a) because I like having people jump all over my head
b) because I am “venomous”
or
c) because I think it is important to consider
In the aftermath of the attack on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon (although everyone’s attention seems to be focused on the former), there was a deluge of appeals for cash donations to help the survivors. This appeal seems to be ongoing, and I am beginning to wonder why.
I am working on the assumption that massive amounts of money have already been donated, and am beginning to wonder if the continued appeal is going to have negative effects on organizations and causes that depend on public donations for their funding.
Beaverbook’s appeal for Britons to donate their “pots and pans” so that the metal could be used to fashion Spitfires comes to mind. Most of the metal collected was not suitable for recycling into armaments, but the appeal was kept going throughout the war in order to keep up morale.
I am beginning to believe that the continued appeals for funds to be donated in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks of September 11th are beginning to fall under the same category… they are being used for morale purposes rather than addressing immediate needs.
With no disrepect to the families of the both the survivors and those killed intended, isn’t it about time we started considering that it is time to start returning attention (and funds) to charitable groups that address a whole host of other issues?
I suspect that many thinking people will do as you indicated: Help other causes. And right now those who have been laid off will probably ignore pleas for contributions. There is also a group of people who could not help before and cannot help now because they can barely pay the rent.
Also, I have not heard that there has been over a 100billion collected which is a conservative estimate of costs so far. I’ve heard hundreds of millions but not the billions that the costs are estimated at.
bagkitty, thanks for posting this. I was trying to think of a way to post the same question.
The donations have to be in the 10s of millions of dollars by now, possibly the 100s of millions of dollars. This, of course, doesn’t include the billions of dollars appropriated by the congress. But, I don’t see any end in sight.
Obviously, everyone wants to help, but shouldn’t there be an end somewhere?
I think that if other charities were to be tossed out in the public’s faces like the Red Cross and various 9/11 funds that people would donate to them as well (or instead).
Are there going to be special pledges for the survivors of all the US firemen and policemen who die in the line of duty every year?
Are there going to be special pledges for the survivors of all the people in the US killed in car crashes and natural disasters every year?
Are there going to be special pledges for the survivors of of the US service personnel who bravely gave their lives fighting in Vietnam, Persian Gulf, and other wars? Yes, we have Memorial Day, but how much financial support do the survivors get? Heck, the Vietnam vets didn’t even get a parade or much respect at all.
Do the WTC victims deserve more attention than these other victims?
Another great question is, when will the money be allocated? Sure millions and millions have been donated, but very little of that has actually reached the hands of those that need it. It disheartening to give money that I really don’t have a lot of to see it sit in United Way’s bank drawing interest. I think the other charitable organizations you speak will be fine. People are in a giving mood as of late; their need will be seen and taken care of.