Am I a Hypocrite????

Good Monday morning...blah, rainy, yucky, craptastic Monday morning. Yesterday it was raining and I enjoyed it because I was at home with my puppies and we were just chillin out watching tv and nesting. The ride home is going to be a joyous occasion :)

I'm conflicted over some things. I don't believe that you have to necessarily support CASI as a whole in order to cook chili. I see it like this: many of the checks I write at cook offs are made out to the charity; not the Pod. So technically, CASI doesn't really get my money. The Pod has to send in fees, etc...and you know what I'm talking about if you're reading this. There's times that we make the checks out to the Pod so that they can present one check and that's cool, too. Basically, I never make a check out to CASI unless I'm cooking on Friday at TICC. So, I can cook chili all I want, support the charities and not have to like how CASI operates and not feel like a hypocrite. I like that.

Gary and I can also choose to sponsor Pods and their cook offs. We sponsor the DJ for The Gingerbread House CCO. We help out TOT with their sponsorship needs for their cook off each May. That sort of stuff doesn't bother me and we're happy to help. But actually giving CASI a check and becoming a corporate sponsor? That's where I begin to feel dirty.

I don't think I would handle that distinction, for lack of a better term, very well. I disagree with most of what the BOD does. I am vocal about my displeasure. I would also be in a unique position - a cook with a mouth that she doesn't have a problem opening up and a sponsor with a right to know where that money goes. How's CASI going to handle that? Do I get an upfront honest answer about issues I've got a problem with once I hand them a check? Or do I still get to ask questions and get smoke and mirror type answers to my questions?

I would feel dirty and two faced if I sponsored CASI directly. And many of you are saying to yourselves, "then don't sponsor CASI." Well, I don't want to; my husband does. I don't want to basically endorse a Board that does so many things I disagree with. I don't want to feel like sponsoring CASI gives me a louder voice (even though we all know I'll try and use it). I fear that handing a check over to them will prompt me to start asking inappropriate questions that I feel I have a right to ask. I'm afraid I will become indignant. Worst of all, I'll feel like a sell out. In NO WAY am I passing judgement on anyone who choses to sponsor CASI. Please, re-read this before you send me some scathing email. This is not directed towards any one person who willingly gives their money to CASI in the form of a corporate sponsorship. This really doesn't even apply to the Bruce Foods and Glazers of the world....I'm talking about the little guys...the ones who get a wristband and a shirt at TICC. The ones who aren't only sponsors, but cooks as well.

I think my trepidation stems from my anti-establishment, anti-authority attitude that I've tried to shed as I've ventured further into adulthood. Apparantly I'm not doing a very good job of it. I don't think I could be neutral. I damn sure know that the first time Gary complained about something, I'd look at him and say "well you sponsor them." I don't want to get caught up in the politics of chili any more than I already am. And since I had to cover up my tattoos and take out my nose ring just to run for the board, will there be a dress code I have to adhere to once I become a corporate sponsor? (I know, now I'm just being a brat). I just don't see why we can't continue to support those that benefit from CASI by cooking chili and helping out on the local level. That's what I enjoy doing because I get to see the benefits of our support first hand. I know exactly where that money is going and it makes me proud to be a part of it. I don't think I would feel proud if Gary and I gave a check to Jim Ezell for him to give to the Board. I would feel like such a hyprocrite. "Here's my money.....please carry on with all of the bullshit." I don't know...maybe I'm making a big deal out of this. Maybe I'm not. Maybe for once I'm trying to have some integrity and stand firm on my soapbox. It can get kind of wobbly from time to time....

A good day to all of you...stay dry and watch out for the morons....they really do breed faster than the normal people of the world :0)