I am finally able to listen to the local NPR affiliate (WUNC) again without wanting to drive my vehicle up the front steps of the American Tobacco Historic district in Durham and straight into their studio. “Run them down”, was all I could think of these past several weeks. “Hypocrisy!” I would scream every morning as I attempted to listen for just a few minutes before needing to turn, turn, turn the dial away. Here I am being kept from my morning news during such an influential and monumental time in our history. Why the rage at Public Radio? The freaking Fall Fund Drive.

WUNC has done a terrific job at mapping out the situation of our current financial debacle. They have great commentators willing to not lay blame, but rather talk through how we got into the mess, what the options are, and how we’ll potentially look on the opposite side. While the news is bleak, they don’t approach it as doom and gloom and unfixable. I look forward to this every morning. Until recently. I get that NPR needs to fund raise. 85% of their budget comes from local businesses and individual contributors, and the programming is well-deserved of the support. So here is what set me off. Each morning they are pitching for the pledges – pledge this amount and get a book, pledge more and get NPR mugs, pledge that and you’ll receive a tote bag! AND, IF YOU CAN’T PAY IT ALL AT ONCE, DON’T WORRY…PUT IT ON YOUR CREDIT CARD! PAY YOUR PLEDGE OFF ALL YEAR. NO WORRIES.

Seriously! Pitching a pledge to the credit card if you don’t have the funds immediately. Isn’t that what all this mess is truly about? People not being able to pay for the debt they accumulate? Don’t get me wrong, I am a big fan of the credit/debt dance, but we’ve always PAID IT. And here is my local NPR station steeped in hypocrisy and asking people to support them, EVEN IF THEY CAN’T AFFORD IT!

Well apparently I was only short-term mad because I went back to them on Monday. The Fall Fund Drive is over and my rage went with it. Hypocrisy is alive and well in me too. I expect it is because their political commentary swings Democrat. I forgive…until you fund raise again…or if the short-armed old man wins.