Chernobyl children

[Digit]

A local support group were collecting in town yesterday for the child victims of the Chernobyl disaster. I spent some time talking to one collector and was frankly horrified at the number of passers by who simply turned their backs to avoid him.
He told me that it was common occurrence!
I looked at a couple of young men who stared then turned away and called, 'And a Merry Christmas to you as well!'. They just carried on walking!

Roy.

 

[Gary]

And?

 

[blurk99]

i work with a ukrainian doctor who was there for 3 years after the incident, they had no medication to treat them with so they were popping aspirin out of the packets, placing them singly in envelopes and telling parents they were special drugs shipped in from the US, just dosing the kids up on aspirin.... horrific state of affairs for treating childhood leukaemia

jim

 

[Digit]

And?

And they just walked on.
Of the 120 or so children coming here Jim only some 40 are reasonably healthy, 80 are in remission. Long term there seems little likelihood of any improvement as their environment is still polluted. It's only this year that restrictions were lifted in contaminated areas of the UK.

Roy.

 

[Gary]

And?

And they just walked on.

Roy.

Good form them. Freedom of choice not to give their money and all that. They weren't abusive to the collector so there's on issue is there?

 

[doorframe]

Giving to charity is one's own personal choice, as is NOT giving. It doesn't make somebody bad if they choose not to give. I admit I'm not the greatest 'giver', but when I do give I try to keep it local. My charity of choice is St. Luke's Hospice. I think I can say that I wouldn't have given to the Chernobyl collector, although it is a very worthy cause.

Roy

 

[Digit]

Not giving is most certainly a personal choice, as is walking past an elderly lady who is being mugged, or ignoring somebody who has collapsed in the street, all of which I have experienced.

Roy.

 

[doorframe]

Not giving is most certainly a personal choice, as is walking past an elderly lady who is being mugged, or ignoring somebody who has collapsed in the street, all of which I have experienced.

Roy.

No 'decent' person would do that.

Roy

 

[Digit]

Granted, but I actually watched some people step over a woman who collapsed in the street in Dunstable.
But I have not explained my point very well on the collection subject, it wasn't that the two I referred to failed to contribute, they have that right IMO, it was the manner, the body language, that they displayed.
They stopped in front of the collector, looked at him in a way that made both of us think they wished to contribute, then as he stepped forward, they spun on their heels and walked across the road.
The whole episode looked to both of us as a deliberate wind up, and that I found offensive.

Roy.

 

[Gary]

Granted, but I actually watched some people step over a woman who collapsed in the street in Dunstable.
But I have not explained my point very well on the collection subject, it wasn't that the two I referred to failed to contribute, they have that right IMO, it was the manner, the body language, that they displayed.
They stopped in front of the collector, looked at him in a way that made both of us think they wished to contribute, then as he stepped forward, they spun on their heels and walked across the road.
The whole episode looked to both of us as a deliberate wind up, and that I found offensive.

Roy.

Lifes too short, get over it and move on.

 

[sue denim]

I am not sure how it works here in France but we don't get 'tin shakers' for charity. We do get food collections in supermarkets where you give non perishables.
Personally I believe that the governments (who are our representatives) should fund such relief , as that is money from the public purse.
Thus we all give equally, according to our ability to pay, and it would be a drop in the ocean.

Just my opinion.

'Sue'

 

[Max Power]

A very worthy cause Digit and I would definitely have given, I tend to be drawn to children and animal charities as they are in no position to help themselves.

 

[Digit]

Lifes too short, get over it and move on.

A sour taste can be difficult to remove.

Roy.

 

[woodbloke]

But I have not explained my point very well on the collection subject, it wasn't that the two I referred to failed to contribute, they have that right IMO, it was the manner, the body language, that they displayed.
They stopped in front of the collector, looked at him in a way that made both of us think they wished to contribute, then as he stepped forward, they spun on their heels and walked across the road.
The whole episode looked to both of us as a deliberate wind up, and that I found offensive.

Roy.

I can see the point of what you're saying now Roy...that would have offended me as well - Rob

 

[Harbo]

I used to collect for Scope - dropping envelopes off one day then going back a few days later to collect any donations.
But what abuse I got! I only collected £10 so when asked again I send them a donation instead and save on the hassle.

On ocassions I also collect for a Homeless Shelter standing outside Tesco and Sainsburys with a tin ( not allowed to rattle it or call out).
The antics that some people go to just to avoid walking pass you is just amazing. Most people however are very generous and feed the tin.
Most Charities cannot survive without these sort of donations.

Rod

 

[Digit]

Most people however are very generous and feed the tin.

And thus we, you and I, see a better side of people. There will always be some of the others, regretfully.

Roy.