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Author: Subject: Today I'm embarrassed to be a Gringo
mulegejim
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[*] posted on 3-28-2010 at 08:03 PM


Quote:
Originally posted by mtgoat666
Quote:
Originally posted by Paulclark Today I'm embarrassed to be a Gringo


well, diff cultures think differently about looking for donations in median of road. gringos associate that with homeless (in US I have only seen homeless or firemen in median -- i donate to homeless, but not firemen who already got lots of tax money), while in mexico it is common for organizations to collect in road.


Not sure, however, you might be confusing the annual "Fill the Boot" drive by the International Association of Firefighters (IAFF) in support of the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) with other fund raising drives by local firefighter groups. I would like to point out that the IAFF is the largest single contributor to the MDA and has been for many years.

http://www.iaff.org/mda/index.asp
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24baja
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[*] posted on 3-28-2010 at 08:22 PM


Being from the emergency services field, we always donate both coming and going.
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MrBillM
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[*] posted on 3-28-2010 at 08:31 PM
Being Charitable


I've heard that Mexican Governmental, especially Law-Enforcement, employees set aside 20 percent of their Mordida for Charitable purposes.

Is that true ?
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shari
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[*] posted on 3-28-2010 at 08:45 PM


It is very common practise for all kinds of collections to be taken up on the streets...usually at stop signs or the gas stations. Examples of things they seek donations for are teen church camps, queen's of various things (you get to be queen if you raise the most money), policeman's ball, school field trips, sports teams etc. etc....kinda like car washes in the north without the work. They also sell food like tamales, soda, suckers, chiclets etc.

Pretty much all locals donate to red cross....kinda like an insurance policy....it might be you next who needs help.

When the CREAD rehab people come to the door, I always give them food instead of money.

[Edited on 3-29-2010 by shari]




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[*] posted on 3-28-2010 at 08:57 PM


Quote:
Originally posted by shari
When the CREAD rehab people come to the door


They ever come to my door and I'll drown them with mace.
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mtgoat666
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[*] posted on 3-28-2010 at 09:02 PM


Quote:
Originally posted by mulegejim
Quote:
Originally posted by mtgoat666
Quote:
Originally posted by Paulclark Today I'm embarrassed to be a Gringo


well, diff cultures think differently about looking for donations in median of road. gringos associate that with homeless (in US I have only seen homeless or firemen in median -- i donate to homeless, but not firemen who already got lots of tax money), while in mexico it is common for organizations to collect in road.


Not sure, however, you might be confusing the annual "Fill the Boot" drive by the International Association of Firefighters (IAFF) in support of the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) with other fund raising drives by local firefighter groups. I would like to point out that the IAFF is the largest single contributor to the MDA and has been for many years.

http://www.iaff.org/mda/index.asp


that's them. they compete with homeless guys panhandling on median.

always suspicious of cash charities -- never know how much is skimmed in the field. at least when handing money to homeless guy, it is likely he is beneficiary of 100% of funds (except in places like India where pimps run the beggars)
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[*] posted on 3-28-2010 at 11:26 PM


Quote:
Originally posted by DENNIS
Quote:
Originally posted by shari
When the CREAD rehab people come to the door


They ever come to my door and I'll drown them with mace.

no kidding. Those guys pick me out of an intersection and come right to me. They work the same intersections for years- so they know everyone.

I make one donation and get a few big Red Cross stickers that never come off a windshield no matter how hard you try. I don't feel guilty after that and everyone collecting waves and smiles the same. It does seem like a cuota driving through Rosarito Beach this time of year. Someone at every stop sign. I do admit to using one side streets to dodge all the kids selling sodas.




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TMW
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[*] posted on 3-29-2010 at 07:20 AM


I always donate in Mexico and the U.S. I often give to the street people too especially if one tells me he wants a drink. At least he's honest.
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[*] posted on 3-29-2010 at 07:56 AM


all of our change goes in the console of our car for instances like cruz roja and creads...what the hell?...give em a few pesos!



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[*] posted on 3-29-2010 at 08:10 AM


Red Cross...I always get the big sticker with my first donation. eventually it does wear off, usually before the next year's collection drive.
the Loreto Traffic police have a collection day in December, and give a slip of paper you can put on the windshield so you just get a smile and a wave from the guys on the next corner. and the next. and the next.
anything/one I support and recognize gets a donation.
everyone else gets five or ten pesos from the stash in the cup holder. I don't try to inspect credentials. if I get a suspicious vibe, maybe they only get a few pesos but so what...
it's part of living here and life can be hard.
the only folks I really worry about are the guys in wheelchairs who sometimes appear in the middle of the road by topes in La Paz. what's the story on that?




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[*] posted on 3-29-2010 at 08:19 AM


"When there is an accident and they respond they aren't going to be looking for that sticker to decide whether to treat you or not but you will be glad they had enough gas to get there. "

Donjulio has it right.... and we know first hand what a wonderful organizaton this is.

We normally just give a little to all who ask on both sides. Even the rehab group dressed in white. They always say "god bless you" so I feel like I just got an extra blessing even though I paid for it.
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[*] posted on 3-29-2010 at 08:32 AM


Over the years you want to be careful about the coins in the console thing. I got so used to giving that to CR that one year I really loaded them up with coins (cause I had a lot of coins) and I forgot the peso was 3300 to the dollar. Now I wish they had said "wake up gringo, paper money only, por favor". Well, no excuse but I was young then and Mexico mello most of the time.
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[*] posted on 3-29-2010 at 08:51 AM


Had an interesting experience on Saturday. We had an idea at the food bank to get all of the local businesses to help support the community that has supported them for so many years.

With the economy and tourism down so much here the community is suffering but we wanted to find a way to empower the people to become more self-sustaining.

So the idea was to go each business and get them to sign a commitment for 100 pesos a month. Thats not much until you multiply it 400 times. Then it feeds a whole lot of people.

I had a letter written in Spanish explaining what we wanted to do so that it was very clear. I watched the people nod their heads as they read it. Out of the 24 Mexican businesses I went to 23 signed and made a monthly commitment and only 1 said next month (cause his business wasn't even completely open yet).

Out of the 4 American owned businesses I went to, one of them would commit to 100 pesos per month. 1 gave 100 pesos and said she would do that when she could but wouldnt commit to it. The other two didn't sign and didn't give.

Interesting.
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[*] posted on 3-29-2010 at 09:21 AM


This is certainly painting an ugly image of the American tourist & expats. But please let's not forget how generous we can be either. Ask the kids in the towns about where they got their bikes. Or those that received help after a disaster where much of the donations came from. I for one am not ashamed to be an American. Even if our politics and a few arrogant people embarrass me at times we do come through in times of need.



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shari
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[*] posted on 3-29-2010 at 09:30 AM


thanks for that Russ...right on.
I am always so impressed how mexicanos are so generous with donations, paying the grocery bagging kids, window washers etc...I have felt pangs of guilt when I see how much they give and realize my peso or two is less than they give! oooops




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[*] posted on 3-29-2010 at 09:45 AM


Quote:
Originally posted by knuckles
Even the rehab group dressed in white. They always say "god bless you" so I feel like I just got an extra blessing even though I paid for it.


I've often wondered what their story is. They've been around for a long time. I've even mentioned to them that I'd pay more if they would tell me how they got their clothes so white.
Seems like the organized begging industry is growing in the states. Organizations take in homeless and court ordered rehab victims as well as unmanageable kids from well to do families and they're sent out to pan handle. It's their job.
More and more they are becoming evident here, these businesses from the states. Less regulation and overhead.
It is a business....not an altruistic mission. Somebody is making lots of money from these scams.

Remember Doc Thaddeus...DocT and his alter-ego Sock-Puppet or whatever? I think that's what he was up to.
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[*] posted on 3-29-2010 at 09:54 AM


I can tell you that I always donated to those recognizable Mexican charitable organizations... along Hwy 1 and at the border... at least up until a good Mexican friend related this incident to me. Several years ago, an ex-pat had a heart attack My friend rushed this ex-pat, who was a close friend of his, to a nearby city and begged the emergency services organization there to please take him by ambulance to San Quintin or somewhere he could have been treated. They flatly refused and the man died. After that time my friend said he would never donate to them again.

I realize this is only one incident, but to see your friend dying and this particular organization being unwilling to help had a profoundly negative impact on my friend.
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durrelllrobert
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[*] posted on 3-29-2010 at 09:56 AM


Quote:
Originally posted by DENNIS


Just make sure they put the little sticker on the windshield. It means you gave at the office.

yes, Cruz Rojas does put on a sticker but they are the only ones. the rest get you going (which I always give to) and then coming back too (which I try to signal that I already gave):?::?:




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[*] posted on 3-29-2010 at 10:05 AM


Quote:
Originally posted by durrelllrobert
yes, Cruz Rojas does put on a sticker but they are the only ones. the rest get you going (which I always give to) and then coming back too (which I try to signal that I already gave):?::?:



Save your washers. Image is everything. :lol::lol:
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durrelllrobert
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[*] posted on 3-29-2010 at 10:08 AM


Quote:
Originally posted by David K


I would be really surprised if Baja Nomads were cheap with Cruz Roja... at least the Nomads I know... :rolleyes:


:fire: Or that considered.... Mexicans to be less than Americans as bajawodd wrote (where did that come from?):fire::fire:




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