Let’s talk about income redistribution done the right way.
My wife volunteers for a charity, the Assistance League. It is an autonomous locally-focused charity with a signature program called “Operation School Bell,” a wonderful effort which provides underprivileged children with new clothing and school supplies so they can arrive in the classroom ready to learn.
Here in Tucson, the children who are the largest benefactors of Operation School Bell come from the Tucson and Sunnyside School Districts, which have many children from Hispanic-American families who live in neighborhoods consisting of poor and low income residents. The kids are bussed in from the school districts to the local Assistance League offices and outfitted with all the goodies to kick start the new school year. Jackets, jeans, shirts, socks, underwear, shoes, sneakers, knapsacks, and a wide array of school supplies. This charitable largesse, costing over $250,000/yr, is largely compressed just prior to or just after the start of the school year. It’s this time my wife enjoys most. The kids arrive and are led by volunteers through a warehouse full of clothing and school supplies from which they can choose for their needs. My wife loves dealing with the children. The stories she hears are heart warming and heart breaking. More than once, she’s heard a child say, “I’m going to put a few of these things aside so I can have something to open for Christmas.” Poverty isn’t the only problem for some of the kids. Take 4 minutes and watch this video made here in Tucson. Listen to the problems these kids deal with. Homeless, abandoned, abused. It’ll break your heart.
The Assistance League is all volunteer with no paid positions. None. The only expenses are the leases on the buildings it uses and utility bills. So where does the money to operate this charity come from? A thrift shop. People donate their “stuff” to the Assistance League’s thrift shop. Furniture, clothing, knick knacks, books, you name it. And the patrons of the thrift shop? All income levels. Well-to-do looking for bargain-priced designer stuff (the wealthy are huge donors and have donated items such as Ferragamo shoes and Louis Vuitton purses), middle class looking for stuff cheaper than WalMart (which is a major local vendor to the League), and lower income looking for super cheap work clothes or tools they couldn’t afford at Sears. And no 9.2% city sales tax. It’s a total Win Win.
In my view, this is how a charity, secular or sectarian, is supposed to work. Zero involvement by the government, which invariably picks losers like United Way. Just citizens helping their fellow citizens without compensation. What a novel concept. What do you think? What are your stories related to charity? For more on the Assistance League, go here.
Now, then. Some factoids on America a century ago. A week ago, my wife brought home a pocket diary dated 1910 that she bought for $15 at the Assistance League. It chronicles a lady’s travels from New Jersey to California. Her diary is quite bland and boring, but she did keep meticulous notes on her daily expenses. Daily costs for meals ranged from $1-$3 and rooms were $2.50-$5 at fancy hotels which she named. Round trip train ticket from coast to coast was $198. But what I found interesting was the information published in the front of the diary. Here’re a list. Note that I am using the standard Burning Platform alpha/numeric system for lists.
-1. In the instructions on what to do for various forms of poisoning, the one for chloroform and ether reads, “Dash cold water on head and chest. Artificial respiration. Piece of ice in rectum.” Well, excuse me. How many people would think to shove an ice cube up someone’s ass in the event of a poisoning event? Ewwww!!!! Comments from doctors welcome.
83. Or how about this instruction for first aid to a drowning victim? “Pull tongue forward, using handkerchief or pin with string, if necessary.” Hot damn, your lungs are filled with water and someone drives a pin into your tongue. Oh well, whatever works.
ee. The list of presidents stopped at William Howard Taft, who later served as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. Taft is famously known as our fattest president at well over 300 pounds while in the White House. His obesity wrecked havoc on his health, and he later lost 80 pounds. Time for some fat photos. I’ll go first.
WTF? The personal identification page is a hoot. Among other information, it asks you to list the number on the case of your watch and your bank book number plus the size of of your hat, gloves, hosiery, collar, cuffs, shoes, shirt, and drawers (not trousers, drawers). Admin would have an easy time answering all of the size questions. “Seam Stretcher.”
%. The list of currency conversions to the dollar was interesting. Every country listed was on the gold standard, save three. Silver was the standard in Bolivia, China, and Persia. Nearly all foreign currencies traded at a fraction of a dollar, but there were 4 countries where the local monetary unit was worth nearly 5 dollars each: Egypt, Great Britain, India, and Peru. As colonies of the British Commonwealth, Egypt and India’s currency were pegged to the British pound, but Peru? Yep, from 1897-1930, Peru’s “libra” was a gold coin also tied to the pound.
FU. Legal holidays in the various states were a gold mine.
214. Of the 46 states and 4 territories (Alaska, Arizona, Hawaii, and New Mexico) in 1910, just ONE did not observe February 22nd, George Washington’s birthday, as a holiday. Hint. It’s called the “Land of Enchantment.”
bite me. In 1910, the 6-day work week was common. But there were 5 states that cut it to 5 and 1/2 days by declaring “every Saturday P.M.” was a holiday. The states were Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Tennessee, and Virginia.
@. Abraham Lincoln’s birthday on February 12th was still a hot-button political issue in 1910, just 45 years after the Civil War ended. A shocking surprise (sarc on): not any of the states in the Confederacy celebrated his birthday, not did any of the so-called “Border States” (West Virginia, Maryland, Kentucky, Missouri, Kansas, plus Washington D.C.). In fact, Honest Abe’s birthday was celebrated by a small MINORITY of the states. The only western states to honor Lincoln were Colorado, Wyoming, and the Dakotas. And there were some huge surprises among the Union states which passed on a Lincoln holiday: EVERY state in New England except Connecticut plus Ohio, Wisconsin, and Michigan. Time for Lincoln-haters to get in some more digs at the Great Emancipator.
Obama Eats Shit. Last, but not least, first class postage was 2 cents. And in 1910 there were only 3 cities in America with over 1 million people (today there are 9): NYC, Chicago, and Philly, which had 1.5 million residents. NYC and Chicago have many more people a century later. Philly went over 2 million people in 1950, but now has less than it had in 1910. A sad statistic for the City of Brotherly Love.
P.S. For flash and the other conspiritorial minds on the site: The chairman of the local Assistance League is a retired (not me) CIA officer. We’re everywhere. And we’re watching. Closely.
Beautiful. That’s exactly how a charity should work.
However, the government does get involved – by collecting sales taxes! For donated items that have already been taxed at full price! Wrong, wrong, wrong!
VERY nice video. Not that it matters, but I was trying to figure out which of the ladies could be your wife. lol
I did some voluteer work when my kids were younger. They both played the violin quite well. We’d take them to nursing homes, hospitals, and sometimes jails to put on a music show. Our simple goal was to bring a smile to folks who could use a smile. I can’t think of too many things that have made me happier in life than being able to accomplish that.
Doing something, anything, for others really helps one get a better perspective on what’s important in life. Why haven’t I done more? Why did I stop? I guess I got caught up in my own shit, and that’s a shame. Thanks for posting this thread.
Beautiful story and video. Brings tears to my eyes. This exemplifies the greatness of the American people. Although I was born into privilige, thanks to the commies I found myself at the age of 5 the oldest of four siblings, very poor living in Denver. Catholic Relief Services and our local Parish provided us food, shelter, caring, compassion, education, fun, friends and hope. Our American neighbors where great. I never felt anyform form of hatred and discrimination (that came after we move to NY). I still remember a young nun who upon hearing that we could not get into our house (lost the keys) kick the door open. When my middle age father could not find work, a visiting Priest took him to the Governors offices to help him find work. Beautiful memories. I wish that we had never left Denver.
These Saints instilled in me a deep compassion for the poor, the weak and the defenseless and a deep love for America. Nothings erupts my emotions more than when I see them being abused. Today, I look back at my life and am extemely grateful for what the American people have done for me and my family. My kids have excelled in the finest colleges and universities in the US. Only in America!
This is the America we need to go back to. Socialism is not the answer.
PS: Jesus is everywhere and he is watching everything and keeping notes. He will not forget his Saints. It is incumbent on all of us to be sensitive to the Holy Spirit’s still voice and guidance.
Very nice story, Victor.
BTW, that’s my dad’s name. Which country did you come from? (It’s OK if you’d rather not say … just curious.)
SSS-The chairman of the local Assistance League is a retired (not me) CIA officer
My first guess would be some sort of bacterial, hallucinogenic or media cal experimenter being conducted on the “assisted”.
Beware CIA bearing gifts.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_MKULTRA
On the Senate floor in 1977, Senator Ted Kennedy said:
The Deputy Director of the CIA revealed that over thirty universities and institutions were involved in an “extensive testing and experimentation” program which included covert drug tests on unwitting citizens “at all social levels, high and low, native Americans and foreign.” Several of these tests involved the administration of LSD to “unwitting subjects in social situations.” At least one death, that of Dr. Olson, resulted from these activities. The Agency itself acknowledged that these tests made little scientific sense. The agents doing the monitoring were not qualified scientific observers.[11]
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Cuba
Victor-When my middle age father could not find work, a visiting Priest took him to the Governors offices to help him find work.
Shoulda’ held out for the atheists bearing EBT cards?
Those damn crazy flat earth Christians will do anything for attention.
Victor — thanks
flash — give it a fuckin’ rest already
Stucky
My wife’s not in that video. It was shot in 2007, the year we moved to Tucson. She joined the Assistance League the following year.
Victor
Touching story. I have a close friend who’s a Cuban American and retired Army colonel. His father ran a water taxi service in Havana, which provided a modest living for the family. Castro seized the business. His uncle owned 40 acres of productive tobacco land south of Havana. Castro seized that, too. They all emigrated to America, which gained greatly from their presence.
flash
I knew you wouldn’t disappoint.
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We’re everywhere. And we’re watching. Closely. -SSS
I agree the govt should not be in the subsidising business.
But thats where they have put themselves and that is where they will stay. They like giving away your money, creating mountains of debt, buying ships, planes, tanks, guns, cannons, bombs, treasuries, toxic assets, auto mfgrs, mortgages and God knows what else.
Hookers with a stolen, unlimited, mastercard.
There are always means to help those in need. Watch this reposted clip:
http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=Hzgzim5m7oU&vq=medium , The Power of Words, less than 2 mins.