Human Rights Campaign and appeals for money

It's very hard not to be cynical these days.

Yesterday I got an email from HRC -- I'm sure many of you got it as well. It was an excellent summary of all the bad news for GLBT Americans that's hit us since the election. As I read it, I thought, this is good, thanks for the summary, HRC. I needed such a thing. I rely on organizations like HRC, Lambda Legal, ACLU, etc., to keep me fully informed, because I damned sure don't have the heart to pay close attention all the time.

At the end of the summary of bad news was a strident appeal for money.

Money.

HRC relies on contributions to do its work; I understand this. But must every single update be an appeal for money?

Am I the only person getting pissed off that these organizations can't just send out updates without asking for money in every other sentence?

As I said, I understand they have to ask for money. I understand the nature of a non-profit organization. But except for their magazine and holiday cards (which include quiet, moderate appeals -- like a simple envelope w/ detatchable donor card -- as one would expect) I do not remember ever receiving a piece of mail or an email from HRC which did not include a loud, obnoxious appeal, practically screaming every bloody time, "WE CAN'T DO IT WITHOUT YOUR HELP!"

I am interested in others' opinions. Do you find these ubiquitous, in-your-face appeals to be as off-putting as I do?

I get stuff in the mail from GLAAD, NGLTF...all asking for money.

But HRC is the worst of them. Every freaking email...an appeal for money.

I really have mixed feelings about giving HRC anymore money. I did NOT like the way Cheryl Jacques was ousted as HRC chairman. And I really am ambivilent about a heterosexual as co-chairman. I rather doubt that I'll be contributing to HRC because of what's happened the past few months.

T

I didn't even know some of this stuff. I didn't know Jacques was ousted (I just thought she left). I didn't know a straight person is co-chair. :shrug:

... when I renew my membership in January. That's it.

I wish I could opt-out of all their other fundraising efforts... just to save them the postage and paper. Even though they try to get me to renew "early" (in July)... every one of their pleas for more money is ignored. (Well, not ignored... unanswered would be more accurate.)

-- Allen

The HRC are no different from any other non-profit.

Lots of non-profits try to raise funds w/ every mailing -- Whitman-Walker, Second Harvest, House of Ruth, etc. Those NPs exist to offer services, not to lobby or educate. They get our money without resentment because they serve. AAMOF, I believe those organizations are far more important to our society than HRC.

HRC's main gig is lobbying, and they try to do a lot of educating. I believe they do their members a disservice by sending screeching appeals with every update on what they're doing on Capitol Hill.