Red Cross Day

[Bilbo]

It was suggested in another thread and forum that it would be nice if the escorts who hang around here would give one day's income to the Red Cross to help with tsunami relief. I am sure that the Red Cross is also helping with relief for the people in the flooding in the American Southwest. I know that some escorts, particularly Rick and Derek, have all ready donated to this cause, and I am not asking them to give again. However, should they want in on this particular response to a similar fundraising campaign among female escorts closer to the tsunami, they could just resolve to give the difference between what they've all ready given and one day's pay. That might be a good way for everyone, since the day I'm going to suggest is so far away and the need so near at hand.

I did ask that someone else name the day, since I had basically had the idea, but no one has come forward with one. This may be because the threads on this subject were not placed where you would find them? Or because one of them quickly degenerated into something destined for being flipped over into the Religion and War section. So here goes:

I personally resolve to donate to the Red Cross whatever I make from escorting on Friday, January 7th. If it so happens that I don't make anything that day, I will donate what I would get from a one hour session with no tip.

Is anyone willing to match me on this?

It has been mentioned by a client-type that clients could get in on this, too. Either one day's pay or one hour's or what he would pay for one hour.

[Juan Vancouver]

Hey Bilbo!

 

I have to confess that I am a little mystified about this whole thing...

 

Personally, as soon as I knew about that horrible tragedy, I went to my files, made my personal balances, and donated as much money as I could, as soon as it was possible after the events.

Don't they need the money... NOW?

Having lived in two places of terrible earthquakes in my life, I know, by first-hand experience that the best help is not the biggest, but the fastest.

 

In the other hand, I guess american culture is a bit different than the culture I was raised in, but there are two things that surprise me a bit: The first of them is to see how people (here and in real life) are "shaming" each other into giving... And the second thing that is very different, is how some people make a public demonstration out of this "giving". I guess it can also become a nice deductable advertising...

 

However, I guess that what is important is that I hope that the help and love we are sending will be somehow useful. Apparently the hardest is yet to come. So, it doesn't matter when you give, and how much you give, you can make a difference with your personal donation.

[noviceny]

Juan,

 

Good for you man !!! Shows you got heart !!!

 

As for shame, well the USA was built on a strong Puritanical background and shame is an art for the Jewish and the Catholics :-) As for me, I would get pissed if someone tried to shame me in to doing something...now guilt is another thing :-)

 

Public displays of donating...well Im not that against it...1st - some times it comes across like people are showing off, when they are just trying to encourage other 2nd...you might be totally right about your assessment, but I hope that my 1st comments are right

 

 

I hate to say this, but I really think that this is one of those situations where there is never gonna be enough money...this does not mean dont give...I think you all know what it means...its simply a horrible situation

 

 

What ever we can do lets do...I think the best thing for us and our hearts would be to actually participate in hands on charity work, however who am I to tell people how they should do their good acts ? Lets just do them, whatever they are and then reflect on what it means to be part of the human community. Volunteering and donating are great things, but when we reflect on what we are doing, we often are changed and made in to more thoughful and caring people

 

Yes it is hard to believe Im from NY ....what mothafucka !!!???:-)

[Rick Munroe]

>In the other hand, I guess american culture is a bit different

>than the culture I was raised in, but there are two things

>that surprise me a bit: The first of them is to see how people

>(here and in real life) are "shaming" each other into

>giving... And the second thing that is very different, is how

>some people make a public demonstration out of this "giving".

>I guess it can also become a nice deductable advertising...

 

You may see it as shaming, bragging and self-promoting, but I see it as encouraging and informing. I wouldn't have easily known where to send my donations if I hadn't read about other people's actions on the progressive blogs that I read (e.g., http://www.dailykos.com). By reading about various posters' reasons for choosing one charity over another and then reading up on them myself, I was able to make an informed decision and to act quickly. The internet is a useful way to share information and to motivate others, so I think you're being a bit too cynical here.

[Bilbo]

As a retired drag queen, who organized many a benefit show, I am used to raising more money when the queens can see each other giving. It's not so much bragging as team giving. And the French Rugby team is all the evidence we need, as if we need any, to show that Americans are not the only ones used to doing things as a team. (We may not need them, but we adore looking at them.)

 

As a Bear and a Daddy, I learned long ago that I am not going to attract any clients from this site, where the vast majority of people are into twinks. And I do not waste time advertising where it will do no good. That is one reason I can be so blunt and abrasive occaisionally on this board - It ain't gonna hurt my bread any. (Unfortunately, perhaps, that's also why sending a new picture here is so far back on my back burner.)

 

As far as waiting before I give, or urging others to do so, please reread the original post on this thread. I thought that I had urged people to give now and then correct the amount upward if they needed to later.

 

The original post on the original thread was about how the female escorts from a certain location had all given one day's pay towards the fund, as a group. The original poster then said that we ought to challenge people like Fred Phelps, etc. to do the same. I thought that he was narrowly missing the meaning of the event and suggested that the ones we really ought to challenge to do the same would be the male escorts from a certain location - here.

[+ glutes]

I thought that he was narrowly missing the

>meaning of the event and suggested that the ones we really

>ought to challenge to do the same would be the male escorts

>from a certain location - here.

 

Yow, and what location would that be??

[Steven_Draker]

I already donated to

- the Red Cross (in his French version: la Croix Rouge)

- UNICEF (Tsunami Relief Effort)

 

Steven Draker ~

[Bilbo]

"a certain location - here."

"and what location would that be?"

Here. Hooboy's. This location in which you and I are met in our minds, since I am writing and your reading, or vice versa.

Is there an echo in here?

I am going to let this die now. Those who get my point are not interested in it. Those who wish to respond directly to it do not exist. Those who want to run around Robin Hood's barn three more times hoping it will disappear can run their race and get their wish. Those who want to challenge our natural enemies to do what our natural allies have all ready done, when we ourselves are not willing to take the challenge ourselves? Will I answer you again? Quien sabes?

As for myself - I have met my challenge. I have given an hour's pay. If I make more next Friday, rest assured that it will go towards the common good. I will only keep out what I have all ready given. It won't be from any of you reading that I will be paid that extra, so this won't be a self fulfilling prophecy. If it is, it won't benenfit me personally anyway.

Am I bitter?

Well, I'm not going to rush right over to the Politics and Religion section and ask everyone what they think the next thing we - that's our on line community right here - could do to push towards legalization of escorting in the USA. Not for another week, at least. Because after the answer I'm afraid y'all might give me. Or the non-answer, really. I am afraid that I wouldn't be able to come to my favorite site for a while. If I don't let this pass first.

[Juan Vancouver]

Hey Bilbo,

Man, I want to offer an apology publicly. After I hit the "Post message" button, I have been debating with myself, because I knew that there was something that was not quite right in my post... I dreamed about it, and finally I came back and read it and found out what was going on.

There is something that happens often with immigrants; we keep comparing the culture we immigrated to with our mother culture, and in our minds we are constantly applying "tags" to everything that happens around us. I tell you this not as an excuse, since what I did was not healthy, but for you to possibly understand that I didnt write that with a mean intention, but indulging a stupid habit that is so sly that sometimes is hard to spot while it is hapenning.

English speaking culture, especially american culture is driven by competition, by openly pushing one's limits further, and also, as an effect of that, people keep encouraging others to better themselves, to achieve, to grow. Your original post is beautiful in the sense that you are doing something to help, and are trying to create awareness about it. I made the mistake to judge you (yes, I did judge you, and I hate that word), based on what would have hapenned "back home", but all I had to do was just applaud you and support your effort.

Thanks for your good work, and I hope that you will be able to entice more people into giving their help. Please forgive me, (spank my ass if that's what it takes), and receive a warm hug and all my best wishes!

 

Let's keep giving in our daily lives!

 

Sincerely,

 

Juan

[+ deej]

San Francisco promoter Ggreg (http://www.ggreg.com ) wrote this in his weekly emailer:

 

[blockquote]

Don't go to a dinner.

Don't wait for a party where you can wear your tuxedo.

Don't go to a dance that benefits disaster relief for the Asian tsunami victims.

 

All those events have overhead. They cost unnecessary money to raise money.

 

Just give. Selflessly. Please.

[/blockquote]

 

Pretty much sums it up.

[FrancoDiSantisxxx]

Queens In Space

 

Competition is never a bad thing; it is natural and exists whether we admit to it or not.

 

One excellent organization I already am involved in which also work with disater relief, including this disaster: http://www.careusa.org

[buckguy]

RE: Queens In Space

 

Like Rick, I'm a "Kos-sack" and also looked at other blogs for guidance. Then I looked at the websites for different charities. I gave to MSF (Medicines Sans Frontieres). They admitted having enough money for now and requested that people contribute to their emergency fund, which would support further needs as well as work in places like Darfur. MSF claims to have been the first agency into Aceh. They had a detailed drescription of what they were doing and also had detailed descriptions of their ongoing country activities in the region. I've known a number of MSF volunteers in the past in Asia. I figured they knew what they were doing.

 

Many other agencies only have the usual "give...we do good" type appeals, including the biggies. I liked MSF's honesty, their no bullshit approach and their having been at the epicenter quickly. Know what you're giving to. The American Red Cross, by the way, has long been politicized (its ties to the GOP go back many decades) and, on a recurring basis, it has been has been overly in thrall to the most conservative elements of the Republican party (it had a sorry record in the Depression and its HIV/AIDS program has been a mess). I don't give money to them. The Red Cross has, in the past, happily collected money for disasters that it has already fully funded.

[Steven_Draker]

I don't see the relation between charity and competition. When I give I give with my heart.

I am sorry that you have missed the point.

 

Steven Draker ~

[Bilbo]

I know I turned on my heel and swept out of the room, but, Juan, I couldn't resist peeking in and I am so glad that I did. Of course, I accept your apology. I am even more happy to accept your warm hug. But, if we are ever in the same city, you might not want to ask me again if I'd like to spank the butt of a handsome, intelligent man. There are some temptations man was not meant to resist.:9

[noviceny]

Charity and Competition : In a perfect world, probably not. We wouldnt need to the competition part.

 

In my opinion (and my philosophy of life), I have an ideal that I try to live up to. Its pretty much the same thing that Steven D. said. I try my best to give with my heart.

 

However, I realize that my point of view is just that...MY point of view. I have seen competition and a token system "inspire" a lot more money that "just" appealing to people's sense of charity.

 

Some say (well, actually I think its just Aristotle :-) ) that virtue is in the act...others say that if the intention is flawed then it makes the "doer" less than what they could be, but the action is still "right"

 

Im sure that all of the victims of this tradgey could care less about all of this. As someone said before (and I paraphrase here) : fuck everything...whatever we are gonna do, lets just do it and do it now.

 

I think its really cool that a group of guys can have differing opinions about the reasons for, and operationalism of charity...but the end result is that they all give. That is inspirational for me and makes me want to give more