I'm sorry to say, I largely disdain charities. This is because of my personal experiences with them as a client several years ago when I was recovering from a critical illness and the subsequent financial difficulties it brought.

The larger and more national they are the less I trust them. Unfortunately, even some of the animal charities are on my "list". Most people don't realize that charities are accountable to absolutely no one. Many of them exist only to provide a salary for a group of people. After they pay their huge salaries to themselves, including credit card accounts for "expenses", car allowances, etc., there's only a fraction left for the people they have pledged to assist. If that! Some of them excuse themselves by saying that the only way to get good leadership is to pay a salary (as opposed to using all-volunteer labor), and a darn good one. Perhaps, but......

The local paper once did a study, comparing several charities, local and national, who were in the business of helping homeless people get back in homes, and preventing at-risk families from becoming homeless. A large, respected, local charity had the highest administrative salaries, the least amount of unpaid (volunteer) labor, paid its director more than any other similar charity, local or national, for which that information could be secured, had higher expenses per client served, had the least dollar amount spent directly on services per client served, and had the lowest success rate. On the other hand, the Salvation Army had the lowest salaries, the highest rate of volunteer labor, paid its local director less than any other local charity or local branch of a national charity, served the most people at the least cost, had the highest percentage of donations going directly to client services, and had the best success rate. Guess who gets my money? I have always trusted the Salvation Army. I also trust the Baptist Men (I think they may be just in Texas, though). The Red Cross? I first started hearing horror stories about them from my mom when I was still a little kid. And their names have always come up from time to time in the news each time a new scandal has come up. The United Way? A large chunk of their money goes to organizations I wouldn't even consider to be a "charity" - like the Boy Scouts, who happen to be the wealthiest non-profit organization in the country.

The begging that has been going on since 9/11 has also become quite unseemly to me, too. Billions of dollars have been given, yet there are still people in Manhattan going homeless. And I wonder about all the charities that are collecting for the "police and firefighters". I know an awful lot of our protectors lost their lives and more may be disabled, but actually their benevolent associations give them access to quite good benefits. If they were volunteer firefighters and reserve officers, that would be different. Very often the volunteers/reserves have no on-the-job death or accident benefits. But even so, how far do millions go divided between a few hundred families?

And, I know I'm painting with an awfully broad brush, but most of those "celebrtities" were more concerned with getting their CDs sold. "Oh, yeah, if I do this they'll think what a good guy I am and go out and buy my CD, see my movie, watch my TV show", etc. etc. etc.

And I agree with you, E's sec'y - the advertising pitches exploiting the tragedy are making me ill!

I can't imagine anybody not feeling grief and sadness, for our country, for our rescue workers, for the victims, and all the families affected. And most of us want to do whatever we can to provide whatever relief is needed.

But I think now that we've had time to think, America is starting to feel abused (from terrorists) and used (by greedy "charities").

Sorry to go on so.....