Last weeks entry about A New Breed of Mall Vermin brought up an interesting topic with an MLC reader.  He states:

I enjoy reading your blogs.  This week it was about mall pests, now please do one about all the begging and panhandling for donations in Hawaii.  Its at an all time high, kids out on the street w/fishnets, neighbors going door to door, guys on the street holding signs, foodbank, heart assoc, all asking for $$$.  And the list goes on and on and this is suppose to be the riches country in the world.

I replied that he has a good point.  In our day, we earned the donations.  Whether it be via car washes, selling huli-huli chicken tickets (and usually picking up and delivering the chicken on the day of the benefit) or selling sweet bread, candy, what have you.  The point is - we worked for it and the person donating got something out of it.

The reader agreed and went on to say:

Back in the 40's/50's when I was a kid we worked for our spending money..... washing cars, mowing lawns, etc.  There were really no big organizations asking for $.  Its a different world we live in now.  And now everywhere you turn, somebody is asking for $.  The latest is some group at the KCC farmers market who set up a table for $ and food.  And coming up when booking airline reservations online there is a box to click on to make a donation.  I could go on and on.

And I agree with him wholeheartedly.

What is especially irritating are those people who stand at intersections with fishnets asking panhandling for donations.  They stick the fishnet right up to your car window - invading what I would deem "your personal space".

Now I can see where the people asking for donations are stationary - and it's up to you to approach them and give a donation if you wish - like the Salvation Army kettles at Christmas time.

But it's the aggressive solicitors that ask for your donation with nothing but maybe a simple "Thank You".  Perhaps they could pass out a coupon for a free hamburger or soft drink with every donation.  But that would mean that they'd have to work to find someone who would be willing to sponsor their charity.  And that would take work.

And that's just it - again, they want our money without doing any work for it!

What happened to the work ethic?  Don't you feel so much better earning donations for your charity, rather than simply begging for it?

What say you?