fall fund drive(s)

Tis the season for the begathon, fa la la la lah. Every worthy cause and struggling nonprofit is asking for your support. I don't begrudge their need - or my obligation - to put my money where my brain, heart, belly, balls, butt, and mouth are. But it does raise some hackles and some questions.

When I pick up the phone and pledge my support for public radio, it seems like I'm endorsing a degraded product. Although I realize they did it to cut costs, the recent programming changes at W Large State University are a step in the wrong direction. I miss the voices and musical selections of the familiar local classical disc jockeys, and the canned voices and lowest-common-denominator programming are a poor substitute. Monica somebody and Steve whatshisface in LA (or a studio in an undisclosed location) play a mishmash of classical lite. Some genius in the accounting department at NPR said it fits the cross-sectional tastes of a national audience, so that's what we get. (See also On Monoculture, Sept. 15 in this space.) In fairness, Christopher Purdy and Boyce Lancaster are great, and the addition of Bill McLaughlin in the evening helps make up for the loss of the inimitable Karl Haas.

Over at the oh-so-edgy W True Alternative, they're on an even leaner budget, and they bust their buns to keep a little blues, jazz, world beat, afro-pop, and roots stuff on the air. Like many news-hungry people, I am hooked on "All Things Considered" and "Morning Edition," although the differences between their coverage and everybody else's are diminishing. Again, not their fault, but there it is. Yet what would we do without the silken voice of Terri Gross, the wide-ranging tastes of David Dye, and the ferociously funny Harry Shearer? So what am I complaining about? The best I can say is that it's the best we've got locally, so I'll have to write my check and keep listening, or else start my own station.

But that's just the tip of the transmitter. It's time for the church pledge drive too, aka annual guilt trip. See how much time, energy, and cold cash the really dedicated leaders/pillars of the church give? I shrink down into the pew just a little whenever I hear that refrain. And the Red Cross is in dire need of your dollars and your blood. And Gulf Coast hurricane victims need your help. Pakistani earthquake victims need your help. Your alma mater needs your help to maintain programs, offer scholarships, and build that new science building. The ACLU needs more cash to fight the good fight against a government that thinks civil liberties are the enemies of freedom. Every conscientious environmental group out there REALLY DOES need money to counteract the corporate war on wildlife, woods, and watersheds. And even the benevolent corporate employer is offering to match my contributions dollar-for-dollar to a 501(c)(3) status nonprofit charitable organization, so you bet I'm giving my little bit.

Maybe it's better that they all hit me up at this time of year, so I can write the check, write this venting post, and get on with it.