Have you donated to hurricane relief?
 

I was just interested in an informal anonymous poll to see if your average TFP user has donated to hurricane relief. I know most people would rather not toot their own horns if they have donated, that's why I chose a poll.

There is no poll?

(or I'm blind)

That's wierd that you were able to respond beofre I was finished. :hmm:

Um, there is no "No, I haven't donated because I'm broke" option. All of the "No" options you supply are derogatory.

I agree; where is the "I'm a poor broke student" option?

Well unfortunately I can't edit the poll or I would add the "No, I'm poorer than than any of those affected, and can't even afford to drop a quarter in the hurricane relief jar at 7-11" option.

Edited to add: That's one of the reasons I put "services" in the 1st option because volunteering doesn't "cost" anything.

I think this is one of those "fair and balanced" opinion polls...

That's the consensus, so far.. I guess. :lol:

Taken care of.

I make and sell accessories for Subaru vehicles on the side, and for an indefinite time period, I'm donating gross receipts minus my shipping and PayPal costs. I figure I've already paid for the materials, it's just my time and effort.

I also have a vintage wristwatch collection, and I'm selecting a watch to auction on eBay, the proceeds of which will be donated. Probably a nice vintage Omega.

I am also donating cash out of my pocket.

I don't want to seem self-righteous. I feel a strong personal connection to the people on the Gulf Coast. I've got family down there. My sister lived in New Orleans until last Sunday. I'm just doing what I can do to help.

The Poll is missing a few options...

Such as? Since I seem to have misplaced my "How to be a Psychic in 10 easy Steps" book.

Doh! My bad, I guess I didn't finish my thought...well here, you can borrow my "How to be a Psychic in 10 easy Steps" book.

I wanted to see:

No, I didn't donate cause there already is a lot of aid etc

No, I didn't donate cause I don't have much money myself - similar to the "poor student option"

Undecided

I dunno, stuff like that I guess.

How about a simple yes or no?

Or how about this option...

"No, i haven't donated, nor do I plan to. I believe that my post-catastrophe-Monday-morning-quarterbacking skills and criticisms will ultimately do more good for the victims of Katrina than actually ponying up and donating time, materials or money. I'm a college student darnit, I know everything!"

How about the option of "No, I haven't donated yet because I want to make a meaningful contribution, don't have enough money, and can't bring myself to only giving a quarter."

Look, I want to help these people. If you know me at all, you would know that I am very empathetic. You would also know that I am the last to be the know-it-all college kid who bitches about how the government sucks. I think that it would be belittling to the people to give a quarter or a dollar. I also have no time to help raise money (I work 20+ hours a week and have a 16 hour class load on top of an hour long commute each way every day). I have less than five dollars in my bank account. I just had to borrow twenty bucks from my mom so that I can buy lunch and gas before my next paycheck. Now, that being said, I could forgo going to class, work, or the little free time that I have so that I can help those in need, but I'll be damned if I have needs myself. Giving would be more than an inconvenience to me. I want to help, but I just can't right now. I'm just hoping for some fortunate event to come up where I have a little extra cash or time that I can donate. I have a feeling that there will be plenty of time to help, and I don't have to make myself as poor as the victims to help.

I would consider telling the original poster to go fuck him/her self, but that would be the childish way to do it. I would appreciate it if you would maybe consider that there actually people out there who would like to help but lack the means.

I didn't want to make a whole thread just for this, and it's all relief-related, so here goes...

SOMEONE HAS AN ACTUAL BRAIN IN THEIR HEAD!! AN ACTUAL SMART MOVE, FOR ONCE!

Another board Im on adopted the friend of a member and we have all donated goods for money (in the form of store gift cards) and are helping that way. I much rather like knowing the piddly little amount I could afford went for something specific to a "real" person

Analog, that's really cool. I hope that the counterfeit dog food is still nutritious, and that the toys aren't safety hazards. I'm sure there's no issue with the clothes (they might wear out a bit faster, but that won't concern anyone).

My wife handles the charity in our family, she donated through her workplace to the Red Cross, since her company is matching all donations.

Well, because I was interested to see why people who haven't donated choose not to. Since it's anonymous there is absolutely no need for anyone to quantify their vote. And also I wanted to see how many people would complain about the answers I gave.



Oh and if someone were to tell me to go fuck myself, I would have to tell them if I could, I would never leave the house

p.s. 1,000,000 / 4 = 250,000

You seem to be against those of us who simply want to vote "No" without tagging us as some lower member of society....

Anyways, no I have not, nor do I honestly plan on it. I can barely afford the cost of gas as it was prior to rising, and riding a bike isnt a option.

So I'd love to vote, but I dont vote biased polls.

No, because I'm a selfish prick and have other things to do with my money


there I said it.

i agree with destrox. Helping your fellow man is a choice, not a duty. The person most deserving of life is yourself.

lol ..........nice

For those without convenient outlets, Red Cross accepts direct contributions to their Katrina fund by <a href="http://www.redcross.org/donate/donatephone.html">Phone</a>, <a href="http://www.redcross.org/donate/donatemail.html">Mail</a>, or <a href="https://give.redcross.org/?hurricanemasthead">Online</a>.

<img src="http://www.redcross.org/cda/images/homemasthd.jpg">

I'd agree with the second statement, but completely disagree with the first statement... It's a pretty self absorbed way to go thru life not thinking you have an obligation to your fellow human beings. No man is an island, they eventually need the help of other people, and they should willingly give help to others..you do what you can to help... period.

Exactly... except I voted. I just chose the most offensive (and popular) "No" reason, just for the hell of it (no, I don't actually think that).

If you want some real poll results, add some "no" votes that aren't insulting the person who choses it.

Exactly, a biased poll is no poll at all but more a type of trolling. :|

You just restated the last option using different words, so how is that not tagging yourself "as some lower member of society". And how exactly does an anonymous poll tag anybody as anything?

So is unfoundedly and self righteously accusing others of trolling.
:| :| :|



I knew from the git-go that people would bitch about semantics (because some people will bitch about anything). But for all of the bitching, I'm still not hearing any reasons that don't fit into one of the categories.

The life of any individual can and must belong only to himself, not to others- be it random strangers, the community, or all of society. If it is my duty to help others, costing from my own life, I am but a slave to the whims of those others. No society can be more important than the individuals that compose it. Everyone should have a say in how they choose to live their own lives. That is the choice I am talking about.

I mean, don't get me wrong, I donate money, effort, clothing, etc. to various charities, disaster relief funds, salvation army, and so on. But it's my choice to do so, not some prescribed duty where i'm completing my allotment of human salvation.

I don't bitch about semantics, but when so many people feel that you were insulting them because of their inability to donate they should stand up for themselves. I don't like to bitch at all, but when I'm insulted, I don't let somebody get away with it.

Again, how in the hell could I personally insult someone on an anonymous poll?


P.S. "Inability" to donate falls in the last category. Unless you mean a purely physical inability to donate (which it's true I don't have an option forthe physically challenged) then it's semantics.

Nope, haven't donated. Don't plan to, but I guess you never know. I have my own problems. But if tossing a quarter at a 7-11 clerk would help, I'd have done that a long time ago.

It doesn't matter if the poll is anonymous or not, if you are interested in seeing acurate reasons for why people would not donate to the relief effort you need to re-evaluate your options and having every "no" choice tagged on to a negative reasoning won't provide accurate responses.

I almost like your i'm opposed to charity as a whole option, but i'm not... i am, however, opposed to most of the "organized" relief efforts being conducted. I would donate to a specific person or help a specific need, but i'm not about to give money to a large organization to piss it away.

My thoughts exactly.

By all means, if you want to help, but all you can afford is a quarter, then please, give that quarter. There is no shame in helping all you can, no matter what that is. if everybody in this country gave a quarter, that would be almost $9 million. That money can buy a lot of food, water, school supplies, blankets, etc.

Bullshiat it is, that's like saying cops break the law b/c they have to disturb the peace to arrest someone disturbing the peace.

For all the "bitching" you arn't hearing any reasons why it's wrong? Don't you get what bias means? A polls job is to measure something, your poll does not measure what it's supposed to, it has no internal validity. So if the results are pointless, then all your doing is getting a rise out of people, and that is fucking trolling.

QFT.

I think it's pretty obvious he wasn't after a real poll though, he was doing his bit of armchair activisim and soliciting donations in a peer-pressure sort of way.

Oh so you're the "police" now are you? Because unless you are an "official moral authority", the entire purpose of your posts here are to get a rise out of me. Pot. Kettle Black.

And not once did I say I wasn't hearing reasons that people "felt" why the poll was "wrong". I said that I wasn't hearing any reasons that didn't fit into one of the categories offered.

You are certainly free to think whatever you want (however wrong it may be) if it makes you feel better about yourself. But the truth of the matter is I wanted to get a bead on how a geographicly and culturally diverse crowd was reacting to Katrina, donation-wise. And I came up with all of the reasons that I could think of why people would choose not to donate. They were: apathy (4,6), selfishness (4), racism/nationalism/hate(4,6), religion (5), adversity to charity (organized or otherwise)(5), laziness (4), and poverty (7). And unlike others on this thread, I never implied that I am all knowing and was open to reasons for not donating that didn't fit into one of the categories(which is why they added the poverty option). There is only space for 10 options anyway, and no matter what I would have put, it would not have pleased everyone, and people would have complained, because [i]they always do[i].

As far as all of the "no" answers being "negative", answering no, by definition, is negative. And since I have absolutely no control of how someone feels when they read an answer, I no way of making the "no" reasons be positive.

Can we get back to the real reason for this thread? The poll is there.. use it and discuss according to the poll set. I don't think turning this thread into a debate on why mrklixx used the choices he did is going to solve anything. The choices are there.. if you don't like them, don't use them. It's pretty simple.

"Nah, screw them poor black bastards. 21 25.61% "

Still in the lead! This is like watching a prejudiced horse race or something..

Let's stick to the poll itself please ...
or, if you must discuss the poll options, do so respectfully..

I haven't donated because I strongly feel that money donated to these types of charities is being abused for corrupt reasons, and I do not wish to feed that corruption. I can't prove that the money is being used for corrupt purposes, but since I don't actually know what happens when I donate money (i.e. what exactly is the money used for when it is donated?), then I refuse to donate.

I think everyone here could at least afford to donate a quarter or a dollar, even those who claim to be horribly poor; I'm not exactly rich either, but I admit that I could donate a dollar--I just don't want to.

I also didn't donate because I feel like there's no need. My taxes are alread going to the aid effort.

Another thing I don't get: Why should it be fes responsibilty to provide money relief when all the people who live in hurricane region, Florida, etc (red states) are plenty aware of the risks? Let the insurance companies and private sector and local govts. take care of it. This is ridiculous.

How about...

No, I haven't and I'm not going to because I'm still recovering financially from the five storms that hit my area last year and though I feel for those who are so devastated, had the tree I parked my car under (intentionally) actually fallen on it, instead of the neighbor's house, the POS wouldn't be sucking up all of my available funds. That, and I work in social services. And... since I work in a field that relies heavily on donations, I know that sometimes funds don't end up in the hands that really need it.

Yes, I am struggling and on a tight budget but I did donate a little bit, and helped out at a shelter. I too think we have an obligation to help others in need if we can. If you can't, for whatever reason, there's no shame in not being able. Or, if for some reason you feel like you shouldn't...well that's your choice obviously. Tragedy strikes everybody sooner or later, and it's nice to know there are people out there who are willing to step up and help out when needed.

I have to say, it seems odd to have a kind of blanket, unsubstantiated mistrust of charities. That said, there are some organizations that rate charities on their efficiency, as well as other metrics.

http://www.charitywatch.org/

http://www.charitynavigator.org/

I have not given for several reasons.
A - barely had enough for groceries this week for my family let alone leftover money. Last week I scavanged the couch for change to get milk.
B - I'm still trying to wrap my mind around ALL these people who were warned that the storm was coming, stayed, got trapped, and now want help. I can understand helping with their housing but why did so much relief money have to go to rescue. I know this is a long debate and don't intend to get into it here. I just cannot understand it and thus have less empathy for those who were able bodied and stood around waiting for someone ELSE to give them a ride. WALK - you got two good legs. Walking would have gotten them a long ways before the storm hit. I know smarter people who were hit by the storms in Fla last year - relatives. Some of our relatives did not stay there - they were not physically fit either. They found a way out and good thing they did. They lost their homes. It took a long time but they have a new home now. How you get yourself into a situation like this and don't make an attempt to get out of it yourself - I cannot comprehend it. (end of rant)

When someone can make me understand what the TRUE situation was that made these people REAL victims. Then I will give to the REAL victims what money I am able to vacuum out of my carpet.

Please, aren't there enough other threads that deal with this debate? If you don't think they are worthy of even your sympathy, much less your money, just say so, and leave it at that.

If I had just made a post that said "Screw them poor black bastards, because I hate them" then you might have a valid point. However, since the day after the storm, I have heard nothing but how the main reason that there is a lack of aid is racism. Everyone from the mayor of N.O. to Jesse Jackson to most of the major media outlets have claimed that "hateful white folks" are not helping victims. So there are are great number of people who, [i]at the very least/i] believe that everyone who doesn't help is a hateful callous racist. So I don't know how you could have a poll and not have that as an option, when so many people claim that is the only reason people are not helping. You are absolutely right in saying that response is ignorant, which is exactly why it is worded the way it is, because someone who would legitimately use that as their reason would say it pretty much as worded in the poll (except maybe laced with profanity and the "word that shall not be named").

23-22, "Yes" is catching up!

As for my opinion.. it's mixed. I distrust charities, I jaded in the fact that anyone still trapped is an idiot for staying, and anyone starving isn't resourceful enough. That said, I'd be compassionate enough to donate if I could actually see it going to a useful cause. And yes, I voted screwing black bastards, but only in jest. :)

With any luck you'll go through life without ever having anything catastrophic happen to you. Something that might require the help of others.

I think people are forgetting that many of the people trapped were either confined to hospital beds or in wheel chairs.

I didn't donate because I think there's plenty of charity disbursed already between the Red Cross, the Feds, athletes, entertainers, corporations/big business. Moreover, I feel I have already donated through my tax dollars.

If the Red Cross makes a plea for blood or volunteers, I would consider that (if I knew for certain the Red cross wouldn't sell my blood to a hospital as is their normal policy).

I am very impressed at how America rallied together and was so generous. It appears to me, that there is no further need for me to contribute. Especially seeing how we are turning away hundreds of millions of dollars from very willing foreign aid.

I'm unsure of whether or not I want to donate.

It sucks what happened and all, but seeing as how the govt failed to provide adequate funding to keep the most important structures (read: levees) maintained and up-to-date, they should be the ones to pay.

I'm serious, too. If you have a city below sea level, flat out, your top priority is to maintain those levees for the WORST... and trust me, it's easily possible with the technology and money we have these days. If you can send a man to the moon, you can build a f'n levee to withstand hurricanes.

...and where should the govt get this money from, you ask? Well, there's a meaningless war going on that's costing us about $200 billion. In fact, money that was to go to the SELA (Southeast Louisiana Urban Flood Control Project) was diverted to help pay for it sometime in 2003. It's about time they take from the "meaningless war fun" and apply it to something that's *actually* relevant to our reality.

I donated a few dollars to the RedCross. I'm not sure of how much it'll really help, but heh, it can't hurt..

I will leave tomorrow evening for 12 hour trip to Gretna...right accross the river from the superdome.....a group of men from our church are hauling several uhaul trailer loads of steaks, fajitas, and pork loin --and a BIG barba-A-Q..we are going to cook for the
guys that are working their butts off...and maybe give them a little break.....it's not much, but everything was donated.

They said to bring a sleeping bag and be completly self suffiecint....hmmmm sounds like we are on our own here...we will
see what the BIG GUY has instore for us.....more later..
Oh yea, Im 71 and I will sleep on the ground if thats what it takes...I just pray that it is enough..VG

I give the government a ton of money every year to deal with just this kind of thing. Of course, they piss it awy on pork and phony wars and arguing about whether or not they evolved from monkeys (they didn't, I did.) and then the pittance left over for disaster planning they put in the hands of a man who's chief qualification is that he once arranged a horse show....

I am philosophically apposed to charity. Doing together what we can't do individually is what government is <i>for</i>.