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Mika Salakka is a Finn living in the United States. He is a nursing assistant, a creative writer, a devoted husband, and an observer of the human condition. His interests range from music and literature to psychology, sociology, medicine, technology, and spirituality.
The Good That Men Do
August 12, 2009
in Commentary
Last year, I joined the ACLU. For all their faults, I also believe they do a lot of good, and I felt that the organization was very aggressive about protecting civil rights. Probably the whole Prop 8 fiasco made me feel like I had to do something, so I joined.
I didn’t realize I was also joining some kind of a mailing list for non-profit organizations in need of cash. Soon after my membership card came in the mail, I began receiving mail from various organizations, from women’s rights to African-American heritage something-or-other. I thought the accompanying celeb letters were a nice touch. I enjoyed reading the first pages of the multi-page letters from such people as Toni Morrison, Stephen King, John Grisham, and so forth.
I wasn’t so crazy about the last page. Basically, it always read something like this: please send this organization money. What would really help is $100 or more, but you can send even $20. If you send $50 or more, you get this wonderful organic spatula.
I have to say I did not appreciate this unsolicited begging mail.
Well, the fool that I am, I joined up a site called ACORN which supposedly was doing a lot of good for people who were losing their homes to foreclosures. They seemed to be doing a lot of something, anyway.
Then they sent me an email asking me to help with something by signing a petition or whatever. Sure, happy to help. Sucker. The next thing I know, I am getting a thank you email asking me to do something else.
And now I am getting a letter every other day, telling me that they need to raise $200,000 for polling and research purposes in order to fight Prop 8 again.
Please do fight Prop 8 again. But do it on someone else’s dime. These are lousy times, economy-wise. I can write letters. I can make calls. I can sign petitions, if these do some good. But don’t ask me to chip in for your suits and paper clips.
And to those helpful organizations who already have my address: feel free to send me cash. My car needs gas. A donation of a $100 or more gets a synthetic spatula.