It's not the Lady Gaga-clad newsreaders that irk me. It's the millionaire celebrities hounding us, the recession-ridden masses, to donate to their cause, all while they and their TV executives rake in massive salaries on our dime. I'm a compassionate person. I care about children in need, but there's something here that reeks of hypocrisy and injustice.
I watched Children in Need last night, from beginning to end. The music and dance was, for the most part, tolerably entertaining. But the brief clips of children in need were truly heart-wrenching. I can't deny that shining a light on the struggles some children in this country face brings awareness and a much-needed dose of perspective to our own problems. That aspect of the show is crucial. But the relentless appeals for donations are at best, disconcerting. The fact that they come from an organization marred by allegations of institutional child abuse is all the more disturbing.
If we, as a nation, truly want to help our Children in Need, we could raise far more by implementing a progressive charity tax. One that would see contributions made proportionally to earnings, say, 0.5% of annual salary. I'd pay about twenty-five pounds. Wogan and Cotton would each pay a couple of thousand. That seems fairer, and I'm confident the amount raised would be much higher.
The Children in Need program could still continue, dedicating even more time to awareness and, if desired, fancy dress cabaret acts. And we could all watch, free from the guilt trip of relentless pleas for donations.
Even better, why not have all Premier League footballers donate a week's salary? Then, we'd surpass the billion-pound mark.
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