The Boston Globe Basically Says The “Ice Bucket Challenge” Is A Dumb Gimmick That "Crosses The Line" Because Not Enough People Die From ALS

Boston.com – Just because every idiot in the world is jumping off of a cliff doesn’t mean you should too. No question, the group-think summertime craze is proving an effective way to raise funds. But that doesn’t make it right. Dares, I’ve always thought, bring out the worst in people.In this case, the worst has been brought out in droves.

The ALS Association — the acronym stands for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, better known as Lou Gehrig’s disease — didn’t invent the concept of the challenge but surely is delighted someone did. Since the fad began, the association says it’s seen $41.8 million in contributions — a big jump from a paltry $2.1 million in the same period last year. One has to ask, why the focus on ALS? According to the Centers for Disease Control, far more people die each year from heart disease (596,577 in 2011), cancer (576,691) or Alzheimer’s (84,974) than ALS (perhaps 5,600).

Charities have always been comfortable using guilt as a motivator — children and puppies in danger seem to work especially well. But the challenge crosses a line. Those issuing challenges are not only telling others what cause to support but also saying that if they don’t, they must suffer a penalty. Threats to compel giving? It seems the opposite of what it really means to be charitable.

John Henry’s Boston Globe ladies and gentleman. Bravo sir take a bow! Way to shit on the best thing that’s happened in the history of ALS. Who cares that it was started by a local hero right here in Boston. A kid who went to St. Johns Prep. A kid who was the captain of the BC baseball team. A kid who has local ties all over the place. Nah. The Ice Bucket Challenge sucks and “crosses the line” because it’s raising money for a disease that I guess not enough people die from I guess? That seems to be the Globe’s gripe? Or is it just that this guy doesn’t like dares because he thinks it’s bullying. It probably reminds guys like him and John Henry of when they used to get stuffed in lockers as children. Whatever the case may be this is the local paper of record nowadays. A paper that mixes in buzzfeed headlines and clickbait with hard hitting journalism on why raising money is the devils work. Once again the Boston Globe ladies and gentleman.

PS – Yeah I know the Globe staff did a big Ice Bucket challenge thing a couple weeks ago.  Clearly they just heard from Buzzfeed that it was a viral fad so they raced to do it, but really had no clue what it was about.   Kind of like everything they talk about nowadays.