The Season of (not) Giving...

Just as a disclaimer: This is not a feel-good Christmas post. That'll come later. Today it's another political rant. I'm feeling feisty.

I like to be up-to-date on current events, but I don't watch network news. (*Unless I know someone on the show - usually theatre or event promos, serial killer friends... that kind of thing.) I scour the internet for sources from the far left, the far right, and the obscure, because I believe in the merit of "his side, her side, and the truth" ...in most cases.

The danger of getting most of my news from the internet is that I am easily persuaded by passionate arguments on everything from saving the Mexican Grey Wolf to ending bullying to anti-GMO campaigns and budget cuts to education/arts/welfare... you get the picture. I end up on ALL the email lists.

During one quarterly cleaning of my inbox, I discovered that every email from any 'cause' I'd ever cyber-joined  led to politics or money. Usually both.


There seem to be two primary categories. The first, a crowd-funded grass-roots campaign to build this or preserve that, usually with specific objectives and collective accountability on how funds are to be used. The second is the 'campaign' or 'committee' dedicated to wiping out this or fighting that. Primarily political, and focused on combating corporate funding of this or that initiative.

Sometimes it's small... a little link at the top or bottom of the email. Sometimes a shiny little radio button with 'DONATE' in an attractive font. Sometimes it's the entire body of the email. But it's always there. "Support our cause - with your money."

I'll use Al Franken (U.S. Senator, Minnesota) as an example of the second/latter category. (In full disclosure, I'm on his mailing list - and not because I think the guy is an asshat. But he IS a politician nevertheless.)
His campaign shot off an email asking for donations to reach their December goal of $200,000. The reason for this request: Karl Rove and his allies are running attack ads. (I'm just going to let that one sink in... for anyone who has ever felt the need to combat someone talking shit about you.)
He goes further to mention a $22.5 million check to Rove's "attack ad factory" as motivation to donate generously to his counter-cause.

So... let me get this straight. The bad guy wants the good guy out of office, so he's going to spend a lot of his money on nasty (and expensive) ad time to throw down the smack talk? Okay. So, what are you going to do with your Christmas money, Mr. Franken? Buy up the air time so he can't? Clever... but expensive and wasteful. Run counter-attack ads? Is it even worth acknowledging if you're the 'good guy'? Send him some expensive liquor with a nice note saying, 'Please don't attack me on the TeeVee anymore"? That only works in the movies. And really... you're going to combat $22.5 million? Give up already.

Wouldn't the best counter-campaign be one in which you could say, "Yeah... Karl is giving me shade. But I'm too busy improving living conditions for the poor or investing in better education to deal with that right now." I mean... wouldn't the ideal 'testimonial' be public opinion on your reputation as a politician that gets shit done? Take a look at Wendy Davis. She didn't even have to get shit done! But when people saw her 'trying' to get shit done, they took notice and lit up the Twitterverse. On a day when half the people in Texas didn't know who she was, she gained a national audience instantaneously.
If you're a politician or a PAC, I'll consider giving you money if you've got a proven record of getting shit done. What I won't consider (even for a second) is giving you money to fight other politicians and PACs. In fact, I scoff. Did you learn nothing on the playground? Let the thugs scrap it out next to the bike rack. Rise above, do you... and get some shit done. Shelter the homeless. Raise the minimum wage. Improve state welfare programs by co-opting from local farmers to give healthy and sustainable food options to the poor. Put the arts back in our schools and community centers.

With my limited experience in fundraising and 501(c)3 administration, I could give you fifty different options on how to use $200,000 to better your community immediately.

And that brings me to the former of the two categories, predominantly non-profit organizations or independent projects on kickstarter or gofundme. The same rule applies. Get shit done. People generally like to back successful projects. The more you can produce a quality outcome, the more people you will attract who want to be part of that legacy.
I'm guilty of this one myself, having launched a gofundme for my move to FL and misjudging how quickly I could get my organization on its feet while still writing, reading, administrating, and generally getting shit done. But now that I'm up and running, it is getting done. We're having readings. Scripts are being written and revised. And the momentum is unmistakable. We will end this year with over twice the donations we had last year. If I expect to keep it up, I've gotta make sure I'm getting shit done. That's how it works.

*On a side note, I will be running a kickstarter campaign to run a counter-attack ad against anyone who has ever disagreed with me politically, economically, artistically, or otherwise.
**J/K. Ain't nobody got time for that.

I've decided to skew my perspective when it comes to the 'Season of Giving'. Rather than putting my $11 into the Salvation Army bucket, I'll buy lunch for the homeless fellah on the corner of Ringling & Tamiami. Rather than throw a paltry amount to Greenpeace, I'll donate to Myakka state park right down the road. Or the wildlife sanctuary. I'll give to places where I can see and feel the difference it makes.

I think money being 'the root of all evil' has a lot to do with intention. Are we funding efforts to tear down and destroy, or are we funding efforts to protect and create?
An anonymous check to a local community theatre or youth program could completely change their year. A box of non-perishables on the doorstep of a struggling single mom will make her weep with relief and gratitude. 

I don't have much to give, but when I do... it won't be for politics. I'll put my money where my heart is. The people and the communities that are precious to me. Together, I trust we'll be able to get shit done.