Originally posted 2/12/13
How many people will be cajoled into dropping money in noisily shaken buckets, by a sometimes expert at casually applying guilt tactics, in order ultimately to grease the palms of big “charity” organisation bigwigs.
When I was in Dublin last weekend, I noticed a lot of people coolly walking past “charity” collectors, with their well rehearsed speels, and refusal to take no for an answer.
The fingers that any other year would have reached into a wallet or a purse, now stay firmly in the pockets. And who can blame them!
It is always the people who have the least ,who tend to give the most. You can be sure that the grossly overpaid executives in the recent scandals, will never be seen helping those less fortunate than themselves.
I also tend to be very annoyed, at the tactics these charity muggers (chuggers) adopt . Recently in Newbridge, a woman stoppedus with the express intention of at least getting bank details, for a lengthy bank commitment.
Where is this money going? is it going to pay her, or to top up some other (s) inflated wages?
She launched into telling us about how fortunate we are, at least we have food, clothing and shelter. All pretty basic and debatable.
I would rather help a struggling Irish person, rather than fund the extravagances of a “charity” exec or their overseas counterparts.
I saw the people going to the Capuchin Day Centre in Dublin on t.v the other day. Many of whom were young and homeless, faces bowed out of shame perhaps before the intrusive camera’s.
How much could they benefit from some of this top up money?
At least Brian Conlon of the CRC has resigned. and good riddance to him, and his like! I hope the disgust that these kinds of people have collectively generated does not contaminate the flow of people’s generosity.
There are plenty of deserving Irish causes, people just need to be more critical and discerning.
Is this the tip of the iceberg? How much of funds raised actually benefit the truly needy and will the scepticism caused by the recent scandals endure?
Hopefully the genuine small organisations, which are tightly run ships usually, will steer their way through this murky climate.
Links used for this post:
Big Charity Organisations: http://republican-news.org/current/news/2013/11/nod_and_wink_culture_at_heart.html
Brian Conlon resigns from CRC: http://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/chief-executive-of-central-remedial-clinic-resigns-1.1622006