I think it is best not to really know what goes on with "helping the homeless" etc, etc, etc. Every once in a while you get a glimpse of the ugly side of it.
I'm not saying to quit giving, I'm saying it comes with the territory and you can't think about it if you are going to try to help people.
Sue and I will give something to some organization to help Haiti. But we got treated to watching a reporter go in to Port-Au-Prince, and he was talking about how riots could break out easily. He finally showed some irate guy they were having to deal with, and it turned out he was vigorously objecting to the MRE's being past expiration date. Turned out he was wrong. But what the hell was he doing? People are starving to death and he's going ape over the expiration date? The reporter didn't seem to see the irony, at least it wasn't in the report.
Clearly this guy was just some trouble-maker with God knows what motivation. Another case, no doubt, of the help not going where it was needed. I am quite convinced he himself did not actually need anything to eat, perhaps just had some plan to profit from getting the supplies.
*Sigh*
Yep, best just not to know what really goes on.
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Yep-- it is best not to ask too many questions. I recall an incident when I was a kid growing up in Arkansas. We were helping the church distribute food to needy families at Christmas. My family did not have a TV, a real disappointment for my brothers and me. But Mom and Dad said we could not afford one. You can anticipate the end of the story. I went with my parents to a shack across the tracks with the church's basket of food. There were old cars in the front yard and a bunch of kids running around, poorly clad. But when we went in the house -- there was the biggest console TV I had ever seen (I don't think color was available yet). I was stunned and didn't say a word all the way home. I finally decided that if you look too hard-- you'll be a hopeless cynic and never give to anything.
F
This is why, sometimes, I prefer to give money to a big organization than get involved in the nitty-gritty myself. At least if I give to the Red Cross or whoever, I can tell myself that my money is being well used and that the recipients are grateful.
I had an experience delivering turkeys at Thanksgiving "to the needy" when living in Youngstown OH. A Welfare Queen made a big nuisance of herself trying to get extra turkeys given to her. What was funny was the intimidation techniques she used, thinking she was dealing with a certain charity she was used to bullying.
Unfortunately for her, it was just the owner of a Carpet Company trying to give back to the community. She was quite shocked to be told to drop dead. Another eye opener as to what goes on, though.
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