To Give Or Not To Give, That Is The Question....

Every year, I am alway faced with the question of to give or not to give to charity organization. In the past, I've given money to several charity organizations, such as Michael J. Fox Foundation, Red Cross, various Buddhist Temple, and other type or help organizations. Early in life, we were taught giving is a good thing. It will make us feel good to help others in need. In our society of corruptions, thief, and scams, it makes me think twice about giving or helping people these days.

I am fortunate enough to have a job and able to feed my family, there are those who are less fortunate than I, especially in times of major disaster like Japan's recent earthquake or the devastating disaster of Haiti not too long ago. When such an un-fortunate event like this occurs, it is usually followed by swarm of organizations asking to help people in needs. We have celebrities such as George Clooney using is star power to do a telethon to raise money for hope. Former President George W. Bush and Bill Clinton created a Haiti Funds. Each time a disaster event occurs, hundreds of millions are raised to help the victim in need.

Aside from disaster, annually there are causes around the world helping people in needs. Annually world leaders meet together to talk about how to end world hunger. Billions of dollars have been pour into Africa and other countries a like. United States offers Africa $1 Billion a year to help fight AIDS.

Annually billions upon billions of dollars are raised, funded, and gathered to help people in need. At the end of the day, why I am asking myself to give or not to give. Why am I hesitant on giving each time I walk by a Red Cross booth at the local supermarket? Why am I hesitant on giving each time I see a telethon occurs on TV? Even more simple, why do I walk pass a hungry man on the street asking for food so he could feed his children? (Note: Reminds me of the song by Phil Collins Another Day In Paradise) It is the corruption I see going on each and every day.  There are legal fraud and illegal fraud. I can't help to wonder how much of my $1.00 donation really goes to the hand of people in need. How much of so call "administrative fees" are being buffered. I see on the news and sometime do see charity people driving nice BMW and Mercedes. It makes me wonder is that part of my money they are driving with or did they honestly earn that from a real day job? If I hand the guy I see on the street asking for money to help feed his children, will he? Or will he go to the nearest liquor store and buy a pack of smoke or alcohol? Why are we annually as a country giving billions upon billions to Africa to help people in needs, when are are millions of people here in the United States who are really in needs. People who does contribute to the tax systems and really need help.

With the hundreds and thousands of charity organizations out there, wouldn't they make more of an impact if they all unite and focus the money towards a single cause? Why do we have thousands of charity organizations raising money on individual hope to fund a cure for some disease such as cancer.  Wouldn't research be 100x more effective and efficient if we all focus our money, time, and resources trying to a cure to one disease at a time?

Each day, hundreds of questions flow through my head. Not one answer seems logical. Not one answer seems reasonable. It has gotten to a point that I am numb to what's going on and turn a blind eye on things. Be like any typical American, just walk on by and one day before I go from this world looking back at what I have done or lack there of in regret.