I’ve just been chatting on Facebook about my state of ‘self-propelled penury’. Money is scarce for almost everyone, I guess, yet, in this affluent society, the idea of poverty is rather subjective. Not too many of us who are crying poor are scratching out a living on a rubbish tip.
Just so, while complaining about my financial status, I simultaneously managed to spend $70 on nail polish today. So often it seems that we can manage to afford the things we really want, but not afford those things we think we can do without. I can put off having the car serviced for months while still being able to afford a gorgeous pair of boots.
Similarly, I’m as guilty as anyone when it comes to turning away people asking for donations with a heartfelt, “I’m sorry. It’s a good cause, but I just can’t afford it.” But, deep down, I know that if a stunning ‘must-have’ jacket came up on eBay or if I stumbled upon a spectacular pair of earrings at Myer, I’d manage to afford those. It’s not a criticism of me or anyone else. I expect it’s human nature and I rather enjoy the quirkiness of human nature.
Nevertheless, while talking about my first-world penury today, and anticipating the arrival of my blingy nail polish, I received an email from Rodney Croome at Australian Marriage Equality. In a message that could have been tailored specifically to insert Rodney’s hand into my pocket, it began:
Good afternoon, Chrys
Help us combat the Australian Christian Lobby
Well, hell yeah! I was reaching for my purse before I’d even read the rest of the email!
Around the world we are seeing more and more countries enacting marriage equality. This week alone, both France and Uruguay took the final steps to allow same-sex couples to marry. Next week it will be New Zealand.
We need your help to make marriage equality a reality in Australia. We are currently surveying all election candidates. The results show more Labor and Coalition MPs are going to the election supporting reform than ever before.
At the same time the Australian Christian Lobby, which believes smoking is healthier than being gay is planning a well-funded campaign to ensure candidates like Corey Bernardi and Bob Katter get re-elected.
To combat its campaign we need your support to fund letter box drops, radio and newspaper adverts, web campaigns & lobbying activities.
Unlike the ACL, who receive large corporate donations, we are 100% voluntary grass roots organisation.If marriage equality is important to you, take one minute to keep us going. We need your support more than ever before to achieve marriage equality.
Together we can do this,
Rodney Croome
National Director for the Australian Marriage Equality
I write a lot about marriage equality. I write a lot about the vile bigotry of the Australian Christian Lobby. It would be easy to argue that the time I put into this is a ‘donation in kind’ to the cause. And, in a way, that’s true. But, y’know, sometimes words are just not enough. There are arch-bigots out there funding the Australian Christian Lobby and, if we’re going to get our message of love and inclusion and equality and justice across to the wider Australian public and put pressure on pollies, it’s going to take cold, hard cash.
You can donate at the links above, or DONATE HERE. And please, share this donation request with your own networks.
Reading this article was just like reading my own thoughts – except for the bit about buying nail-polish (not much into that).
I too have just donated $50 to Australian Marriage Equality. They do such good work, plus they face such evil opposition form the likes of the Australian so-called Christian Lobby. I was very happy to donate to them – and I look forward to making future donations too.
Can you also make a donation to support efforts to allow everyone to marry the person they love?
Any amount you can afford would be appreciated, and will help to win equality.
I am constantly both amazed and disappointed to hear so many people complaining so often about how hard their lives are.
Firstly I think of my grandfathers and great uncles who spent their youth in the trenches of World War One then came home to face the great depression. How incredibly soft and greedy we have become in a such a short time.
I then go on to think if you have a computer ( and electricity to power it ) you are not just one of the richest people alive, you are one of the richest people who have ever lived in the history of the earth.
And yet if for so many people financial disaster is not being able to afford the latest Audi, to upgrade the jetskis or to do the 5 star resort in Bali this season.
I am grateful to have a safe home to live in, warm dry bed, more than a weeks food in the cupboards, clean water and medical care available.
I am pretty sure that easily puts me in the top 1% of the richest people who have ever lived.
You described me BEFORE the battle. I can’t remember the last time I bought nail polish :((
I have one pair of winter trousers to wear to work – not a good look and I have to do something about it, but when the kids need uniform items guess where the money goes? Not to my trousers!
It will get better, but I’m still angry we are forced to live like this in order to have our civil rights recognised.
Take a squizz at picturepolish.com.au and let me know what you like. You’re doing great work. I’ll shout you a bottle!
Thanks Chrys! I really wasn’t fishing for nail polish (I’ll accept the offer though) but when I read your post I understood completely and thought, yep, that was me and hasn’t my life changed because the government refuses to accept the CDDA claim. What I was thinking is how easily our lives can change when we least expect it.
Just spoke to my sister tonight and she has discovered she has a clot in her leg – 70% blocked – waiting to be operated on. It isn’t always financial, of course. I’m not sure what will change for her, hopefully after surgery all will be well, but it was another example of us whizzing along and then BANG – the unexpected knocks us over completely.