[WinOne4TheGipper]

I'm sorry. I reject the notion that they should be paid. It is patently dishonest and blatantly unfair to those who give their time and their money, expecting nothing in return when some of their money goes to celebrities who make millions more a year. Frankly, if I give money, I want it to go to a single mom who can't feed her children through the end of the week, rather than supporting some leftist idiot who does nothing but criticize Bush.

[ecurbh]

Frankly, if I give money, I want it to go to a single mom who can't feed her children through the end of the week,

Go ahead and give it to her, then!

[HairOfTheDog]

I want it to go to a single mom who can't feed her children through the end of the week, rather than supporting some leftist idiot who does nothing but criticize Bush.

Chances are, you aren't on the donor invite lists for events that hire leftist idiots to criticise Bush. But if you want to make a donation today to someone who needs it, then look up an organization and give to them.... When they have to come looking for you, it costs money.

You can reject the notion that charities should pay for speakers, and you can reject the notion that celebrities should collect money. But charities can't exist unless they invest in fundraising. That is the fact ~THEY~ have to live with. It is all relative. Hold an event where you expect to net $5,000 and you can have a pretty small affair with no-name speakers. But hold an event where you expect to net a million or more, you better have a name that will attract that kind of money.

And you can decide that a celebrity makes too much money and should do stuff for free, even for organizations they have never heard of before who write to them asking them to speak... but that would make you a socialist.

[discostu]

Then only give money to places that have never used a celebrity spokeman or given some "award" to a celebrity, or at least look in their books to see if it was paid for. Bill Cosby didn't advertise for Jello for free why should he advertise for anything else for free? That's what those events are you know, advertisements; they're a way to get the charities name out in the public and get money in.