How Far Would You Go to Help This Woman?

Act #79:  Question your priorites.

Last week, in less than one day, the nation came together and poured their hearts and wallets out to raise funds in excess of $2 million dollars.  The object of their philanthropic support?  An incredibly bright and talented, struggling 20-ish year old female who had been abandoned by her alcoholic mother, drugged and raped at a party, and whose best friend was found murdered.  Her story was so compelling that Americans across the country wanted to be a part of it, wanted to know more.  Wanted the chance to spend $15 a year from now to watch it in high-definition on a big screen while inhaling large buckets of yellow-stained popcorn.

The woman who caused this history-making fundraising firestorm?  Well, her name is Veronica Mars.  College student by day, and private investigator by night.   She was the main lead in a cult TV series that ended six years ago.  Last week, after unsuccessful attempts to pitch a movie pilot to Hollywood, creator Rob Thomas launched a fundraising campaign via kickstarter.com, an on-line funding platform for creative projects.  In less than 12 hours, his project raised $2 million dollars.  To date, the project has raised $3.6 million dollars and 56,000 people have backed the project.

While I haven't seen a single episode of the show, I have a feeling that it's probably really, really good (some of my best friends are fans).  And yes, I am a strong supporter of the arts and it's creative influence on human existence.  I'm also a director of a small struggling non-profit rape crisis center trying my darnedest to raise money to support real life Veronica Mars's every day.  Unlike Veronica though, the survivors I meet don't typically grow up in elite neighborhoods in southern California, or solve crimes alongside their private investigator fathers.  But like Miss Mars, they too are often surrounded by alcoholism and violence.  And they too have been sexually assaulted, raped, and faced doubt from their friends and law enforcement.  Just this week we were devastated to learn that funding from our local government had been cut by more than half.  All this while looming threats of federal sequesters keep us up at night wondering if we will have to cut down on services, make rape victims wait for critical therapy, leave them to fend for themselves in court and at the hospitals, and pray that our young people figure out on their own - boundaries and how to intervene in volatile situations.

I checked the requirements for kickstarter.com and I don't think a rape crisis center would qualify to participate as a "creative project".  But if 56,000 people are more than enthusiastic about supporting a fictional rape victim, and have the capacity to raise $2 million dollars in less than 12 hours, I can't help but wonder what the world might look like if more of us became enthusiastic about supporting the real Veronicas, who so desperately need us now, and who live right here in our own communities.