Another Reason I Am A Bad Person

A lot of these blog topics prove to me that I am a really bad person. I like guns so I am fascist. I believe in ghosts so I am stupid. I don't donate money to organizations so I am poor. And being poor makes me a bad person, I guess. Well, maybe it doesn't. But sometimes I feel that way. I would like to donate money to a number of causes. For instance, I would really like to become a card carrying member of the ACLU. That's an organization I can unequivocally get behind. Even when they defend the KKK or Westboro Baptist Church (that crazy church that runs godhatesfags.com), I feel they're doing it for the right reasons, even though those groups are totally fucked. It often seems that most people don't want to stick up for things like freedom of speech, expression, religion, etc, anymore. How often do we hear pundits lambast the ACLU for defending free speech? When did free speech become a dirty word? I mean two dirty words. But only when used together in that order. People often just use ACLU as an insult. I've seen public officials (usually right wing) denounce opponents as card carrying members of the ACLU. Well, that doesn't seem like much of an insult to me.

Anyway, I obviously don't believe in the ACLU $20 worth, though, since that's what it costs to become a card carrying member. That's 4 meals, buddy! Well, like two meals and a piece of pie or something.

Well, I'm going to cut this short because I'm on vacation. Sorry all of my posts have been lame lately.

I just can't resist a furry face

This post will be short, as I'm getting ready for work. I'm not particularly big on donating money to things, mainly because I have so little of it myself. Also, I've been called selfish plenty of times before, and yes, I AM a fan of Ayn Rand. All that being said, I can't resist a furry face, and the idea of bad things happening to dogs and cats is one of the few things that will get me to open up my wallet. (This is also why there are six or seven cats in my house in GA, even though I'm not even in the US right now.) The most recent organization to which I donated money is the Jacksonville Humane Society. The humane society suffered a devastating fire last month which killed 67 cats and kittens and 19 dogs and puppies. The kennels were damaged and the cattery was completely destroyed. When I first read about this, I literally cried. And then I immediately sent them $100.

Money - It's a Gas

I used to champion a cause very near and dear to my heart, but it has, in the last few years, fallen by the wayside. I'm talking about FLAG (not to be confused with PFLAG - Parents and Families (Friends?) of Gays and Lesbians). FLAG stands for the Foundation for the Literacy of Activity Guides. These poor college students couldn't read their schedules, and had to ask their boss all the time what they were doing. I started the foundation to help educate them. Ok - not a real charity, and I'm not sure that any amount of education would get them to actually read their schedules. These were the river guides and rappelling guides, who never bothered to look at what was posted, rather drove my friend Java insane by walking past the schedule to ask her. Odds are they were just being annoying.

I'm ashamed to say that I don't really donate money to anything. I don't make a lot of money, and am often broke pretty much days after being paid.

I used to live in VA, and as a result, went to the Smithsonian tons of times when I was younger. My mother really liked the African and Chinese art museums, so I ended up frequenting those by default. It's a shame though, because I don't think I ever went into the Art and Industries building. I was 12 though when I moved to FL, so I don't really remember a lot, except that I had been to several.

It's interesting that you brought this up. When I was in NYC, Laurie commented on having to pay to get into all the museums, whereas the SI was free. Obviously the Smithsonian needs a little help - maybe do like the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and not tell everyone the charge is optional.

That reminds me - did anyone else look at our stats the other day? Someone from the SI was checking out our blog.

Though I don't have money, I do donate a lot of time to my church. While that may not seem like a worthy cause to everyone, I really like my church and the people in it. Also local theaters, but since I get something out of it, I don't really consider it charity of any sort.

I suppose if I were to hypothetically donate, one would be the save the music campaigns - to protect music programs in schools. Almost everyone I'm friends with was either in band or chorus, and it's something near and dear to my heart.

Give out your money!

Speaking of ghosts, I spent all weekend in Harpers Ferry. Such a cool place! The stories I heard there were much better than those on this site, but they’re for another time.

Yesterday for work I was reading up a lot on the Smithsonian Institution. Many people who haven’t been to Washington don’t realize that saying “the Smithsonian” actually refers to a complex of 18 museums, the zoo, and a bunch of laboratories and research facilities across the country. I think the Smithsonian owns or leases over 600 buildings. In DC alone, there are 12 museums, a zoo, and the visitor’s center.

All this infrastructure needs a LOT of money and manpower to keep up. And, contrary to popular belief, our tax dollars do NOT pay for it all. Each year the Smithsonian submits a budget request to Congress for the next year’s expenses, but Congress doesn’t have to approve the whole amount. Also, if SI needs any emergency funds for whatever reason, they’re not easy (if not impossible) to come by.

The Arts and Industries building on the National Mall has been closed for years and there are no plans to open it back up. The roof and ceiling are in such bad shape that pieces starting falling off. After a big snow storm a few years ago that collapsed the roof of two other buildings (one in DC and one in Baltimore) that were built around the same time with the same techniques, SI had to permanently close the A&I. The exhibits that were there were moved to the American History Museum, on the other side of the Mall (most people remember Archie Bunker’s chair, Kermit the Frog, Dorothy’s ruby red slippers, the Fonz’s jacket, Oscar the Grouch, Seinfeld’s puffy shirt, etc.). Unfortunately, that museum has recently been shut for restoration and ceiling work as well, but will hopefully open again in 2 years. The American Art Museum and Portrait Gallery just reopened last summer after being shut for several years for the same reason.

To me, it’s just horrible to have such an important bastion of culture, history, and learning fall into ruin. So I give a little money there each year, and, in return, they send me a cool planner and a subscription to Smithsonian Magazine (awesome)! I also get discounts on any of their lectures or classes or trips.

It’s not like I have a ton of money to spare—I cut it pretty close as it is—but this is something that’s important to me and I like to not only support it, but also to encourage other people to do the same. Even if you don’t live in DC, you’re likely to visit it at some point and enjoy the Smithsonian then. And where else would we store all of these American artifacts and knowledge? Before the Smithsonian, I donated more to Planned Parenthood and NARAL, as mentioned earlier. What do you donate to? Is there something you save money for? Something you contribute to or support in some other way? It's just money, after all.