Birth control for the embodied soul. Yeah, I hate them too.

I'm sorry to say, and I mean this with all due respect for what you're trying to accomplish, but what a hyprocrite you are. You should not be trying to raise money under the guise of a debate... one in which you so adamantly imply that good wishes are not enough. And, yet for some reason you're addressing the exact people in a venue that you say you don't believe in. Pleeeeease give me a break. You also do this while trying to create a virtual guilt trip for anything less than donations. You should have ended your last line with several, "!!!!'s" although I admit, I'm not sure exactly what it is that's up to me... the result of the debate, or whether Vispir lives or dies.

I believe nothing is more powerful than prayer. I've been praying for Vispir, and will continue to do so... I don't pray that enough money is raised for her operations, I pray that whatever God's intent for her be done without pain and suffering, whatever that outcome may be.

I've been out of work for 10 months, or I would gladly donate money. I would have done so already without your debate. And, I have lost loved ones to cancer, including my wife of 30 years - I know the tolls this battle consumes. I also know too well the ups and downs, the side effects and additional problems that come with radiation, chemo, operations, and having young family members. I don't challenge what you're trying to do here, I challenge your delivery method.

I'm not amuzed at you pretenting that your psuedo "Debate" really has anything to do with what you believe. If you really believed what you said, you wouldn't have bothered posting the note here, nor would the multitude of people who've sent their good wishes, and prayers for Vispir's recovery have been doing so already. Without this virtual environment, none of us would even know of her plight There is simply no academics about your debate.

It appeared to me that you've attempted to belittle those who cannot make donations; those who may be stuggling themselves and can only offer wishes, hopes and prayers... in your words, people in this virtual environment have been reduced.

Well, you asked for a debate... My vote stands with your friend. I fully understand you have nothing but good intentions here. But, something to do with the way you went about it stuck in my craw, and I'll be sure not to send her a snuzzle gif. You can be sure she has my prayers and good wishes, even if that's all I have to offer.

And, please don't get me wrong. You're a very good friend to her for what you're trying to do. I can sense the passion and sense of urgency in your note. But, I have no doubt a lot of people feel their notes of good wishes, and/or "snuzzle gifs" can bring a moment of joy, a smile, a happy tear, or even a quick distraction from reality. I believe there is always value in that.

God Bless you C. Owen Johnson for trying to help Vispir, and God Bless Vispir, and her family.

D.Radcliffe

I like your proposal but do you know if there is a direct way to give the money to her? Through credit card I mean.

Thank you for your thoughtful response, but I must deny the charge of hypocrisy. I would be a hypocrite if I were urging others to donate while refusing to do so myself or if I was using her plight to further my interests: I am doing neither.

Further, this debate is quite real, in a sense; my point in mentioning it here is that this is a instance where a largely academic debate about the social effect of virtual communities of the non-virtual society intersected brutally with someone's life. Vispir's situation challenged me to confront the ramifications of what I believe: was I going to do something or was I going to stay in my comfy spot and theorize about how this and that might or might not result in such and such?

I choose to act -- not in accordance with God's will but in accordance with my god-given judgment actualized by my God-given will. That judgment is that I will do more good for Vispir by sending her a donation and challenging others to do the same, and referring the matter to the ultimate upstairs.

Forgive my tone, if it is abrasive, as I know you also have nothing but the best in your heart for Vispir, but I have no interest in God or any plans s/he may or may not have. I am interested doing what I can do, here and now, to help. I fully accord you the right to your beliefs, I sincerely respect, but I don't share them. My beliefs are different and I'm acting in accordance with them, as you are.

If I seem to belittle those who cannot or will not donate more than good wishes, allow me to respond with two points.

First, I do not think good wishes, encouragement, and snuzzle gifs are in any way worthless -- they are of considerable worth. But they will not solve Vispir's problem; they will help her bear it. That is important, indeed vital, but my aim is to try to help solve the problem by ameliorating an impediment to its solution. Nor is there anything that says one cannot do both.

Second, I dispute that there is anyone on this site who can read my message and not donate. To read this, you must being using a computer and you must have internet access; either your own, or someone else's that you are borrowing, or access through an institution. If you own or can get access to a computer and an internet connection (most likely a high-speed connection as DA will usually not load over dial-up) and have the time to visit and participate in DA, I believe you can find a dollar -- even 50 cents -- you don't need. A dollar (or even 50 cents) from each person who reads this, or Vispir's journals, or views one of her photos in any of the many places they are posted here, would amount to a very large amount of money.

I am glad that you keep Vispir in your prayers and hope you will always do so, but I do wonder why that is all you have to offer. Do you not, somewhere, have 50 cents you can spare? Do you not have a friend who can spare 50 cents also? In all your acquaintance, can you truly assert that you cannot ask around and come up with $1, if you really can't spare it?



That is my point. Are you -- and others -- going to sit around and wait for the fulfillment of God's plan or are you going to be part of God's plan?

Yes, I am making a challenge. If this discomfits some who choose not to rise to meet it, I cannot truly say that I am sorry for that. If my manner offends, I do apologize for that and ask forgiveness: faced with such a plight as Vispir's I cannot find the smooth sweet words that others more gifted than I might find, to make a more palatable plea. If your gifts outstrip mine in this regard, please consider posting your own note on your DA page. Every little bit helps.

--
Sex, Chaos, Inspiration...
x-muse.net

You can attach a credit card to a Paypal account, and elect when sending money to pay from that instead of a checking account.

There is a one caveat though: the credit card company may well treat this as a cash advance, not a purchase, and charge fees and interest accordingly (as I found out to my cost). That is one reason I decided to propse what I did because that way a small donation of $5 could be a credit card purchase. Now I fully realize that some -- perhaps most -- people would not want this charge (even though it's discrete) on there bill so I'm seeing if I set up another account for this.

Of course, in either case, whether people believe I am good to my word is something they must decide.

--
Sex, Chaos, Inspiration...
x-muse.net

Well x-muse, I know you're not a hyprocrite. I am a bit of a deviant, in that I'm always willing to play the role of devil's advocate - a bit of a trouble maker at times, but always with good intentions.

I didn't feel your original note was strong enough to get people off their asses. I knew you had more to say, and I assumed you didn't want to turn your first note into a novel. I thought you needed the opportunity to strenghten your resolve through a rebuttal of your debate. I apologize for my own delivery of blind siding your good intentions, but you followed though as I hoped, and suspected you would.

I know very well how every little bit helps. I get involved with raising money for cancer, MS walks, and families in need on a regular basis, and that's exactly what I tell people. Even a dollar, or just 5 dollars, or whatever they can give.. that no amount is too small, it all adds up.

You can be assured I will donate, and with quite a bit more than what you're asking for in your note. Even being out of work, (but about to open my own business) there are always those who can benefit from our help; those in more desprerate situations than our own. I believe one of the best gifts God gave us is our conscious ability to show passion for others... in the physical, and virtual environments.

So, all those reading this.. It couldn't be much easier to help Vispir. She desperately needs our assistance, and as x-muse suggests - Do you not have 50 cents, or a friend with 50 cents they can spare? There's more than that hiding under your couch cushions and the floor mats in your car.... Please give what you can.

Thanks x-muse, not only for Vispir, but for giving my fingers a worthy cause to have their way with my keyboard for a few minutes.

D. Radcliffe

After seeing your question regarding a comment I made on one of Michael's shots (Scar0506), I just had to check you out. Your journal header caught my eye, and if you will check my page, you will see why. She weighs heavily upon my heart, too. I am glad to have found you, for that reason if for no other.

In the next few weeks, I should be getting an increase in my pay that will make it possible to (A) help my own son a bit more and still pay my bills more easily, and (B) allow me be extend that financial aid to those outside my family. I am happy that you are doing this for =Vispir, and I have every intention of joining just to be able to help her. I doubt I will actually visit the site very often, but if it will help this Precious Lady, I intend to do what I am able. As to the good wishes and hopes, etc., she has always (since I learned of her plight) been getting mine, as have others.

All that to say this: I am, indeed, honored to have found you. You are another member of my family, now, and I will be pleased to keep an eye on your work and your words.

--
Colt


Remember, I what I love as my way of saying "Thanks" for sharing your work.

Without making it about Vispir and her plight I have to say I agree with your friend about online communities. They are great, as long as you can see past the emoticons and avatars and see the real people behind the words.

I'm a member of several online communities, but there is one place that's home. It's given me joy, sadness, love and hate. I've made friends there, and a few enemies too. I am well liked, respected, feared and loathed (sorted from least to most probably). So even though that place may be the exception that proves the rule, I still have to say that online communities are both useful and great for human interaction.

I think you captured the nut of the issue in your second sentence. On that, the whole issue turns.

--
Sex, Chaos, Inspiration...
x-muse.net