'Tis The Season To Be Giving [OregonMuse]

Everybody knows that conservatives give more than liberals. Donating your own money to organizations and causes you believe in is a conservative tradition. Donating other people's money (by force through taxation) is the liberal tradition.

Other liberal traditions include making up stories about rape and war crimes, crapping on police cars, assaulting conservative speakers on college campuses, and destroying the businesses of those you disagree with

But I digress.

Many of us give donations during the holiday season. And actually, more Americans donate money during the month of December than in any other month.

This is probably because generous giving is in the spirit of the Christmas holiday, but also, to meet the January 1st tax deadline. Either way, it's all good. The money flows.

Of course, we must give wisely.

If you've a charity you're thinking about giving to, and want to know more about it from an independent source, here's a website that may have the information you need:

http://www.charitynavigator.org/

My personal opinion: I like to donate, but I hate being incessantly hit up for money. For example, back in the 90s, I used to donate to the Heritage Foundation, and I thought they're a good organization, but as soon as I started giving, I was deluged in an ocean of additional requests. It seemed like every week, I got some professionally printed flyer (and you know that had to cost) in the mail from Heritage asking for money. At some point, I just quit giving. I naively thought that their panhandling would stop. But no, Heritage spammed me for YEARS afterwards and, get this, one night around 10PM(!) I received a phone call from one of their hired panhandlers fundraisers who wouldn't take no for an answer and I finally had to hang up on him.

That left quite a bad taste in my mouth.

A friend of mine had the same problem with the Charles Colson's prison ministries. He made one donation and then boom, the spam was non-stop. Left a bad taste in his mouth, too. He now gives only to local charities, and perhaps that's the best.

So if any of you 'rons or 'ettes know of a good charity that from you personal experience is worth donating to, or maybe you know one to avoid, let's hear about it in the comments. Let the Hordeknowledge™ flow!

posted by Open Blogger at 05:53 PM

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