Understanding that this is predominately football orientated site, there are some issues that should not be addressed. Things that do not relate to the goal of Packers Lounge, talking football,  should sometimes be left unsaid. However, there are times that exceptions should be made. One such occurrence took place the other night.

There are events which captivate the world’s attention. In a world where there is so much accessibility to instant communication with what is going on across the globe, much of the attention is paid to unfortunate events which affect mass numbers of people. Hurricane Katrina, 9/11, the ongoing issues in Iraq and Libya are a few such instances which the world was able to experience the disaster from their computers and televisions, vicariously experiencing the pain the people who were actually living the nightmare.

Unfortunately, another such disaster has taken place. The earthquakes, subsequent tsunami, and ongoing nuclear plant disaster currently taking place in Japan is something that I cannot even begin to imagine. I am thankful that I do not have to live that nightmare daily, and can only believe that those who do have to live through it can do so with hope that help is coming from across the globe.

Hope. A word which so much can be associated to. In a disaster situation, sometimes hope is all you have. In such a situation, hope can be seen in many ways. Whether it is financially, medical, or infrastructure, the hope of help in these, or any other area, can be a powerful thing.

In such a situation, hope can come from anywhere, and the promise of hope unites people. The charity of the human spirit reigns in a disaster situation. I thought such an event had taken place the other night.

While cruising through Twitter the other night, I happened to come across an individual who promised to donate $50 per new follower up to a certain time. The donation was to go to the Red Cross, in an effort to help the relief in Japan from their current situation. After considering the vehicle in which the offer had come across, I had mild second guessing. However, I also thought that perhaps the person making the offer was simply a good and decent person, an act of kindness seldom seen in a world of selfish actions. So, I retweeted his tweet, hoping to spread the word.

One after another, his follower list grew, going from 200 followers to 400 in a matter of minutes, some of whom were people who visit this site on a regular basis. National media, local media, bloggers, friends-all with the same hope I had of a way to help a place desperately searching for hope in a time of dire need. I went to bed feeling like I had done my small part.

I woke up a wiser person.

I had been scammed, as had the others who followed this individual. This person, the one who had made such a tremendous offer to help, had lied. He claimed that he had lost his entire twitter feed from the previous night, unable to remember how much he had promised to donate. I checked out his profile-all of his tweets were disappearing at a record pace, leaving only a few pathetic tweets of how lonely he was and how he was looking for followers. He lied to everyone, and achieved what he set out to do: gain followers on Twitter.

This affected me greatly, overcome with a combination of anger and sadness. The anger comes from my actually believing that this individual had made a promise and lied. To make such a claim for such a pathetic reason to gain followers on Twitter is one of the most selfish, ridiculous, loser-driven action I have ever witnessed. To say the word douchebag defines this person is an understatement. I was pissed beyond comprehension.

The sadness comes from the fact that an ingredient of my makeup, generosity, had been corrupted. Now I am not a naive individual, actions like this take place every day. The sadness comes from personal experiences I have had with charity, and the hope that charity brings. People who give their nickels, dimes, and quarters with the hope that help can be provided is something which I lived through. People who cannot afford to give money and do. Foundations who would benefit from generosity of others, passing the generosity on to those who needed the assistance have a very soft spot in my heart, and others reading this I imagine.

There is hope that he will deliver on his promise, yet that hope diminishes with each passing day. I don’t expect it, and neither should anyone else.

So I came out of the other night a wiser person, and said person got his followers, at the expense of hope. Do you feel better? Do you feel more like you belong? Is your ego fulfilled? I hope so. I would not want to have the roles reversed one day, where you are desperate for a form of charity. I wouldn't give you a rope if the world was covered in piss and you needed it to climb up a tree. Enjoy your new followers, the ones who haven't blocked you anyways.

In a world where hope is always needed, it takes a few people to crush hope for everyone.

Thanks for letting me vent. Please return to your normally scheduled programming.