Have you donated to help Haiti yet?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is my first time posting. I think what some of the pp's may be objecting to is the self congratulatory tone of those who have donated to help Haiti and then felt the need to post about it. I'm sure most posters to DCUM are extremely generous and donate frequently to many worthy charities. And the majority don't post about their charitable contributions. Just seems odd to me.

I'm one of the PPs who questioned this thread, and I agree. The self-congratulatory tone is obnoxious.

[Anonymous]

wow. only here would a post about giving to charity turn into a fight.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is my first time posting. I think what some of the pp's may be objecting to is the self congratulatory tone of those who have donated to help Haiti and then felt the need to post about it. I'm sure most posters to DCUM are extremely generous and donate frequently to many worthy charities. And the majority don't post about their charitable contributions. Just seems odd to me.

I'm one of the PPs who questioned this thread, and I agree. The self-congratulatory tone is obnoxious.

Not any more obnoxious than your pissy attitude. Why don't you go pick on the school snobs or the nanny haters and leave the charity givers be.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm one of the PPs who questioned this thread, and I agree. The self-congratulatory tone is obnoxious.

Tens of thousands of people are dead, but the real outrage is that a few people are feeling good about doing something to help.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:wow. only here would a post about giving to charity turn into a fight.

exactly.

who cares how the message was delivered? It is a horrific situation. If seeing the message often enough spurs someone to donate then it was worthwhile. If an anonymous post on a message board discourages you from donating to charity, well then you have serious problems.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:wow. only here would a post about giving to charity turn into a fight.

exactly.

who cares how the message was delivered? It is a horrific situation. If seeing the message often enough spurs someone to donate then it was worthwhile. If an anonymous post on a message board discourages you from donating to charity, well then you have serious problems.

They are probably the same posters who congratulate themselves on having no sympathy every time a celebrity dies or someone runs into a nanny problem. Obnoxious.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Agreed!

What is the point of this thread?

Is it to encourage people to donate to Haiti? Then, the title should be - "Please donate to Haiti".

Is it to solicit recommendations of how people can donate? Then, the title should be - "How can I contribute to Haiti?".

Is it to brag about how you've donated $X? Then, the title should be "I donated $X, how much did you donate?"

Actually I think this is a pretty effective thread title -- It increases the social pressure to donate, which I think was the OP's intent.

It is pushy and does add pressure, you're right. It can also make people who can't afford to make a donation feel really badly. Sure lots of us can afford five or ten dollars but, there are also many on this board who can not, and it's not nice to make them feel guilty.

What utter bullshit, there aren't many people on this board who cannot afford to give $5 or $10. Does it matter the purpose of this thread? Glad to see that people are opening up their wallets.

Shut up!

What are you? Six?

While there may not be tons of people on this site that can't afford to make a donation they are a few. Why make these people, who probably want to help, feel worse by asking if you have made your donation yet?

This is a horrible tragedy and I am sure that everyone who is willing to help will. We can't force people to help others nor can we we dictate how someone spends limited funds.

[Anonymous]

*there are a few*

[Anonymous]

I react negatively to any sort of solicitation that makes a presumption about what I should or will do. Therefore, when I read this post, it discouraged me from donating rather than encouraged me to donate, because I felt like I was being told what to do - like there was a moral obligation that I, personally, donate funds to help Haiti. There is no such moral obligation. There are many causes in this world, and lots of dead and dying from starvation, poverty, disease, or natural conditions/disasters, including the Haiti earthquake. It's the implication that ALL MUST DONATE that is irritating.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I react negatively to any sort of solicitation that makes a presumption about what I should or will do. Therefore, when I read this post, it discouraged me from donating rather than encouraged me to donate, because I felt like I was being told what to do - like there was a moral obligation that I, personally, donate funds to help Haiti. There is no such moral obligation. There are many causes in this world, and lots of dead and dying from starvation, poverty, disease, or natural conditions/disasters, including the Haiti earthquake. It's the implication that ALL MUST DONATE that is irritating.

NP Here.

That may be, but then you are just a sheep of a different color. Make your own decision on what you think is right, don't just refuse to donate because some of some American who has nothing to do with Haiti. That's immature.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I react negatively to any sort of solicitation that makes a presumption about what I should or will do. Therefore, when I read this post, it discouraged me from donating rather than encouraged me to donate, because I felt like I was being told what to do - like there was a moral obligation that I, personally, donate funds to help Haiti. There is no such moral obligation. There are many causes in this world, and lots of dead and dying from starvation, poverty, disease, or natural conditions/disasters, including the Haiti earthquake. It's the implication that ALL MUST DONATE that is irritating.

Okay, I need to not read this thread anymore because posts like this make me lose faith in human nature. PP, it is true that people are dying all over the world and I hope you find a cause you can bring yourself to contribute your time or money to. If nothing else, I think disasters on this scale are moments when we can all reflect on how lucky we are and do what we can to help others who are not as lucky.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I react negatively to any sort of solicitation that makes a presumption about what I should or will do. Therefore, when I read this post, it discouraged me from donating rather than encouraged me to donate, because I felt like I was being told what to do - like there was a moral obligation that I, personally, donate funds to help Haiti. There is no such moral obligation. There are many causes in this world, and lots of dead and dying from starvation, poverty, disease, or natural conditions/disasters, including the Haiti earthquake. It's the implication that ALL MUST DONATE that is irritating.

Okay, I need to not read this thread anymore because posts like this make me lose faith in human nature. PP, it is true that people are dying all over the world and I hope you find a cause you can bring yourself to contribute your time or money to. If nothing else, I think disasters on this scale are moments when we can all reflect on how lucky we are and do what we can to help others who are not as lucky.

I'm the PP you're responding to. I *do* have causes I donate my time and money to - and I don't think donating to Haiti is an unworthy cause in any way. Tsunami? I think we donated first to Doctors without Borders, and then I can't recall what our second round of donations went to - I think is was Red Cross. Haiti? My guess is we'd start with a Doctors without Borders donation and possible RC again. BUT - the tone of the original post, the presumption that ALL MUST DONATE, strikes me the wrong way. Anything presumptuous like that does. It doesn't mean I lack a soul or charitable intentions or basic humanity - it just means I bristle when people assume that I should care about exactly the same thing they do in exactly the same way. Disagreeing with how something is written, or seeing this post as irritating, doesn't render me blind to what's going on in the world.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's the implication that ALL MUST DONATE that is irritating.

This is so true. Like one of the PPs said, each one of us probably gets 323 solicitations for various causes daily, whether by email/phone/online. What makes this cause so much more important than another? Because you (OP) are donating? And, you deem it of the utmost importance?

And, some of the other posters on this thread who feel they can claim moral superiority because they gave $10 via a text message irk me even more. Really? So, that's all it takes? You can give the $10 and feel good about yourself for "making a difference" and bash the other people who have not/cannot donate?

The 13:21 poster is particularly irritating? WTH? What point are you even trying to make? I, for one, have never frolicked on the beaches of DR. And, what are you saying? People who can afford to, should never go on vacation? Do you think that taking the tourism industry away from DR would make that country better? They make money from tourism there. What they do with that money is up to them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I react negatively to any sort of solicitation that makes a presumption about what I should or will do. Therefore, when I read this post, it discouraged me from donating rather than encouraged me to donate, because I felt like I was being told what to do - like there was a moral obligation that I, personally, donate funds to help Haiti. There is no such moral obligation. There are many causes in this world, and lots of dead and dying from starvation, poverty, disease, or natural conditions/disasters, including the Haiti earthquake. It's the implication that ALL MUST DONATE that is irritating.

NP Here.

That may be, but then you are just a sheep of a different color. Make your own decision on what you think is right, don't just refuse to donate because some of some American who has nothing to do with Haiti. That's immature.

Note that nowhere in my post did I say I would not donate. My point is that I prefer being able to make my own decisions, just as you suggest, but without the assumption that I'm required to do so or the guilt trip that suggests I must.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why are posters basing this thread? Donations are being asked everywhere! I get them from organizations in my e-mail box, I turn on the t.v. and they are asking for donations. Why is it surprising that it's on DCUM? No one is making you hand over money. You give if you can and don't if you can't or don't want to. Finding ways to get money/help to Haiti is more important than being careful and not stepping on the toes of people who don't want to see requests for donation.
I've always liked the work of Heifer.org. Just another suggestion in case people want to donate.

See, THIS I don't mind. It makes no presumptions and assumes no moral obligation. It just gives an idea of a cause one could donate to, if so inclined.