I will be donating to this cause as soon as I'm back from Prague and once my overdue payment for work comes in even though I think it's just fire fighting.
I'd much rather have a fund set up that can help us help all smokers by fighting the laws that enable continual prosecutions against them. First Nick Hogan, then Sheila Martin, and now the Mchales.
Some time ago I called for the prosecution of ASH directors for hate crime and fraud. A private prosecution was what I had in mind because I doubted we would get any help from the police against a Govt backed organisation.
I did make tentative enquiries about it but not in depth investigations. I was told the cost of bringing such a prosecution would be prohibitive and few if any lawyers would be willing to take it on. There was also a pro-choice view that a high profile legal ruling against us at this early stage of our development as a movement would be too much of a setback.
However, I do think with our host of scientific experts and supporters who have signed the Brussels Declaration of Scientific Integrity we could build a good case.
Other things we could do is challenge the laws based on propaganda which work towards our exclusion from society while encouraging hatred of our socially defined group of people which would be against the rights of other minorities.
Perhaps there is also something we could fight for based on people's private property rights.
By attacking the laws that oppress smokers and steal their property from them, we target our resources into saving them all from future prosecutions.
Meanwhile, Smokers Justice is the only voluntary group that I now support - even on a firefighting basis - because I know the money will actually get to resolve the problem I want it to.
Those who run it earn nothing - in fact they lose money because of the genuine free time they give to the cause. Every penny of the money that is only donated by the public goes directly on the case they support.
Compare that with Govt backed "charities"
H/T Dave Futers
UNICEF - CEO, receives $1,200,000 per year, (plus use of a Rolls Royce for his exclusive use where ever he goes, and an expense account that is rumoured to be well over $150,000.) Only pennies from the actual donations goes to the UNICEF
cause (less than $0.14 per dollar of income).
The second worst offender this year is Marsha J. Evans, President and CEO of the American Red Cross...for her salary for the year ending in 2009 was $651,957 plus expenses. Enjoys 6 weeks - fully paid holidays including all related expenses during the holiday trip for her and her husband and kids. including 100% fully paid health & dental plan for her and her family, for life. This means out of every dollar they bring in, about $0.39 goes to related charity causes.
The third worst offender was again for the 7th time was, Brian Gallagher, President of the United Way receives a $375,000 base salary (U.S. funds), plus so many numerous expense benefits it's hard to keep track as to what it is all worth, including a fully paid lifetime membership for 2 golf courses (1 in Canada, and 1 in the U.S.A.), 2 luxury vehicles, a yacht club membership,
3 major company gold credit cards for his personal expenses...and so on. This equates to about $0.51 per dollar of income goes to charity causes.
Fourth worst offender who was also again in the fourth spot, for every year since this information has been made available from the start 1998 is amazingly yet again, World Vision President (Canada) receives $300,000 base salary, (plus supplied - a home valued in the $700,000 - $800,000 dollar value range, completely furnished,
completely paid all housing expenses, including taxes, water/sewer, telephone/fax, HD/high speed cable, weekly maid service and pool/yard maintenance, fully paid private schooling for his children, upscale automobile and an $55,000 personal
expense account for clothing/food, with a $125,000 business expense account). Get this, because it is a "religious based" charity, it pays, little to no taxes, can receive government assistance and does not have to declare were the money goes. Only about $0.52 of earned income per dollar is available for charity causes.