Ira Glass Is Panhandling on Facebook? Hey buddy --- take a friggin hike!

  Just a short note here: Ira Glass on Facebook is asking for your donations to "This American Life." radio show. My opinion: First, it's in impressive bad taste, is it not, to be asking for handsouts when you are a noted and quoted documentary journalist?
  Imagine Studs Terkel doing this with his radio broadcasts in Chicago! [Ira Glass originates his show from there, too or did anyway.] "Now, folks, Please send us a five dollar check in the mail today to keep this show on the air. You don't give bums a quarter? Well, they're hungry. And so is this show. Send some money to us here at the radio station."
  Far-fetched? Yes, well, back then, when journalists in the public eye had some ethical guidelines they actually followed. I have studied journalism in college [twice!!] and believe you me, about the very first class the professor instructs the student in the do's and don'ts of how you treat the public in the gathering of a story. First on the list is: you don't even suggest that there is a tit for tat going on here; i.e. you don't pay for an interview nor is the subject paid.
YES, you DO pay a quarter for the paper. The reader does. But you are not "donating" a quarter.
  In Ira Glass's world, you are. So, wait a minute, you are saying --- "Hey I like Ira Glass & I wanna "support" his radio show" -- so what's the harm? The harm is: journalism aint done like that. Remember Lenny Bruce's "like a schmuck alone with a dixie cup and a thread" allusion to a guy who insulted AT&T and whose service was suddenly disconnected. The subtle pretext of Ira Glass's begging is that [sotto voice, in a little aside to you], "uh, listeners, we just might have to shut the show down if you don't support us here. Just add it to your phone bill. We Need You!"
  So, is this begging? Well, if it's not, I'd like to know what you call it. [&,yes, ultimately he's on the corner, cup-in-hand, just like a bum who needs a quart of beer to get going in the morning. No difference, man. Imagine Edward R. Murrow's take on doing this!] or . . . To quote Ira, from a few days ago, We can't make the show without your help.
  OK, Ira how about donating to this column?
  At least I HAVE no money, no sponsors, no mega-media news conglomerate contracts; no signed obligations to my readers, here. See, I am not employed by anyone: You ARE! I am just singing in the street, "and the truth goes marching on." A Voice In The Wilderness, Can you hear me? Doubtful.
  Get honest about it and go out on the street corner and beg like all the other bums. Meanwhile I hope your listeners/readers/viewers pull the plug on you for a few weeks as payment for your ethical lapse on Facebook.
  Yeah, Ira -- I really liked your show and admired the imagination and skill it took to create each week etc. But begging from listeners? pleading we add five dollars to our PHONE bill?? To go to you or what? For what? You've already been paid by PRI. I don't get it.
  So documentary radio/TV journalism has come to this. It's pathetic.
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