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Because of the economy, have your charitable ways changed in any way?
Asked at The Lawrence Post Office, 645 Vermont on September 13, 2009
“Yes, they have. I give less.”
“No, they haven’t changed too much. … I normally give a couple of dollars to people on the side of the road with signs.”
“No, they’re about the same, but each year I might give to something different.”
“No, I’m a broke college student … but when the opportunity presents itself, I give what I can.”
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Comments
bearded_gnome 3 years, 8 months ago
“No, I’m a broke college student … but when the opportunity presents itself, I give what I can.”
— Jake Deckert, health/physical education major, Larned
---!!!
so, he's already out on the street!!!
personally, I'd like to see lpd do what they can to just track this guy. charge him with anything, anything at all. if he spits, charge him with spitting on the sidewalk. if he curses, charge him with disorderly conduct. if he forgets to turn on the turn signal, ticket him!
what a slimey person. can't believe that after what he did, he's even in lawrence!
no shame. no shame at all in his wretched soul.
wonder if h'es cruisin' with a BAC?
RoeDapple 3 years, 8 months ago
jonas_opines 3 years, 8 months ago
I guess I'll play the Devil's Avocado Well, he did his sentenced "time" and at least so far hasn't been caught re-offending, and this is at the post office. I won't make judgment on the propriety, but I rather think that it's more appropriate to blame the judge who gave him a slap on the wrist, at least without knowing this. . . jerk personally, or his level of actual remorse.
RoeDapple 3 years, 8 months ago
Yes Jakey, you very charitably gave 14 days of your Christmas break up for the life you took from Tom. You gave when the opportunity presented itself. You give when you can. You took all that Tom had.
RETICENT_IRREVERENT 3 years, 8 months ago
Nope, always willing.
pace 3 years, 8 months ago
I give a little more but I don't give to professional panhandlers. If I hear someone is laid off, I might give them a birthday present of a hundred dollars instead of a trinket. I don't like the corporate puppet strings attached to United Way, but I am satisfied with the ethics and accountability of the Salvation Army , Red Cross. I give to the American Cancer Society. I do more volunteer and less money because of rising costs and lower cash flow. Most people who say they have nothing to give except to themselves will never have enough to give, I have a home, a car, health insurance and so what if I need to half my grocery budget or not drive as much. There is a need for kindness.
H_Lecter 3 years, 8 months ago
"Give til it hurts" are words to live by.
grammaddy 3 years, 8 months ago
No longer giving money to anyone, but I'm still volunteering whenever I can. Giving the gift of self, til it hurts.
artichokeheart 3 years, 8 months ago
RoeDapple (Anonymous) says… "Yes Jakey, you very charitably gave 14 days of your Christmas break up for the life you took from Tom. You gave when the opportunity presented itself. You give when you can. You took all that Tom had."
Because the D.A. made a plea deal. Did you even know Tom? I did and for the record Tom was drunk that night too. He had just celebrated his birthday and was shiny side up. While I don't approve of Deckert leaving the scene both drivers that night were too impaired to drive.
rando1965 3 years, 8 months ago
YES NOW THAT I LOST MY JOB THIS YEAR AND ONLY 1,800 UNEMPLOYMENT I AM NOW ON THE RECIEVING SIDE. HAVE A KNOT ON MY CHIN DOCTOR THINKS MIGHT BE CANCER BUT NO ONE HERE IN LAWRENCE WANTS TO HELP.AND I MAKE TOO MUCH FOR HEALTH CARE ACCESS....I CANT EVEN PAY ALL MY BILLS DONE LET MY CAR GO BACK AND THE RENT IN LAWRENCE NEED I SAY MORE ......
RoeDapple 3 years, 8 months ago
Just for the record artichokeheart, Tom and I were best of friends since we were 13 years old. I was at his birthday party earlier in the afternoon of May third. Which one were you?
RoeDapple 3 years, 8 months ago
On second thought Arti, after looking at your 47 pages of sarcasm I see you're nothing but a simple troll and I will look forward to ignoring anything you have to say.
Have a nice day!
artichokeheart 3 years, 8 months ago
Then you know who i am. Good for you. Since you knew Tom you also know he was easy going and that he would not like this conflict. I prefere to remember those gone in happier scenerios. That is especially true in this situation.
Pywacket 3 years, 8 months ago
We've actually given more this year (and plan to do more so) b/c we're doing pretty well and have not been hit the way so many have.
Too bad little Jake didn't give less to the liquor industry. I guess even "broke college students" have their priorities straight on where to pour their hard-earned money (down the hatch, in his case).
beatrice 3 years, 8 months ago
So Tom only gives to those in need when his party is in national office? Whatever. Nothing like living a spiteful existence. I'm also not surprised that Jake isn't giving to others in need either.
Yes, we have been giving more this year. I've also been helping with food drives throughout the year to help those in need. I still say no to panhandlers, however.
RoeDapple 3 years, 8 months ago
Let me introduce you to "Charity". She was found in our back yard mid July, undernourished, sickly, near death. We could not keep her, as our cat tests positive for feline leukemia. She was taken to the shelter by our daughter who made a nice donation on her behalf and has since been nursed back to health. Even near death she had a sweet, loving personality. Anybody interested?
http://www.petfinder.com/petnote/displaypet.cgi?petid=14629176
Leslie Swearingen 3 years, 8 months ago
Roe, I hope someone nice adopts Charity and spoils her outrageously. I am sorry for your loss of a good friend. We can only hope that Jake has truly learned from this. Nothing will bring Tom back and the idea that someone left him there is very hard. A drunk person does not make good choices so they should make some before they set out to drink the bar dry.
GardenMomma 3 years, 8 months ago
I'm surprised that LJW didn't screen the "On The Street" people better. Surely they don't take the first four they see? I figured it was balanced some way to project the opinion the LJW wants to give. Like maybe they'd interview 10 people and pick the four best or something.
bearded_gnome 3 years, 8 months ago
indeed, I was also shocked to see him in the array of on-the-street people!
the most irritating thing about the Jake Dekert story is: after the accident he left, left a man to die. left to go and get the blood alcohol level down so as to avoid the appropriate sentence and charge.
however, he's not the first one to do so, i.e. Ted Kennedy.
Pywacket 3 years, 8 months ago
Gnome~ Kennedy poured passion, energy, and dedication into balancing his drunken atrocity with all the positive things he could do in life. He also expressed deep and apparently heartfelt remorse after Kopechne's death and again and again throughout his life.
Whether or not you believed in his sincerity or agreed with his politics, you should be able to appreciate (like many Republican leaders do) how many positive changes he helped effect in this country. For all the people whose lives he helped better, the sum of his days added up to something positive.
Could a lifetime of dedicated public service ever erase the taking of a life, however unintentional, and the shameful failure to immediately alert authorities? Of course not. And he seemed well aware of that. And yet, he went on working. It wasn't for the money. He was already filthy rich. Call me naive, but I do think he learned from his mistakes and strove to atone.
It would be unfair and wrong to make excuses for Kennedy's actions of 40 years ago. At the same time, it would be unfair and wrong to act as if those 40 years of public service, of dogged hard work, counted for nothing.
The day after Mary Jo Kopechne drowned, Kennedy was no better than any other irresponsible drunk who has killed someone. It took years--decades--to earn respect after that, and he never did earn the respect of some. That was his cross to bear--one he made for himself.
If Dekert (or anyone else in his shoes) wishes to end up on the positive side of life's balance sheet, he's got a lot of atonement to work on and a lot of good deeds and positive acts to perform.
He should expect unfavorable public opinion until he has shown that he is utterly remorseful and has used the second chance he has been given in a way to benefit as many people as possible. Will he do this? I wouldn't hold my breath. He could start with giving to those in need in these tough times--if he has no money, he could volunteer time (above and beyond any court-ordered service, of course). The life he has ahead of him cannot bring back the life he extinguished. But he can possibly save himself.
artichokeheart 3 years, 8 months ago
Pffftt.
Leslie Swearingen 3 years, 8 months ago
artichokeheart you sound just like Nero Wolfe.
mom_of_three 3 years, 8 months ago
give what I can when I can, which is what I have always done. Adopt a family at christmas, put money in the red kettles, muscular dystrophy, cancer society, etc.
Probably not as much as we used to, but as much as we can.
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