Not a rant, but a plea.

[Chaos Ranch]

I've seen so many "I Support __" and "We Support ____" signs and statements in recent years that it prompted me to think about something. This is not at all meant to offend anyone, it's meant to motivate a change.

Everywhere you go now you see "We support our troops", "We support Breast Cancer Awareness", "We support (fill in the blank) magnetic ribbons, bumper stickers, t-shirts, that's all fine, but do you actually DO anything to support them? Is the mere profession of your belief and support enough? Those troops over there can't see your bumper sticker. Your magnetic ribbon doesn't make the cancer patient less sick when they are on their way home from chemo. That gay rights shirt doesn't heal the bruises on the bodies and souls of a bashing victim.

We Support our Troops. Ok, great...it's a wonderful thing to do. You should support them. It's actually you're responsibility to support them, if they are risking their lives, giving up their family, years of their life, or even their life all-together, the least you should be doing is supporting them. But don't profess it if you do nothing to actually support them. Get addresses of some troops. Send them letters, cards, emails, care packages. Thank them. Listen to them. Talk to them. Take care of their families back home, Try to be an America worth fighting for and coming home to.

We Support Breast Cancer Awareness. You should. Breast cancer, and many other cancers are sneaking in and stealing our loved ones lives, health, and finances at a break-neck speed. But do you actually DO something to support it? Do you help them with their bills? Their daily struggles? Do you donate to foundations? Do you volunteer anywhere? Do you pray for them? Do you help them get back and forth to the many appointments they have to go to? Do you call them and check on them, and do you make yourself available as support, assistance, and strength? Go mow their lawn. Trim their trees. Go cook supper for their families. Rent a movie and watch it with them. Take their children out to the park or movies. Those things that seem little, and not that big of a deal to you, to a cancer warrior, are the things that actually do supporting them.

We Support Animal Rights. Ok, that's good to do. But don't forget human rights as well. When the penalty for raping a horse is worse than raping a child, shame should fall on us all. When you can go to prison the very first time you abuse an animal, yet can abuse a child, woman, man, and get away with it for years, something has short-wired somewhere. I do not condone animal abuse in any way, but when the laws and penalties protect animals more than they protect humans, we should be ashamed. Protect the animals, but don't stand stronger for them than you do your own children, wives, husbands, parents. How do you support animal rights? Do you volunteer at the local pound? Do you use your own finances to help pay to spay/neuter/provide healthcare to an abandoned/seized animal? Do you help with the fund raisers? Do you turn a blind eye to a friend/family member who may be abusing an animal because you don't want to make trouble?

The same goes for human rights. Do you fight for stronger laws against rape, murder, abuse, and all the other vile offences that plague our loved ones? Do you form groups as an outlet for those suffering? Do you consider adoption of children desperate for families to belong to? Do you donate to children's homes? Big brother/big sister? Do you look inside your own walls and see computers, game systems, and cell phones between you and your own family? It all starts at home, at least it should. Fight to change a law to protect, fight to raise money to help abandoned children, fight to protect abused women and children who feel no one cares, no one will protect them, no one will help them. It is difficult to put yourself in their position when you have so much, but can you feel comfortable having so much when someone's child, parent, grandparent has so little? Call them, go visit them. Take them to dinner and pay for it. Go pay their light bill without telling them who did it. Anonymously doing something to help is a way to help prevent reliance and dependence, yet promotes assistance and compassions.

So, what's my rant all about? Don't just say you support something. All talk and no action is the most dangerous and widely used weapon used to murder change. Do something. Volunteer somewhere. Write letters to congress. Create a support group, even an online yahoo group or facebook page. Write to your troops, support their families emotionally, physically, and mentally, and every way you can. Donate to charities instead of getting that new phone, car, or other luxury that those you're professing to support are doing without. Know someone struggling? Help them! It doesn't have to be a large cause to make a difference, give them some money, pay a bill for them, invite them to supper, take their family to the movies, do something.

Compassion with no action is called guilt. I am guilty of it, and I am sure others are as well. I could do more. I will do more. Be the change you want to see... that statement is another we should produce, not just profess.

If you already do some of these things to support causes, you are a true hero. The real meaning of hero. You don't have to wear a uniform, carry a badge, or get a write up in the paper to be a hero. All you have to do is take a step forward, offer a hand, a shoulder, an action. A hero is one who sacrifices or risks ones own life or comforts to aid another. Which is a more valuable trophy to you, a new cell phone, car, computer, or the honor, respect, and appreciation of another human being?

Take 5 minutes and think about the things you are aware of right now that need to be supported. A family that needs help. A military member or familiy that you know of, a heart that's broken, a family that's struggling financially, an animal that's hungry and suffering, and make a list of the things you think about. Read over your list and think about all the changes that need to be made to help that particular entry, and do one of them. Please, even if you do just one, it will be a change we need to see.

 

[Chaos Ranch]

After reading this to my husband, he said, "Sometimes the truth hurts." To which I replied, "If the truth hurts, then you need to change what the truth is."

 

[Minimor]

I will comment on this portion of your post:

We Support Animal Rights. Ok, that's good to do. But don't forget human rights as well. When the penalty for raping a horse is worse than raping a child, shame should fall on us all. When you can go to prison the very first time you abuse an animal, yet can abuse a child, woman, man, and get away with it for years, something has short-wired somewhere. I do not condone animal abuse in any way, but when the laws and penalties protect animals more than they protect humans, we should be ashamed. Protect the animals, but don't stand stronger for them than you do your own children, wives, husbands, parents. How do you support animal rights? Do you volunteer at the local pound? Do you use your own finances to help pay to spay/neuter/provide healthcare to an abandoned/seized animal? Do you help with the fund raisers? Do you turn a blind eye to a friend/family member who may be abusing an animal because you don't want to make trouble?

I choose to comment on this because I find it intensely irritating that you—or anyone—should see fit to criticize someone that supports animal rights instead of human rights.
There are many causes out there. I chose to make donations to the Cancer Society and the MB Heart & Stroke Foundation. I do not donate to the alzheimers society or the kidney foundation or the hospital foundation. Of course they are all good causes, but I simply don’t have the money to donate to them all! When we get our All Charities Campaign forms at work there is a book that comes with it. This book lists all the charities that we can donate to through All Charities—it’s a very long list and includes many charities that I’ve never even heard of. Even if I gave $1 to each of those it wouldn’t do any one of them very much good and would likely add up to a lot of money for me—and so I choose two that I give my donation to. That’s what most people I know do. Sometimes they change charities each year, sometimes they give to the same ones every year. If you think that makes them, or me, wrong, that’s okay—I disagree with you, but it’s your view.

I do support animal welfare….not animal rights as such because I have no use for PETA and their sort, which is what I think of as animal rights….animal welfare is what I put my money into. If you prefer to put your money into human rights/human welfare that’s just dandy, but please don’t tell me that I should put my money into people and not into animals. Of course there are people that are going hungry or suffering abuse—but that doesn’t mean that we should just ditch the animals until all the people are looked after! Some people can look after the people, other people will look after the animals, some help with both. At Christmas time I do not donate to Christmas hampers for people; I do donate pet food for those hampers that go to people who have pets. If the office hamper isn’t going to a family with pets, I donate to the vet clinic where they collect pet food to give to the Christmas Cheer board to put in the Christmas hampers. I am not ashamed of the fact that I put animal welfare at the top of my list of priorities when it comes to charity, and I will not be made to feel I am in the wrong by you or anyone else. I won’t go into what I do to support animal welfare. People who know me well know what & how much I do for the animals. People who don’t know me…well, it doesn’t matter if they know or not. What I do I do for the animals, not to get any pats on the back from other people. All those stickers on vehicles….I seldom even notice them. If I do, I just think that someone donated to the cause and got a sticker to show for it….I don’t look down on them or sneer at them for having the sticker but not really “doing anything” to support the cause….Just the fact that they did donate money is a big help in itself!! Even small donations add up! I don’t have any such stickers on my vehicle. If I donate to some cause somewhere & get a sticker as acknowledgement, I don’t bother putting that sticker up anywhere. So, I guess maybe you’d look at my decal-less truck and point your finger at me for doing nothing at all to help anyone or anything??

 

[Chaos Ranch]

I will comment on this portion of your post:

I choose to comment on this because I find it intensely irritating that you—or anyone—should see fit to criticize someone that supports animal rights instead of human rights.

There are many causes out there. I chose to make donations to the Cancer Society and the MB Heart & Stroke Foundation. I do not donate to the alzheimers society or the kidney foundation or the hospital foundation. Of course they are all good causes, but I simply don’t have the money to donate to them all! When we get our All Charities Campaign forms at work there is a book that comes with it. This book lists all the charities that we can donate to through All Charities—it’s a very long list and includes many charities that I’ve never even heard of. Even if I gave $1 to each of those it wouldn’t do any one of them very much good and would likely add up to a lot of money for me—and so I choose two that I give my donation to. That’s what most people I know do. Sometimes they change charities each year, sometimes they give to the same ones every year. If you think that makes them, or me, wrong, that’s okay—I disagree with you, but it’s your view.

I do support animal welfare….not animal rights as such because I have no use for PETA and their sort, which is what I think of as animal rights….animal welfare is what I put my money into. If you prefer to put your money into human rights/human welfare that’s just dandy, but please don’t tell me that I should put my money into people and not into animals. Of course there are people that are going hungry or suffering abuse—but that doesn’t mean that we should just ditch the animals until all the people are looked after! Some people can look after the people, other people will look after the animals, some help with both. At Christmas time I do not donate to Christmas hampers for people; I do donate pet food for those hampers that go to people who have pets. If the office hamper isn’t going to a family with pets, I donate to the vet clinic where they collect pet food to give to the Christmas Cheer board to put in the Christmas hampers. I am not ashamed of the fact that I put animal welfare at the top of my list of priorities when it comes to charity, and I will not be made to feel I am in the wrong by you or anyone else. I won’t go into what I do to support animal welfare. People who know me well know what & how much I do for the animals. People who don’t know me…well, it doesn’t matter if they know or not. What I do I do for the animals, not to get any pats on the back from other people. All those stickers on vehicles….I seldom even notice them. If I do, I just think that someone donated to the cause and got a sticker to show for it….I don’t look down on them or sneer at them for having the sticker but not really “doing anything” to support the cause….Just the fact that they did donate money is a big help in itself!! Even small donations add up! I don’t have any such stickers on my vehicle. If I donate to some cause somewhere & get a sticker as acknowledgement, I don’t bother putting that sticker up anywhere. So, I guess maybe you’d look at my decal-less truck and point your finger at me for doing nothing at all to help anyone or anything??

I may not have worded it as well as I meant it. I don't criticize anyone for supporting animal rights. I admire those that help animals, those that protect them and sacrifice of their own selves to help the innocent. My point was that some laws and focus needs to be changed. I believe in the laws to support and protect animal rights, 100%, but I also beleive human rights and laws should be just as protective, and just as supporting as animal laws. The new animal rights and protective laws only prove that those with a passion to protect can and do make a difference and that if we also fight to change the laws for humans the same way and with the same passions that we can make a great improvement on the way we live, and the lives of our children and loved ones. I'm sorry that the way I worded it offended you, it was not my intnetion. My intention was to help us all realize that we can help one another, we really do have the power to make life the way we all need and want it to be. If we all work together, and all try to make the changes that need to be made, it can change everything.

 

[Chaos Ranch]

I should have also added that I do admire you. You do great things. You make effots, you make changes. That's wonderful. I don't mean to imply that we should help with all causes, all donations, all issues. But if we each chose to make a difference in at least one area that we can make a difference in who knows the wonders that could be seen. I cannot support every cause, I don't think any human in the world could support every cause, and it doesn't always have to be a financial effort. Emotional efforts, physical efforts, any efforts to aid and support are the ones that will help. Again, I highly admire your efforts. It's great. The things I mentioned were merely suggestions to those that may feel they don't have the finances to help, they can help in other ways. Of if they don't have the physical means to help, they can help in other ways. Sometimes we feel overwhelmed by the size of the issues, and we feel like the tiny offerings that we can make will be insignifigant. But no effort is ever insignifigant. Every kind word, every dollar, every letter, every offer of every kind helps.

All I was hoping to do was encourage someone who wants to help in some way, but is not sure how, or where to begin. I do not look down on anyone for supporting something and trying to help some thing or some one. But again, there are so many different important causes that sometimes it's really difficult to know where or how to start. And many times we feel as if the small things we do just aren't enough to make a difference, but that is never true. A difference is always made somewhere when we make even one effort to help.

You are correct. Animal welfare is what I mean rather than animal rights. I again did not mean to offend you. Never would I look down on you or intentionally say anything to you that would offend you for doing the things you do. You are making positive changes, genuine effort, and that's all I was hoping to see.

 

[Minimor]

Ah, I see better what you meant now! Thank you.

I didn't really think that you would be one that would be down on those who choose to help animals--so the way your first post came across surprised me a bit.

Unfortunately there are those that do think 'we' shouldn't help the animals--because the animals don't matter, they are "just animals"...and yes, those people do get my goat, as you can tell! So, I'm happy to hear that you aren't one of those!

For sure there are so many ways people can help even if they don't have the money to make large donations. Any small donation does help, and there are so many volunteer opportunities.

For myself, I would actually love to be able to volunteer at the hospital, perhaps in the Cancer care section, getting blankets, or drinks or magazines for patients in for treatment, even just talking with them if they need someone to sit with them, pushing wheelchairs when patients need moving, or take them outside for a bit of fresh air if they have no one else to visit and wheel them outside for a bit...maybe in a few years when I can retire from my job I can do that. Right now there just aren't enough hours in my day when I have to be at work 5 days a week.

 

[Sue_C.]

When you purchase those items, the bumper stickers, magnetic ribbons, the "T"-shirts...part of the monies collected in the sales of these items generally do go towards the items.

I "wear the "T"-shirt" yearly as a member of a Relay for Life campaign, but also have the magnetic "Support the Troops", and Cancer awareness ribbons on my car and truck. I do not have to advertise what charities I apply my monies to...that is my personal business...but I feel that it is helping to raise publicness awareness of the issues, do do these small things as well.

I do not know what is available in other areas...but here, one may "volunteer" without leaving your house. My sister, for example, makes dozens of awesome funky-patterned, bright coloured pillow cases for the Children's Cancer wards. When a child goes for his/her first treatment...they are "awarded" one of these very special pillowcases.

 

[Katiean]

I do support Animal Welfare as rights is the wrong word IMO. If animals had RIGHTS they could also vote and live independently of OWNERS. They are in fact OWNED. No rights just welfare. How am I doing this? I am in the process of helping another person shut down a breeder that sells under weight, filthy, matted, infected teeth, wormy dogs. That somehow has a health certificate issued so the animal can fly.

I also took a cat from someone that I know because she deserved a place to die with dignity and comfort. She died 3 months after I brought her home. But, she died with warm place to sleep all day and food in her belly.

I support our troops. How? I am caring for a solders pet while he is gone. He is in training for artillery guns. In October he is supposed to ship out to Iraq. He may not go there but there are plenty of other places he will be sent. I also give support to his grandparents that he lived with until he joined the service. Did I know this young man before I took on the task of making it easier for him to leave his beloved pet behind? NO. I would also help any other serviceman that needed it.

I do these things because I want to.

 

[leeapachemoon]

Because I don't have money to give to my local charities I decided to organize a charity horse show to benefit a local horse rescue group. I decided if I could not donate money I would donate my time. I organized the whole thing, sold ads and creating an ad book for the event, gathered donated items for a chinese auction, promoted the show and found a local farm that would allow me to have the show at their facility. It was a lot of work but in the end I was able to donate more money then I ever could have.

Also when I worked at Tractor Supply Company I organized different events and invited local groups to come and promote their clubs and organizations. I love doing these types of things and feel that I am giving back to the comunity that I live in.

I think, in a way, that is what you are trying to say. That we should all be doing what we can to give back. I do the best I can as I said before, giving money is not an option for me so all I have to give is my time.

 

[hobbyhorse23]

Try to be an America worth fighting for and coming home to.

How true! Our troops (thankfully!) get plenty of gratitude from the populace these days but there are times I've heard my service member express dismay over what he sees of America on the news. Where are our values? Where are our dreams? Where are the good people I know are out there? Our military men and women are away sacrificing years of their lives, missing seeing their children grow, and sometimes they come home and wonder what they were fighting for. I never knew how hard the road is for a military spouse until recently but it's enough to break your heart. Support those families as much as you do the soldiers!

I didn't really think that you would be one that would be down on those who choose to help animals--so the way your first post came across surprised me a bit.

It did not come across to me that way.

I felt she was saying that while doing for animals is important, don't forget that people are suffering as well. I may not agree that animal cruelty laws are anywhere near being stricter than laws against human cruelty but I was surprised that the first response to such an eloquent, heart-felt letter was a negative attack on one particular aspect of it.

If this letter hasn't gone viral yet, it should. Thank you for writing it!

Leia

 

[weebiscuit]

Take 5 minutes and think about the things you are aware of right now that need to be supported. A family that needs help. A military member or familiy that you know of, a heart that's broken, a family that's struggling financially, an animal that's hungry and suffering, and make a list of the things you think about. Read over your list and think about all the changes that need to be made to help that particular entry, and do one of them. Please, even if you do just one, it will be a change we need to see.

Good post! You make many valid points! Here's what my husband and I do: Every spring I donate $50 to the Susan G. Koman Race for a Cure. That's because I pledge it to my cousin who runs in it every year, and she dedicates her run to my mom who died of breast cancer two years ago.

My husband and I also joined the Wounded Warriors Project and donate $20 a month, every month, to that organization. And every March we canvass our area on behalf of the American Heart Association, collecting donations. They make it fairly easy for us. They send us a group of envelopes, which all we have to do is mail to the people living in our valley. They write the checks out to the AHA, the sealed envelopes come back to us, and at the end of March we put all the sealed envelopes into a large envelope provided by the AHA and mail it back to them.

And then those are those "one time" donations I always make to people who've had house fires or to our local animal shelter, or United Givers Fund.

So, we do help financially, but do we drive people to chemo appointments and do all this other stuff face to face? No. What you need to realize is that some people give money, some give time, some give both, and not everyone is comfortable with all those scenarios. I don't have time in my schedule to drive someone on a 120 mile round trip for chemo appointments. We are a town of 5,000, so there aren't many wounded soldiers in the area. None that I know of. I honestly CANNOT volunteer at an animal shelter because I'd be bringing them all home. My daughter volunteers two days a month at a shelter, though.

On the other hand, every year we bring our horses to the Nursing Home and Assisted Living Centers, without charging them anything, and every spring we have the Head Start Classes come to the barn, and also Special Needs classes, and we never charge a fee for that. But I send every kid home with a coloring book that I've printed out in outline of my miniature horses.

I guess we all do what we feel we can do and what we are comfortable doing.

 

[Chaos Ranch]

I apologize for not coming back sooner to reply to this post. It has been very hectic here.

These posts are inspiring! This is the type of posts I was hoping to see. People doing what they can, and even though at times in their minds it may feel like only a drop of water in the sea... it is much more than that! I know to most people I am virtually a nobody. My opinions do not factor into their lives, however...though you do not know me, please do know this. I respect you. I honor and applaud you. I find you to be ranking among the heroes when you step out there and offer anything of yourself, your means, and your time to make a difference. And it DOES make a difference! One hug can prevent a suicide, one smile can abolish a tear. One encouraging word can conquer a fear. Thank you all so very much for all that you do to help those that need the help, and for showing me a light of hope that had dimmed inside me. Blessings to you all...

 

[Miniv]

I understand the basic idea of what the original poster was trying to convey. I've often had that frustration too.... where it seemed that some people voiced support or sympathy, but never acted on their words with either a donation or their time.

Obviously we can't donate our money or time to EVERY charity that we'd like to. I have a hard time saying "no" when the charities call. But there are certain things we do donate to OR volunteer with..... I am a STRONG advocate for volunteering if you want to help a cause, but don't have the $$$. (I should probably thank my mother for setting an example with that.)

My daughter and I volunteer for our local NO KILL Animal Shelter. We also take in a senior dog (one at a time) as a part of our family to have them finish their last couple of years (or months) in a loving home. These oldsters are always in basically good health for their age, but BECAUSE of their age no one wants them. Currently, we have a 13 year old coonhound, "Lucy", who was ready to be put down last year at a shelter the next town over.

Last year we joined Chances Miniature Horse Rescue and became a foster farm. So far, we've only had one foster horse and the experience was a joy. I highly recommend anyone who has room for ONE extra, even if feels tight, to do it.

For HUMANS, my daughter and I volunteer at our local homeless soup kitchen several times a year. And last year we volunteered a day toward a combination of local charities which banded together as "We Love Central Oregon" and each group was assigned tasks like doing upkeep at the soup kitchen, painting rooms at homeless site, landscaping work...... Our area does Care Packages to Troops Overseas several times a year and we donate toward that...... At Christmas we check the local "Giving Trees" and donate a gift to a foster child AND to a senior citizen.........And annually I donate toward the Shriners Childrens Hospital in Portland, Oregon. (They have me on a calling list - lol - because they know I do it in memory of my dad, who was a Shriner and architect of the hospital before he died.)

Guess the point is....no money to donate? and feel strongly about the charity? Consider Volunteering.

Off my soapbox.

 

[CharlesFamily]

Time, treasure or talent - those are the things we are asked to give. If you don't have any treasure to spare - then give your time and talent.

I totally agree with the OP - don't just say you support something - do it!

At the bottom of my signature is a line about supporting congenital heart defect research - a cause near and dear to me. My family started a non-profit organization after the death of my niece. She died from complications due to extreme prematurity when she was 11 months old. Then two years later, my youngest daughter was born with her severe heart defect. My mom has said that Kambree (my niece) gave us the drive to make a difference and Maddy (my daughter) gave us our purpose. Kambree's Kids was born and our annual family Christmas party turned into an auction and fundraiser.

Since 2003, Kambree's Kids has raised over $150,000.00. Just over $100,000.00 of that money has gone to Nationwide Children's Hospital Heart Center for treatment and research of heart defects. The rest of it has been divided up between the Ronald McDonald House and local charities in our county such as the Christmas baskets for needy families and our local library. I am so proud of our local community. My family doesn't do this - our community does. We are not a wealthy county - yet each year, people show up and they give from their hearts. I am blessed to live in such an amazing community surrounded by people who truly understand what it means to give and support causes they care about.

Thank you for reminding us of what we need to do to help make this world a better place! You can check out our foundation at www.kambreeskids.com.

Barbara

 

[Reijel's Mom]

Everyone can do SOMEthing to support a cause that is near and dear to their hearts. If animals are where your passion lies, but you don't think you could volunteer at a shelter, there are so many things that most rescues need done that don't even take place at the shelter. I only have the time to do "direct care" at our local shelter a couple of times a month, but almost daily I process adoption applications for the shelter. We also have people that write grants, come up with fundraisers, etc.

One other thing to add to this - please do what you can not to waste the time of causes that you care about. You are hurting the cause you claim you want to support. Our rescue gets in so many volunteer applications, does a lot of orientations, and so many folks just never again show up, or never reply to phone calls/e-mails etc. I'm sure it's this way for a lot of causes - folks say they want to help, but when it comes down to it, and they are actually asked to DO something - they disappear.