Speak Out: cyber begging trend: websites soliciting donations for individuals

Replies (1)

• "I was sittin' home alone one night

  in L.A. watching ol' Cronkite

  on the Seven O'Clock News.

  "Seems there was an earthquake that

  left nothin' but a Panama hat

  and a pair of old Greek shoes.

  "Didn't seem like much was happenin'

  so I turned it off and went to grab another beer.

  Seems like every time you turn around

  there's another hard luck story that you're gonna hear.

  and there's really nothin' anyone can say.

  "And I never did plan to go anyway.

  To Black Diamond Bay."

  - Bob Dylan [Black Diamond Bay] -

  News has always played on our concern for our fellow man. The new slant has been the proliferation of solicitations for their aide. Used to be this was a local thing - a family that lost everything in a fire. Eventually, it became a national thing - a child with a rare cancer or a homeless veteran or the 9/11 relief fund. Even politician moves get in the game - the Clinton Legal Defense Fund or Occupy Wall Street.

  We've always been suckers for a sob story, and people have learned that there's more money to be made by going national with the appeal. I won't say I've been immune to giving to such causes - Hurrican Katrina, Haiti relief, and the Indonesian Tsunami come readily to mind, but you have to pick and choose your recipients, I think.

  -- Posted by Shapley Hunter on Fri, Jul 13, 2012, at 3:19 PM