Death and Fundraising
January 13, 2022
PENELOPE writes:
The story of the 13-year-old boy in New Jersey who died on New Year’s Eve leads me to comment on something tangential, albeit very indicative of our society.
This is the what I like to term ‘Beggar Culture’ – every tragedy, every calamity, ever sick pet, sick kid, person with no health insurance, any excuse you can find now requires its own ‘Go Fund Me’ page.
Did this little boy die a tragic death? Are his parents responsible? Is the State responsible? We can argue about this all day long. (I take the stance, that his parents are fundamentally responsible.) It is neither here nor there in what I’m discussing. WHY do they need money for this tragedy? This money will not make them feel better; it will not bring back their son. It’s just an opportunity… and they are taking it. Sure, there are funeral expenses, but he was a dependent and had no financial responsibilities.
I can be compassionate to those in need of funds in a dire manner, and I’ve contributed to many a Go Fund Me, but when it is used opportunistically, it really, really bothers me. This I would say is a case of it.
Laura writes:
It’s tasteless, impersonal, greedy.
How do people even think of this when they are in shock and grief? What kind of zombies act this way?
A ‘Go Fund Me’ page can be one sign of a news story that’s a hoax, but I don’t think that is likely here.
