I find this fundraising effort to be completely insulting. Who fundraises in this manner, by denigrating the very people you’re hoping to get money from?

The fundraising note that went out onto the political forum was particularly disgraceful, though the "RIP Brian" was quite vile. My heart literally sank, thinking Brian had died! When I saw that he had not died, do you think my first thought was, "I better give money to JPF?" No, my first thought was, "this makes me never want to give another dime."

Why the "RIP Brian" thread has not been removed is beyond me.

Everyone has a different financial situation, and a different threshold for giving, that should be respected. People should not be browbeaten or tricked into giving money; they should be encouraged and enticed to give money.

You may have a member who feels he can’t give a dime, because he’s worried about feeding himself, but then may leave you any leftover money he has in his will. Your payoff may come off 20 years down the road, after he dies.

Who knows?

You may have someone who will win the lottery and give JPF a big chunk of it.
You may have someone who gets an inheritance, and thinks of you and gives money. There are many fundraising scenarios that can occur.

But, if you continually hound people in this manner, insult them mercilessly, or trick them, then they are going to get a sour taste in their mouth and turn away.

Some people obviously don't mind being browbeaten, but I would bet money that the majority don't like it.

You may also have some people who will never give a dime.
But so what?
They click on your site and drive up your numbers, so you can go to advertisers and say, “see how much traffic I have here?”

Plus, many musicians on this site give very generously of their time and expertise, and that seems to count as absolutely nothing in this disrespectful sham of a fundraising effort.

What in the world is going on here?

2008 seemed to draw a lot of donations.
What happened in 2008?
Try to replicate that.

Lisa

P.S. For the record, there have been 6 donations since this public shaming began, not 12.