Thursday, December 22, 2005

Fantastic Displays of Holiday Generosity

We wrote earlier this week of the emotionally wrenching story of Rita Fernandez and her husband Humberto "Bert" Fernandez-Vargas. Mr. Fernandez-Vargas had been deported to Mexico in 2003, under circumstances where the cold application of federal law could not have clashed more harshly with the human equities of the circumstances.

One of our gentle readers framed it best, I think:

Curmudgeon said...

Let me see if I have this right.

We had a stable family, owning a home, paying a mortgage and other taxes, raising kids and running a small business. Following the deportation, we have lost a small business, a mortgage is in foreclosure, a stable family has been disrupted, and a wife and mother are about to become homeless and go on welfare to live.

I need a Compassionate Conservative to explain to me how "the people" have gained on this exchange.
In a truly fantastic display of holiday-season generosity, members of the greater community have rallied to the aid of the Fernandez family. Not only have the necessary funds been donated to cure the mortgage loan arrearages, but the sum of $45,000 has also been contributed, on very short notice, to pay off the entire mortgage, as Shane Farver reports in this morning's heart-warming Standard-Examiner story.

Whether this story would have had such a happy ending, had it occurred at any other time of the year, is anybody's guess, but congratulations are owed to the many people who reached into their pockets to help the Fernandez family.

Donations are still being accepted to finance Mr. Fernandez-Vargas's upcoming US Supreme Court appeal, whereby the Fernandez family seeks to overturn the deportation order and re-unite the family. For more details, read the Shane Farver story in today's Std-Ex.

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Marshall White Donations: Speaking of holiday generosity, and on a slightly different topic, I'll note in passing that donations can also be made to the Marshall White Center Sub For Santa Program which we discussed here on Tuesday. I spoke with program director Fritz Backman yesterday, and he'll be available until mid-afternoon today, to accept your generous donations. I'll note additionally that our gentle readers have been "coming through" on their pledges with some very sizeable contributions, and Mr. Backman thanks us all for our generosity. If you'd still like to help out the Marshall White Center kids, call Fritz today at 598-5170.

Reader comments are invited, as always.

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

How much did the Allen, Godfrey and Geiger families donate to these two causes?

RudiZink said...

I went down today to the Marshall White with a coupla c-notes this morning.

I'm told no Allen, Godfrey or Geiger people are yet on the donative list.

We're all holding our breath on this. I'm sure.

They claim to be a pack of liberals, concerned about the people of Ogden.

Howcome they haven't "ponied up," I ask.

Go figure.

Our liberal "Whitebread" culteral "visions" advovcates have "voted with their feet," as usual. That's my conclusion.

Can you say, "Yuppie scum?"

Anonymous said...

Sorry, guys, but this kind of "how come they haven't given" thing strikes me as tacky. I salute those who gave, but they, and you, gave [I hope] not to make political points, and not to keep score ["we gave more than they did, we gave more than they did, neener, neener, neener!"], but because it was a kind and charitable thing to do. Period.

Besides, neither you [nor anyone else I imagine] has any idea how much your "opponents" have given in charity this season. And in addition to that, a great deal of charitable giving is anonymous. My own preference in giving is to remain anonymous. When I give, I'm not after thanks. I know I helped someone out. That's enough. No one else has to know.

Really is kind of tacky to start asking who else gave and how much.

Anonymous said...

Your points are well made Curmudeon and can't be denied.

However, I took those posts as a challenge to raise money for a good cause. A cause created in part by the parsimonious actions promoted by these visionaries.

An attempt at humor considering how charitable and extravagantly generous the Allens, Godfreys and Geigers are - with the public's money!

Anonymous said...

Humour? Yeah, right. Ya just got caught by good old Curmudgeon tyelling everyone how tacky a scoreboard is when it comes to things like this. Charitable causes is hardly a humourous point. Save that stuff for April Fools Day.

Anonymous said...

Tyrrell:
OK, that's another possible way to read the posts. And challenges are a tried and true fund-raising tactic. If... if... they were made in that way, I stand corrected.
Now back to the BYU-Cal game.

Anonymous said...

Oh Blue
You come across so true
To the real you.
You make it so easy, so tempting
But I did promise the referee
That I wouldn't debunk thee.
Keep pushing the envelope
And you may get enveloped
In a situation you really don't want.

RudiZink said...

Ah C'mon, boys.

Challenges and good-natured guilt- induction are time-honored tactics in charitable fund-raising.

Ever been to a Rotary or other service club meeting during the holiday season?

Ya sounds like a pack of damned scrooges!

Curmuddeon got it right again.

Except for that neoCON claptrap on another thread, extolling the obslolete and antiquated "republican" government form, the guy would be batting 1.000 now.

Anonymous said...

It looks l;ike all you guys are staying up way past your bedtime.

Anonymous said...

Ah, so it's dueling pistols at dawn on the glade, is it?

Cap & Ball or Flint locks?

Merry Christmas....Peace on Earth....Good Will To Man.

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