So, Let’s consider: ‘Tis the Season – for Shysters

Well, it’s that time of year again… Somewhere shortly after the last of the fireworks have gone out on the 4th of July and and frequently by July 5th, you’ll start seeing every store from Walmart to your local drug store starting to bring out their xmas schlock and reminding you how few days it is until “Christmas”. And they’ll be pounding that drum until the champagne starts flowing on New Year’s Eve. Forget that there’s 6 months of holidays yet to come and that the historical and Biblical records are overly clear that the overly marketed fat jolly elf of December 25th has nothing to do with the birth of the Christ Child, you’re going to be inundated with all kinds of crap that you just can’t live without buying for “The Season”…history and logic be damned.
Along with these shysters will come a more sinister group of shysters that just as predictably show up every year wanting your money. These are the shysters that have prey on the good hearted people wanting to help others. These are they shysters that tell you how much good your donation to their cause is going to do for the world. How blessed you will be once your fork over your cash to them and their cause celeb or foundation or whatever buzz word will get you to part with your money. And, of course, little to none of your cash will get to where it’s supposed to go.
Now, I’m not stupid enough to not fully understand that there’s an abundance of well meaning and credible organizations of good will towards mankind out there, but there’s just as many organizations that are more interested in their own good will than helping the homeless people down the street.
This season I would encourage you to be generous with your giving, but I would also encourage you to be vigilant with whom you give to. Giving to help others not only shouldn’t be just one day a year, it should also be to those methods and organizations that actually are interested in doing good for their fellow man versus lining their own pockets, and that do so throughout the year as well. Preferably ones with a good existing record of having done so in the past.
Remember, the homeless guy down the street needs as much to eat on September 30 as he does on December 25th.
This year, please be generous, but also, be smart about your giving…and remember that generosity is needed 365 days a year.

I’m Don Rima and that’s the view From Where I Stand.

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