Are there any DUers who HAVEN'T donated to DU???

[im10ashus]

And if you haven't, why not. I don't always let it cloud my judgment of a poster, but sometimes I can't help but wonder. How can someone come here and claim to LOVE DU and then bash some of the posts on here when they haven't even donated to the cause. Just curious. :shrug:

[Danieljay]

1. Me. I haven't donated. n/t

[MissB]

2. I lost my star last week.

Payday is next week.

With your permission, I'll bash some posts. Do I get a say in which ones, or shall I run them by you first?

[im10ashus]

6. Run them by me first.

Kidding. Why did you lose your star? That's a first.

[MissB]

26. They do have an expiration date.

:) I didn't recall my last donation date, and I have a hard time finding it around here. I did a once a year donation, not the quarterly donation.

[TheWraith]

52. missb probably means that the star expired

They only last for 12 months after you donate.

[Baclava]

66. My star died this week...

I'm burning Helium now...

[TheCentepedeShoes]

75. I lost my star last Nov

Expiration snuck up on me.

[Catherine Vincent]

60. you have a star.

[MissB]

63. Thanks for pointing that out. And thank you to my donor.

:hug: :*

[Minnesota Libra]

3. I haven't been here long but........

......give me a couple months and I will cure that.

[mdmc]

16. welcome to DU!

peace and low stress,
mdmc

[im10ashus]

18. Welcome to DU.

:hi:

[Minnesota Libra]

76. mdmc and im10ashus - THANK YOU........

......for the warm welcome. :grouphug: I already love DU!!!!! :dem:

[im10ashus]

53. I wouldn't expect that from someone right away.

It's when someone has been here 4 years and their posts are circumspect in the first place that I wonder why they haven't donated.

[Minnesota Libra]

79. Maybe you should have made that point.......

in the original question because as it stands the thread opener makes it sound like you are bashing anyone and everyone - including newbies and those who simply can't afford to donate. :shrug:

[FreedomAngel82]

103. And that still means what?

So what. You think people can just jump up and donate money? People do have to pay bills you know and take care of themselves and/or any family members.
How wrong of you!

[bigwillq]

84. Welcome to DU!

:hi:

[Democrat 4 Ever]

4. Because maybe some of us are a little better off in these days

of Bush than others. The economy sucks, jobs are going overseas, cost of living is up, Financial Aid sinking, yadda, yadda, yadda. I'm just thankful that I'm in a position to support DU - no matter how large or small my donation is each pledging period. There but for the grace of God go I...

[qanda]

5. There are some who cannot afford to donate to DU

There have been times when I couldn't donate and I certainly didn't want anyone making a judgment about me based on that.

[Seen the light]

11. Exactly

I'm a college student that's having to buy gasoline with spare change. Someday I'll be able to donate to the site, but I just can't do it right now.

[im10ashus]

14. What if someone wanted to make a donation for you?

Would you accept that? :-)

[Seen the light]

17. Sure

As long as it was going to help the site, I'm not going to not accept that.

[im10ashus]

21. I will take care of that for you.

:hi:

[Seen the light]

24. I really appreciate that

It only reinforces my opinion that some of the nicest people you'll find online are at this site.

So thanks.

:toast:

[im10ashus]

39. Look!

You have a star.

Now finish college! :toast:

[Seen the light]

42. Wow, that was fast

Again, I appreciate it.

[iamthebandfanman]

45. the was really nice of you

kindness does still exsist in this country!

i was starting to wonder!
lol

[mdmc]

49. cool!

I wish the OP was worded different. Lots of poor folks will take offense, me thinks.

Thanks for being KIND!

[Blue Belle]

62. Aww... that was really great of you to do that.

You Rock im10ashus!!

:loveya:

[qanda]

85. That's too cool!

[mdmc]

31. that is very cool and kind of you

I only wish that your OP was worded differently. I took the OP as pure elitist ignorance. I can tell now that you are a very kind and cool individual!

Thank you for helping this dude out! Peace and low stress, mdmc

[im10ashus]

46. Don't mention it.

I like to help when I can. :-)

And don't worry. I have a thick skin. I can take the out-of-context attacks. Cheers!

[Minnesota Libra]

12. qanda, Thank You for pointing that out........

......and I must say I think the original poster is being unsensitive at best.

[im10ashus]

51. Thanks for the etiquette lesson.

I will take it under advisement.

[xultar]

91. No shit. Agreed. Great post.

[leftstreet]

7. Evidently DU doesn't mind

Or they'd make it mandatory to contribute in order to post.

[im10ashus]

9. I don't argue that DU doesn't mind.

I would like to help a DUer get their star.

[leftstreet]

64. Then why didn't you say that in your OP? n/t

[zanne]

8. I'll donate again when I can.

I can't donate much, but I do try. It's just that some people are really, actually (I'm serious here), POOR. Sorry.

[realisticphish]

10. sometimes people can't afford it

:shrug:

[mdmc]

13. rich, white people never can understand poverty

I have not donated because I cannot afford to do so. Some kind DU'er (Heidi) hooked me up with a "star". I do love DU, but I really don't have five bucks right now.

Can you even imagine what it is like not to be able to spend five dollars? It is awful! Peace and low stress, mdmc

ps -thank all kind DU'ers that have donated on behalf of less fortunate DU'ers... THANK YOU!

[im10ashus]

15. "rich, white people never can understand poverty"

You are kidding me, right?

[mdmc]

22. can you imagine what it is like NOT to have an extra dollar?

it really is a sad thing. I regret my "white rich folks don't know" comment. I apologize. Peace and low stress, mdmc

[im10ashus]

37. No problem.

I can imagine because I have been there.

[ThoughtCriminal]

19. Now, the Star-Bell Sneetches had bellies with stars

Dedicated to DUer's that are on a tight budget - sometimes I have to let mine laspe too. Last quarter a kind DU'er donated for me.

http://staff.bcc.edu/jalexand/Reading-1-9A--Seuss-The_Sneetches.htm

Dr. Seuss

The Sneetches


Now, the Star-Bell Sneetches had bellies with stars.
The Plain-Belly Sneetches had none upon thars.

Those stars weren’t so big. They were really so small
You might think such a thing wouldn’t matter at all.

But, because they had stars, all the Star-Belly Sneetches
Would brag, “We’re the best kind of Sneetch on the beaches.”
With their snoots in the air, they would sniff and they’d snort
“We’ll have nothing to do with the Plain-Belly sort!”
And, whenever they met some, when they were out walking,
They’d hike right on past them without even talking.

When the Star-Belly children went out to play ball,
Could a Plain Belly get in the game? Not at all.
You only could play if your bellies had stars
And the Plain-Belly children had none upon thars.

.
.
.

[Leopolds Ghost]

71. LOL!! I love Dr. Seuss. n/t

[Pastiche423]

20. It must be nice to have throw away money in this bushworld

How incredibly insensitive of you!

Have you ever read the DU polls wrt: how much DUers make? If you had, you would know that there are many of us that are barely holding our heads about the economic waters.

[im10ashus]

23. How incredibly shortsighted of you.

What makes you think I am swimming in money?

[Pastiche423]

28. Where did I say you were "swimming in money"?

You asked a question "you were wondering about" and I gave an answer.

[im10ashus]

43. You said.

"It must be nice to have throw away money in this bushworld."

I wish I had money to throw away too. :shrug:

[Pastiche423]

56. Apparently you do

and at the same time bash those that don't.

My star disappears tomorrow. It won't be replaced anytime soon, as I need that $5 for meds.

So, I guess that makes me a bad person in your eyes, huh?

[Flirtus]

25. I read for a long time before I posted

and then it was a long time (months, at least) before I donated. There's lots of causes out there needing cash, and I guess I really had to be sure, it wasn't a deliberate thing, and now I'm aware that all the blogs I read could use a donation, and, as I have to send a check, sometimes it's Hard Work to figure it all out.

And, more to the point, I'm really aware that some of the best opinions and insight come from knowledgable people who might not have that extra ten bucks. Even my mom is having trouble at the end of each month, and she's not used to it.

I don't begrudge the folks coming here looking for information and support.

I don't really like 'bashers', though, whether they've paid for the priviledge or not.

[Lost-in-FL]

27. Recomended for "Dumbest question of the World"

:wtf:

[Pastiche423]

32. I second that recommendation!

[leftstreet]

35. Third. Bash The Poor threads SUCK

[Individualist]

77. Dumbest and insensitive

Some people apparently don't know what it's like to have to scrape together nickels and pennies in order to have enough money to buy groceries and prescription meds.

[lumpy]

97. No doubt.

Cheesy question in the first place.

[mtnsnake]

99. Dumbest, nerviest, most heartless, and most self-serving question EVER!!

:argh:

[ken_g]

29. Was an engineer, got sick, lost job and Med. ins, then Bankruptcy

Sound familiar to anyone? I'm in the middle class dumpster. All too familiar a tale in today's America. Scariest fucking thing you ever want to go through when you have mouths to feed.

DU has been my daily sanity check and I someday will return the favor.

Right now, just can't.

[AbbyR]

44. I think I'm sharing your dumpster...

I posted on a topic board about the medical problems my husband has and the problems we are having now making ends meet. It's going to get worse, and I will probably lose my star. I wonder every day how a man with a Ph.D. and a woman with a master's who have been employed all of their lives got themselves into this mess. It's called husband with chronic eventually fatal illness and health care a real stretch, after a mother with cancer died.

It's rough surviving out here these days. If I weren't working a more than full-time job and trying to care for a sick husband, I'd be looking for a second (or third) job.

It wasn't supposed to be this way....

[ken_g]

69. Wow, THAT sounds familiar. For 15 years I never had an interview

that didn't result in a job offer. Now I can't get an interview. (Elect. technical field). AND, the longer my employment gap, the worse my odds get. And then there's the "you're overqualified" response when trying for a lower position. Thank God I have a dedicated wife who understands and supports (and reads DU also).

Also, lost mother, her sister,and father's sister from cancer year after I get sick (I possibly have MS but insurance got tired of paying for tests). Expendable!

Funny! The only doctor they would approve in the end - after I gave up - only told me that I needed to eat Wheatys and bananas for breakfast. That was my problem. Seriously!!

[Flirtus]

88. you've struck a nerve with I forgot I had

I've been doing mom's laundry all evening after working two hours extra at my 'real' job and still feeling like I can't catch up... Your post just made the little tears pop out.

My mom has been sick for three or four years and her husband the six years before that (he died, then she got sick) and all that started just when I finally got a real job after a debilitating divorce (was just in court for that again last week.) And the beautiful, talented child wants to go to college and I'm freaking out over the cost.

Chin up! We're here thinking and fighting for people just like us.

I don't know what part of the country you are in - one of the joys of DU, we're all still in the same country, for now at least - but I hope you are getting some assistance. I'm in SE Tennessee, there's almost no DU'ers here, but I find lots of support and good things to keep me afloat here.

[seg4527]

30. i donated once, but not anymore

I'm in college now, so I have other things to spend money on.

I probably won't donate in the future. It's a cool place to come to, but there are many other places i'd donate to first when I have the money.

[Warpy]

33. I've been unemployed for 2 1/2 years

but a very nice person donated in my name.

My fortunes have since changed, and I intend to pay that kindness forward.

[Earth_First]

34. Does it matter?

It's quality of the content that I am more concerned about.

[im10ashus]

41. Not really.

But when I see them bashing the content on DU, they have over 5,000 posts and no star, it makes me wonder. Thanks for your comments. :hi:

[FreedomAngel82]

104. And what do you consider "bashing"?

[BuyingThyme]

36. This is the most anti-DU post ever posted.

Congratulations.

[lumpy]

98. It is non of anyones business why

people don't contribute. Ant-DU and anti-democratic post. Suspicious kankiness at the least.

[iamthebandfanman]

38. im poor!

ill glady donate when i get another job!
i have an interview next week, wish me luck!

[soulcore]

40. A lot of people just flat out can't afford to donate.

Life in Bush's America is hard and filled with tough choices. That extra $5 is much better spent getting to work, or buying food, or whatever else you NEED when times are tough.

That being said, when important topics stop getting censored and relegated to the 9/11 bunker, I might consider donating.

[FatDave]

47. I haven't donated

I wish I could, but I'm currently out of work. One of those IT guys who has to compete with offshored programmers in India and Pakistan who get paid a quarter of what I need to get by. Once I find a job, I'll donate for sure, but right now I have to think about feeding my 3 kids.

Being unemployed does have its upside though. I get to spend a lot of time on DU.

[wakemeupwhenitsover]

48. People donate if they can & don't if they can't or won't.

I think it's that simple.

Some like to check the site out for a few months before they donate; some sign up & immediately donate; some donate for others; some are going through hard times; some choose not to for their own personal reasons. And in the old days a member could donate but choose not to have the star next to their name-I'm not sure if that optiion is still available, but considering the fabulous software the admins designed it probably is.

[im10ashus]

50. Thanks for the perspective.

I was a little angry at another thread and the OP has a lot of posts and yet attacking the content on DU. It just made me wonder. I even donated so another DUer could get their star. I understand not being able to afford it. But choosing not to is another reason. Hope I didn't offend.

[lumpy]

100. You did.

And you managed to make some people feel guilt.

[sheelz]

54. Wish I could donate but really tough financial times.

Please support your local libraries because for some people that is the only way to read DU!

[stillcool]

55. I'm trying to whittle some money away ....

to donate. The reason I want to donate is because I use this site every day...and the pay to play ethic is so ingrained in my subconscious that when I am remiss it eats away at me. Guilt, is wasted on me, as I have enough for several lifetimes, but I guess like money to money I am hopelessly attracted to it.

[truth2power]

57. Hi, im10ashus...I must say

from reading this thread, I'm confused. Your initial post seemed very insensitive. However, if you're offering to provide a star for someone, as above, then I commend you.

I assume you understand that there are many here who are down to counting pennies. I lost my star last week, but I remedied that with a small donation. I have a limited income, and I try to spread what I have among several worthy causes, including support to the ACLU.

When I think that Bush was here in my city last night, raising obscene amounts of money for the re-election of Sen. Mike DeWine, well... :(

[Catherine Vincent]

61. you have a star now.

[truth2power]

68. Aw...cat_girl,

:blush: I had already replaced my star (see my post) but if you donated in my name, please accept my heartfelt thanks. It all goes to a good cause. People here are so kind. :hug:

[Catherine Vincent]

87. No, it wasn't me.

I was just letting you know. :hi:

[leftstreet]

58. Would everyone PLEASE STOP APOLOGIZING for BEING POOR!

This is the sickest thread I've EVER seen at DU

:puke:

[ken_g]

70. Can you expand on your point a little. Some have a conscience

and may take exception to your post.

[leftstreet]

72. Calling out people for not contributing puts them on the defensive

They offer sincere and valid reasons for not contributing, but in the sick, twisted demoralizing process they forget the real issue here. IT'S NOBODY'S FUCKING BUSINESS!

Why put anyone on the defensive for being poor?
:shrug:

DU allows membership regardless of donation status.
End of story.

Socialist ideology, like so many others, has two main dangers. One stems from confused and incomplete readings of foreign texts, and the other from the arrogance and hidden rage of those who, in order to climb up in the world, pretend to be frantic defenders of the helpless so as to have shoulders on which to stand.
Jose Marti 1853 - 1895

[ken_g]

74. Thank you. I thought that's what you meant, wasn't sure. /nt

[leftstreet]

80. Welcome to DU!

:hi:

[in_cog_ni_to]

90. Man...I have to agree. I hate this fucking thread.

:grr:

[lumpy]

101. No kidding the poster

can remedy his/her angst by filling in the empty stars places.

[Catherine Vincent]

59. Now that's none of your business.

[blm]

65. Some may not know that their donation is overdue - stars come and go

If you aren't looking for stars you hardly notice. I know I don't and need reminding.

[Karmakaze]

67. I havent donoated to DU for one reason...

well two actually, but one is really lame and Im sure I could find away around it if I really wanted to...

1) I am a student from New Zealand and have approximately 99 USD per week to live on (before rent power food transport etc etc)

2) I don't have a credit card and thus transfering money from here (NZ) to there (US) is a pain in the butt.

[senseandsensibility]

73. Are you serious?

You don't know that some people can't afford to donate? It's not always a matter of wanting to donate; sometimes there isn't any money. Really. I'm not currently poor, but I have been. Believe me, it's an experience you don't forget. Once you have it, you don't judge others.

[Nutmegger]

78. This is Bush's Amerika

Where college tuition skyrockets and loan funding is cut along with grants.

I've seen school tuition increase by four thousand dollars within a matter of two years.

So I'm terribly "sorry" if I'm no flowing in money here. Maybe the Dems can work out something when they succeed in '06.

[Joe for Clark]

81. Maybe some can't afford it.

I want the opinions. And maybe a few of us can can afford to make up the difference.

We all live in a glass house. No rocks needed.

Joe

And by-the-way, I really like the DU T-Shirt, it is good quality.

[LittleClarkie]

82. That would seem to be a non-sequitor to me

They love DU, but bashing a post on DU means that don't really love DU? No, they just didn't like one of the posts, is all. That's all part of the DU experience, answering posts and all, even if you don't agree.

What do you mean about "bashing" btw? Disagreements or what?

But DU allows folks to participate without paying. And some folks just can't afford it. Simple as that. Welcome to Bush's America.

[Jose Diablo]

83. The star went out a couple years back

Although I like DU, I figured I'll freeload, keep my money. I contributed to a few causes, then saw those causes piss the money away.

As an example, there was a guy that was running in Ohio, then he got tombstoned, Seeman I think his name was. OK, I got scammed and accepted it.

Then there was a guy out west, he was OK. Don't get me wrong on this because I'm not angry, just disappointed, because I gave him money so he could campaign for a seat, then he drops-out, without giving one word about why. I won't say who he was, but if a guy says he's gonna do something, I think he should have hung on to the bitter end, even if he loses. But he's not with us anymore, it's hard the stay upset about it.

Then there was the contribution to try to stop the electronic voting boxes. And some loadmouth broad runs off with the cash.

Thus, I'm much more caution about giving money out. You can call me stingy, if you want. Should I feel guilty? Because I don't.

[recoveringdittohed]

86. Haven't donated due to workplace prohibition on partisan contributions

I am a local government employee with a workplace prohibition on partisan contributions (to any party). I agree with the ban as we don't get shook down for contributions regardless of who is in power.

I do feel guilty about using this wonderful website and not contributing and feel I should make a non-partisan contribution to a progressive organization in lieu of donating to DU. I'm leaning toward contributing to the ACLU. Any organization that irritates Bill O'Reilly as much as the ACLU does must be good.

[MrMickeysMom]

89. It's all choice

I haven't posted much, but it's more than that. I give to AAR, I give to good causes and solicite them in the neighborhood, I give to Truthout, I've given a few times to White Rose.

I guess I just haven't sliced off a small piece for DU...

[Nye Bevan]

92. Skinner...... is that you?

[TorchTheWitch]

93. No, and

none of your fucking business why not.

[unkachuck]

94. it's been....

....a rough couple of years for me and what I could afford to donate would be an insult....but I do wish to apologize to each a every donor and to the bosses of DU for being a deadbeat....

[senseandsensibility]

95. Please don't apologize

There is no need. The vast majoprity of DUers do not judge other posters by their star or lack of star.

[lumpy]

96. What business is it of yours why

people might not be donating ?

[FreedomAngel82]

102. That's just nonsense

You're not going to trust someone because they haven't donated to DU? Gee how nice of you. :mad:

[pinto]

105. Locking.

DU appreciates the participation of all members, whether they are able to help support the site financially or not.