Thursday, February 24, 2011

IDIOTS AND DONATIONS

I wonder.  Who came up with the gimic for clerks to ask for a donation when checking out customers? It bugs me. Am I supposed to feel guilted into leaving a donation? And, it's not a write off.  Not for me, but it must be for the stores, right!? And, I also wonder what kind of idiot would donate this way, no tax right off, guilted into it....and usually by a child. That clerk is usually an "almost" child who has no idea of tax right offs or what "donation" really means.

It makes me so angry that it spurs me to act.  I take a poll everytime I'm asked at the cash register to donate.  "Does it bug you that you're required by your company to collect donations from your customers?" Or I ask, "Do people ever get mad at you for asking?" Once I even asked, "Do you donate when asked?" That question produced the best reaction!

"I don't have enough money to give it away!" she says defiantly, angrily, indignantly.  How dare I ask her!

I felt like saying, "Sweetie, none of us do.  Not now. Not anymore. So don't ask us either." But it's not her fault. She's doing what she's asked, probably in fear for her job.  So, I smiled; I gave her my best Mom's smile. I gave her the smile that said all I wanted to say and she understood. She looked as if she felt foolish, which was sad.  She shouldn't feel foolish.  Her company should feel foolish.  It's morally reprehensible that a company will collect "donation" funds from the very individual that supports them.  Then, they garnish the tax donation at the expense of that very same customer. I'm continuing my poll when asked for a donation at the tax register.  I hope the employee eventually starts complaining.  And, I also have stopped shopping at many of the stores I found that regularly ask me for a donation.  I don't shop at Safeway or Radio Shack or Home Depot or Trader Joe's.  I have also "unliked" Trader Joe's Fan on my Facebook page.