that many people who used to be able to give are now in need of charitable services.
Well, I can think of another reason, and I know it’s going to piss a lot of people off. Yes, Christine the Curmudgeon is gong to lay some of the blame on obnoxious, bratty CHILDREN.
The fact is, I have been seeing fewer and fewer bell-ringers around over the past few years. The reason, I found out, was that some stores, such as Target, have adopted blanket policies that prohibit ANYONE from doing any form of solicitation in front of their stores, as they claim it is off-putting to their customers.
And this is where the obnoxious bratty children come in. I see them outside of some stores, with their cans, collecting money for their school sports teams or other unnecessary crap. Sometimes they are selling candy that can be had for a third of the price inside the store. Most of these kids look pretty well-heeled, their parents are pushing their younger siblings around in pricey Baby jogger city select strollers, surely, they can afford to pick up the cost of their kids’ sports activities.
On principle, I don’t give to these kids, nor do I buy anything. I pay enough in taxes for schools that I don’t even use. Hell, the town I live in is spending $16 million to renovate the high school, yet I still have to pay to have my garbage collected, when this service was once included in our tax payments. So why should I give them anything? Seriously.
The problem arises when people refuse to give, or buy the overpriced Reese’s cups or M&Ms. More often than not, these kids hurl verbal abuse at those who do not open their wallets to them. It has become so much of a problem that some stores felt the need to not allow ANYONE to solicit for ANYTHING. If they allow the Salvation Army bell-ringers, then the kids’ sports team parents will start whining about being discriminated against. So, as not to have to deal with that crap, Target and other stores had to adopt this policy.
The bell-ringers, I do give to. I may not agree with all the religious stuff about the Salvation Army, but they do good work, helping people in need. And I can tell you that I have yet to hear a bell-ringer hurl verbal abuse at people who walk by and do not donate. If they did start doing that, I would stop giving to them, as well. I refuse to be bullied, intimidated, into donating anything to anybody. I only do it if I truly WANT to.
I truly hope that the families of these spoiled brats never find themselves in need of help from the Salvation Army or other such charity. I just wish they’d be aware that their aggressive fund-raising techniques have hurt these charities, and there is not enough now to help everyone who needs assistance.
So, please…if you can possibly afford it, the next time you do see a bell ringer, drop some change or a few bucks into their bucket. Someday, YOU might need them to help YOU!
