Broadsheet: Reality Check

Better to write for yourself and have no public, than to write for the public and have no self. - Cyril Connolly

Tuesday, July 25, 2006

Reality Check

I had to attend one of those "Sr. Executive" (insert charity here) fund raiser events this evening. The price of admission to one of these things is to basically determine how many 'zeros' you have to put on the check you leave at the end of the evening. As charitable and voluntary as it sounds...it's not. In order to meet expectations; real, or undefined, there is a "tithe" associated with positions at my level. Some are very specific, and others, like the event this evening, are more subtle, yet no less "unexpected".

I treat these things as a price I'm expected to pay for my position in my job, as well as my corporation's position in the community. I'm also expected / required to sit / serve on a number of charitable or civic boards throughout the year, and I'm given time off to perform these services.

Anyway...as we were all standing around with our glasses of wine and catered hors d'ouevres, a representative of one of the charities pointed out the following FACT:

Baltimore has more people living under the poverty level, in a smaller area, than New Orleans did before Katrina.

Imagine Baltimore's stadiums filled to capacity, and people trying to evacuate to Philly or NYC...... Scary.

And if that mental image didn't bother you - I hope that the fact that Baltimore's poverty level is worse than New Orleans did.

Worse yet, the images from Katrina highlighted long standing issues between the "haves" and " have nots", as well as the poor and elderly that can't move without assistance.

I made sure that my check will make a difference in this statistic.

posted by Broadsheet @ 9:29 PM