Cold hard look

I have an issue with pompous arses who want to lecture me about the Ice Bucket Challenge. 

I did it because it seemed harmless, and raised awareness and money for a Motor Neurone Disease charity. I chose to donate to the MDNA because I am more familiar with that charity than I am with the work done by ALS. If people have given to ALS then isn't it great a charity has received more money? If they now have so much money they need to invest some to guarantee income for the future - then that's wonderful.

Some people have pointed out that top management at ALS earn money. Some people need to raise that ALL major and most minor charities have people on the payroll. I think that with the fund-raising they've achieved this year the ALS team have more than earned their salaries. 

Some people have complained that not everybody who has done the challenge knows what ALS or MND is. True, some don't. Some have found out about it as a result of the challenge though and increased awareness has to be a good thing doesn't it? 

Don't get me started on the people who bitch about the waste of water. I don't give a monkeys if you do the challenge and raise money for Water Aid or any other charity but unless you're living off the water grid in the same country as me then give up your lecturing. I don't live in a drought stricken country. Me saving water in my country doesn't help those who are in drought stricken countries. 

And I know this started as a challenge for ALS but let's not be critical of those who use the challenge as an excuse to raise money for other charities. Who cares? What's bad about raising money for other charities? 

And then there's criticism of charities who've tried to use  it as a vehicle for their own fund-raising efforts. I've seen Macmillan taking a beating for this. If I worked for a charity right now I'd be looking for the next Ice Bucket Challenge idea. I'd want the next social media charity explosion to be for my charity. I might try and jump on the Ice Bucket Challenge bandwagon. Who cares? What's bad about raising money for charity? 

Lastly there are those that say that only 50% of the fund raised through the challenge are incremental. 50% is substitutional. Right, so millions and millions have been raised incrementally and the same amount has been substitutional for other charitable giving. If this argument is going to be used then I'd suggest all major charity fund-raising should cease. Eliminate Comic Relief, kill Sport Relief, chop Children in Need. Stop the Macmillan Coffee Mornings, the Cancer Research Race for Life and ALL appeals by the Disasters Emergency Committee. 

Clearly this is a ridiculous notion. We should be delighted at the increase in charitable giving. Who knows, maybe the increase will stick. 

And for those that have been nominated and don't want to take part... It's fine, you don't have to. 

Rant. Over.