Charity Thrives After Embracing Gun Raffle, Leaving United Way

Ammoland ^ | 29 November, 2017 | Dean Weingarten

[marktwain]

A year ago, the United Way Worldwide was pressured to shut down a charity raffle in Otero County, New Mexico. The reason: guns.

The United Way succumbed to pressure from the national media, such as the LA times. New Mexicans to Prevent Gun Violence, a political non-profit formed in 2013, pushed the Global United Way Worldwide to stop the charity raffle.

From alamogordonews.com:

New Mexicans to Prevent Gun Violence Co-President Miranda Viscoli sent a letter to United Way Worldwide alerting the organization about the firearm raffle that led to the suspension of the raffle. “Basically putting 104 firearms back into a state where gun violence is destroying our communities,” Viscoli said. “It’s unconscionable. It has nothing to do with what United Way is about. They’re paving the road for other United Way branches to hold raffles.”

The basis for opposition to the raffle appears to be simplistic and false: Guns are bad. Notice the Orwellian word usage “putting guns back”. When were those guns taken from the state to begin with? Those who oppose an armed population repeatedly say they do not want to take anyone's guns. Yet Co-President Viscoli wants to stop people from obtaining firearms. How else can you interpret her unfounded claim that allowing people to obtain firearms is destroying communities? If she believes that, how could she, in good conscience, allow people to have the firearms they have now?

Bearingarms.com did great investigative work on the issue over a year ago.

Viscoli is the chair-elect of the Santa Fe Chapter of the United Way, and a moved back to New Mexico from Los Angeles a few years ago. She graduated from New York University with a Bachelor of

[marktwain]

Ms. Viscoli seems to be a true believer. She is a 50 + former actress from Los Angeles who moved back to Santa Fe five years alo with her two children, now 12 and 15. She put aside her work on a Phd in Art History to work full time promoting gun control, without pay.

[beergarden]

“She put aside her work on a Phd in Art History to work full time promoting gun control, without pay. “

How do you know she’s not getting paid? Leftards dont do things for free nowadays.

[Impala64ssa]

Speaking of those who make a living playing dress up and make believe, Harvey Weinstein is now a gun control advocate. GEE WHIZ, I wonder why? The rampant sex abuse and child molestation in show biz has been a poorly kept dirty little secret since the first studios opened. It’s abundantly clear why so many of the overpaid mannequins do those smarmy photo ops, looking pretty in front of the step and repeat backdrops spewing meaningless rhetoric about the need for stricter gun control if not outright confiscation.

[marktwain]

How do you know she’s not getting paid?

---

She says so. The group she represents does not have much of a budget, a few thousand a year.

It does not get Bloomberg money.

[Bernard]

Ms. Viscoli seems to be a true believer. She is a 50 + former actress from Los Angeles who moved back to Santa Fe five years ago with her two children, now 12 and 15. She put aside her work on a Phd in Art History to work full time promoting gun control, without pay.

So she is independently wealthy and does not need money, or is she like Lady Madonna from the Beatles song?

[marktwain]

I do not know.

Maybe she is getting child support/alimonoy...

[William Tell]

I worked for an employer years ago who enthusiastically supported United Way and matched donations from employees. I was donating $400 per year which was matched by the employer when United Way cut off the Boy Scouts.

After a little research I found out that the employer would support the "charity" of my choice. I identified a Boy Scout Council in Idaho and directed my donations to them, which included the matching funds. This arrangement went on for some years.

I recall getting a very nice letter from them one time showing their appreciation. I encourage any Freepers who are presently donating to United Way, especially those with employers who will match, to see if this is an option for them.

I think, perhaps not so slowly, we are becoming two nations.

[Pontiac]

After a little research I found out that the employer would support the "charity" of my choice. I identified a Boy Scout Council in Idaho and directed my donations to them, which included the matching funds. This arrangement went on for some years.

Don’t fall for the scam.

The Boy Scouts will not get one dime more because you designate your money to go to them.

The local United Way council decides how much each agency will get from United Way. Directed contributions have no effect on that amount.

What directed contributions do is put your name on a list of contributors that the agency receives from United Way with a strong suggestion from UW that they send you a thank you letter.

United Way is a corrupt organization that is only marginally better than the Clinton Foundation.

[Chaguito]

This United Way scam was already operating in the early 70’s, the last time I donated a dime to them.

[Pontiac]

The United Way is a very old and very successful scam.

Their key to success is getting CEOs of major corporations involved by making them think that they are returning something to the community.

Those CEOs then have huge campaigns to get their employees to contribute.

A company I worked for had a 100% participation rate. You can probably guess how a company could achieve a universal participation by its employees in charitable giving.