A good day

[pch1.livejournal.com]

So I knew yesterday was going to be a good day when I was able to walk by both Starbucks and Diesel Cafe without being approached by any of the kids repping Save The GreenPeace Children from Masspirg.  Then I started to wonder, why is it that these guys can so relentlessly solicit donations everyday, yet if they were to put down their clipboards and strap on a guitar and play for donations they could be ticketed or asked to stop for performing without a permit.

What's up with the priorities around here.  I'd much rather be passing by a street performer than a political missionary.

Comments

[ron_newman]

I'm not aware of any city ordinance prohibiting busking. Are you sure about this?

[nyusha81.livejournal.com]

oh man, I cannot stand those people. I often think that this street-team approach is actually doing a disservice to the cause, because I now i just want to hide every time I hear "save the children". I've actually changed where I walk because they irritate me so much.

[maelithil.livejournal.com]

Whine harder.

[thebostonreader.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I feel a little sorry for them because they are so earnest, and I know they don't make a lot of money, but I also go out of my way to avoid them.

The approach must work, though, or the PIRGs wouldn't keep sending them out every day, right? I don't think I've ever given them money or signed up on their clipboards or whatever they are looking for. I actually don't really know because I avoid them so much.

[qwrrty.livejournal.com]

Then I started to wonder, why is it that these guys can so relentlessly solicit donations everyday, yet if they were to put down their clipboards and strap on a guitar and play for donations

This is a brilliant idea and I hope some adventurous MASSPIRG chapter takes it on.

[miss-lisa-ma.livejournal.com]

I actually complaiend to the HQ of Save the Children about one of their teams in Quincy Center recently. They were so aggressive, rude and self-righteous they were driving people away, taking 4 or 5 "no"'s and challenging you on every response before they'd leave you alone. Not the greatest approach to compel people to see you and your cause sympathetically.

I got a very nice response from HQ. Haven't seen the little buggers back. They really need a new coach/supervisor/whatever.

[stormsdotter.livejournal.com]

I tend to say, "No thanks," and keep walking. These people plague the area near where I work, and they drive me crazy. If one of them had a guitar, and a box for change, I'd be much more likely to give them a dollar.

I do not like giving money to beggars. People who improve the noise of the city I try to give something to, even if it's just a quarter.

[whaler.livejournal.com]

I don't even think you could hand them cash to "give to green peace" they want you credit card number/bank account and monthly donations.

[sonofabish.livejournal.com]

I feel badly for the kids doing this. They mean well and they want to work at a job that satisfies their desire to make a positive impact. But the system itself sucks- these kids are paid crap plus commission, so yeah, they're eager to try to get donations. That's not to say I don't cross the street or tell them I'm in favor of nuking whales and then using the bones to club seals when I'm feeling a bit peckish and in no mood to be approached. But still, I do understand where they're coming from.

And thanks to all who support musicians. My wife might be one of them out there after she arrives. :)

[tober.livejournal.com]

I would even argue that a prohibition on busking or even requiring busking permits[1], at least under certain circumstances, infringes unacceptably on one's first amendment rights. Particularly, for example, it is possible for busking to be a form of political statement and if it is done in a public place and in a manner that does not unreasonably interfere with other users of that space and if it is not overly loud then that very much ought to be considered a protected activity. Further, busking is really not an act of commerce even if the performer leaves his instrument case open to receive tips. Donation-soliciting, on the other hand, in many cases is a commercial activity especially when, as is often the case, the person soliciting donations is an employee of a for-profit organization that has been hired by a non-profit group for the purpose of fund-raising. Thus, it seems to me that, if anything, fund-raising ought to be considered a less-constitutionally-protected activity than busking.

[1] I don't like the idea of needing a busking permit but if they're going to be required (as they are in Cambridge) then I think they're only acceptable if they are "must issue" and provided on a non-discriminatory basis and only for the purpose of controlling the density of busking in popular locations.

[thetathx1138.livejournal.com]

Somerville has absolutely no permit process for busking whatsoever. So, basically, those kids COULD strap on a guitar.

As for limiting canvassers, I refer you to the Bill of Rights, Amendment One.

[overstim.livejournal.com]

Its a hell of a lot better than Turkey. Its Davis Square, what do you want? Move to Gardner.

[rethcir.livejournal.com]

.. And if it was a different terrorist organization, such as, say, hamas or al qaeda soliciting, they'd be federally fucked!

Hey, hey, hey....

[nvidia99999.livejournal.com]

I bitched about Jehovah's Witnesses harassing people in Davis Sq a few days ago and some people implied I'm an anti-religious monster (which I am). Things are just getting a bit out of control with all these folks trying to get a piece of us while we take a nice walk!

[anyee.livejournal.com]

I actively walk in the street to avoid these guys. I'm at the point where I inform them I hate children and the environment and hope everyone dies!

[jodi.livejournal.com]

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.

slightly less annoyed...

[wellthan.livejournal.com]

Even though I am annoyed by the canvassers, I always think of this story when I see them, (especially the young women) and feel slightly less annoyed:

When I canvassed for Greenpeace 15 years ago, we went door to door, SOLO. During one of our rounds, one of the female canvassers was flashed (pants down) by a man answering his door.
Greenpeace then changed their canvassing policy so that we would only go out in pairs from then on. It seems that at this point, they and other organizations like them have moved away from door-to-door altogether.

[surrealestate.livejournal.com]

I find them really annoying, but I at least sympathize with the folks shilling for organizations I support.

OTOH, when the guy representing the so-called HRC stopping me in the street as I was getting on my bike, I took the time to tell him why I would never support his organization. He clearly had no real idea what the HRC even did, ignored everything I said, and tried to make me out to be some sort of homophobe for not supporting them. I hate to even think about all the well-intentioned money going down the drain there.

[waaronw.livejournal.com]

I support many of the organizations, but absolutely not this form of fundraising. (It seems to work for them, but I don't necessarily believe it to be a "necessary evil")

I have made up a large "No Solicitors" button which I wear on the strap of my bag. When they approach, I smile and point to the button. If they don't see it or don't understand, it seems to at least confuse them long enough for me to get away.

When I am without my button, I usually just say "No" but sometimes I'll let them know I support the cause, but not the methods.

If they all had guitars, I would think more seriously about giving them the time of day.

[teele-sq.livejournal.com]

The truly insidious thing about these solicitors is that they exist to harvest direct marketing information. Give them a donation, sign their petition, and then see how long it takes before you start receiving mailings from the "Ingrown Toenail Relief Foundation" or the "People for the Ethical Treatment of Tollbooth Operators" asking you for even more money.

The one perk is that you'll have enough personalized return-address labels to last a lifetime (provided you never move).

So I do suggest that if you ever feel compelled to donate, you do it anonymously, with cash. Sure, it might give the kid a chance to pocket your money and not report it. But don't you think they should? They work a shit job where everyone crosses the street to avoid them. And you're a sucker who stopped to talk to them.

[starry83.livejournal.com]

I try to avoid the solicitors too, but if they do engage me, I say I've already donated to their cause or am a member of Greenpeace or whatnot. They can't argue with that... they do usually want a high five though.

[callmetothejedi.livejournal.com]

I interviewed for a job with Grassroots Campaigns earlier this year. The second part of my interview consisted of going out with a team of people and canvassing in Roslindale. I quickly discovered that I hated going door to door, asking for donations, and I decided that working for Grassroots Campaigns was not the job for me.