OSPIRG

A volunteer from OSPIRG stopped by yesterday evening just as I was getting ready to eat dinner so I sent him away. Last year it was a couple of young women and I enjoyed talking to them so much that I gave them some money. This year I was a little annoyed. Reminds me of a conversation I had with Tena about this maybe ten years ago. She liked what they were doing, but she didn't like them coming by the house to ask for money. Maybe I'm sexist, or maybe I'm getting old, but I am tired of men coming to the door and asking for money. I used to put up with it in good cheer. Times are tough, at least these guys are getting out and trying to accomplish something, whether they are selling something or collecting for charity. But I've had enough.
       The biggest problem with charities is that once you give them some money they seem to use that small show of generosity on your part as an excuse to dun you ever more for more money. No, I gave you money to stop talking and go away. Foolish me. From now on if you come to the door and ask for money, you aren't getting any.
    As for OSPIRG, I don't know if they do any good or not. They certainly seem earnest enough, and their heart is in the right place, but if they are doing so much good, how come they have to go begging? Yes, corporations can put large sums of money behind their focused attacks on the common good, but if you have to go begging for money it's apparent people do not appreciate what you are doing, so maybe you shouldn't bother. Things might get a lot worse, but maybe that's what it takes to get people to wake up and pay attention. Of course we could all end up in hell, but I like to think that at some point some revolutionary firebrand would pick up a torch and start inciting people to topple our corporate overlords.