Tonight I received a phone call from a Red Cross 'telemarketer' wanting to have a talk to me about Red Cross. As I naturally thought he was about to ask for a donation, I tried to make the phone call a quick one and started to say that I would give what I could if I could and that he'd be better off talking to someone else. But, no, he still wanted to discuss the different projects that the Red Cross had going and needed to spread the word about what next year wold bring and how Red Cross, as an organisation, was helping in many ways. He mentioned homeless children and I wasa grumpy enough to say that there should be no need for children to be homeless. He then went on to say that some people had lost jobs and were so poor that they were "living in cars". I was so grumpy that I said that if they had had a job, then why did the loss of that job mean that they had to "live in cars"? How was it that they were so hopeless at managing their finances that they suddenly had nothing, especially as they would have been eligible for unemployment benefits and all the other (so-called) "safety nets"? When he got on to the subject of Red Cross helping to supply breakfasts for children who were sent to school without anythng to eat, I really turned into a very grumpy old woman! If you have a child, I said, then you must feed it! Simple! I will not contribute towards a system that feeds kids at school, because the parents are too lazy to make (or supply) breakfast for their own kid/s. The Red Cross caller tried to explain that it wasn't the kids' fault. I know, I said, but I think it's time that organisations such as Red Cross looked at the source of WHY there are homeless children - and children who are not fed. The root of the problem needs looking into and looking into NOW!
I really think that people should pay for the privilege of having children, not be paid (by the government each time they produce a baby!. There was an article in today's newspaper about a family with seven children, who were living in a 2 bedroomed house and were complaining that they might have to wait many years before they could get a government house with the 4 bedrooms that they need. They had produced a baby nearly every year...year after year! Now, no one can tell me that, nowadays, people don't understand what causes a baby to pop into a belly! And, there is no one who doesn't know how to halt or prevent this process. So, if you can't afford a 4 bedroom house, don't have seven children! Simple!
I could go on.....but, at least I held the ear of the poor Red Cross caller, who, incidentally agreed with me on several counts, but asked me not to quote his views as those of the Red Cross. I, the Grumpy Old Woman had a small win! After I had apologised to my Red Cross caller for beig a "Grumpy Old Woman", his reply was that he was rapidly turning into a "Grumpy Old Man". (He was 26!
I really think that people should pay for the privilege of having children, not be paid (by the government each time they produce a baby!. There was an article in today's newspaper about a family with seven children, who were living in a 2 bedroomed house and were complaining that they might have to wait many years before they could get a government house with the 4 bedrooms that they need. They had produced a baby nearly every year...year after year! Now, no one can tell me that, nowadays, people don't understand what causes a baby to pop into a belly! And, there is no one who doesn't know how to halt or prevent this process. So, if you can't afford a 4 bedroom house, don't have seven children! Simple!
I could go on.....but, at least I held the ear of the poor Red Cross caller, who, incidentally agreed with me on several counts, but asked me not to quote his views as those of the Red Cross. I, the Grumpy Old Woman had a small win! After I had apologised to my Red Cross caller for beig a "Grumpy Old Woman", his reply was that he was rapidly turning into a "Grumpy Old Man". (He was 26!