I have to say that crossing the street or putting on headphones or going through the trouble to fake a phone call to avoid these people isn't going to make anything any better. I hate this form of advertisement/solicitation/consciousness-raising. When they speak to me, I inform them as politely as possible that any organization that can afford spare either paid or unpaid workers to solicit support on the street in not in need of my contributions. This invariably make the person I'm talking to instantly angry at me but their anger does not change the way I feel about this particular method of activism. If everyone who feels this way shared their feelings with the organization (whether at the street level or by calling/emailing) then the message will get through and the organization can decide if the return is really worth it.
no subject
Date: 2009-07-30 09:21 pm (UTC)I hate this form of advertisement/solicitation/consciousness-raising.
When they speak to me, I inform them as politely as possible that any organization that can afford spare either paid or unpaid workers to solicit support on the street in not in need of my contributions. This invariably make the person I'm talking to instantly angry at me but their anger does not change the way I feel about this particular method of activism. If everyone who feels this way shared their feelings with the organization (whether at the street level or by calling/emailing) then the message will get through and the organization can decide if the return is really worth it.