gothhelpus.org

DarkPrayer · 10-15-2007, 09:04 PM

I am often suspicious of websites, and I'm sorry to say that I am of this one. I think it's telling the truth, and I hope it is because I am tempted to buy a shirt from them. Should I?

emeraldlonewoulf · 10-15-2007, 10:19 PM

after checking out the site, I would be very interested in hearing from anyone who has had direct experience with the organization.

One thing I did notice was that under their definition of goth you have to go half way down the history/explanation to see anything about music.

their music player is from VF.

other than the above though, it looks like something I would really like to think is legit.

the staff seems reasonably qualified, by their description.

Nevan · 10-15-2007, 11:27 PM

There are some Gnetters who are members of this organization - Ulfilas for example (though he's not been around for a while) - go and check out some of his posts to learn more about them.

Renatus · 10-16-2007, 02:48 AM

Actualy I'd suggest talking to HumainePain since he is also an active member. As for me I can't really do much seeing as how I'm the only ghu in the midwest for some reason.

LadyLucretia · 10-16-2007, 03:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DarkPrayer

I am often suspicious of websites, and I'm sorry to say that I am of this one. I think it's telling the truth, and I hope it is because I am tempted to buy a shirt from them. Should I?

Their chapter presidents have been well intentioned, intelligent, and civil in my interactions with them. I believe they really want to help people, and help the goth scene have a more positive image.

However, the woman who is the "President and CEO" does not strike me as being qualified to run an international organization, both in terms of her work experience and mental competency. I have criticized their approach in the past in a direct and civil manner. Rather than respond civilly, the CEO blocked me from contacting her, and then threatened to sue me for harassment when I continued discussing the issue (also civilly) with one of the chapter presidents. I will probably get a nastygram from her for writing this if she sees it, but I really don't care as her threats are clearly empty.

HumanePain · 10-16-2007, 09:50 PM

Although I must agree with LadyLucretia's observations that our organization is not founded by charity professionals with vast prior experience, and this fact is reflected in our sometimes disorganized and delayed communications (with each other in fact), their intentions are good, and I must add, even better than other organizations I have seen who have recruited past United States Presidents as supporters, because those other organizations spend the major portion of their funds on salaries. GothHelpUs does not do this (at least so far) and the help organized is channeled directly to those who need it.

But we do have our problems. I notified the head of the charity myself that I was capable of traveling on behalf of GHU but all she wanted from me was a Gothic romance story! O_o

Oh well. We do manage to help a few folks here and there.

drewsilla · 10-17-2007, 09:21 AM

I don't know who you guys talked to, but I've known about them for a while now, and from what I've seen it looks like they do good for a lot of people. It's not just one person running it but many, many people all over the world. They want to help people in their communities and they are showing people that Goths are not just people in black, but a caring subculture. I've even talked via e-mail a number of times to the founder (we have sons around the same age) and she is a very smart and level-headed woman.

Here's the link to their MySpace page, it might help you guys understand better!!

http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm...b-c025afb1989f

LadyLucretia · 10-17-2007, 04:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by drewsilla

I've even talked via e-mail a number of times to the founder (we have sons around the same age) and she is a very smart and level-headed woman.

Did you say only positive things to her? I found her to be incredibly condescending, reactionary, and petty. But then again, I criticized her organization and some people flip out when criticized. Either way, I dispute the description of her being "level headed." Threatening to sue someone for harassment because they disagreed with you on the internet is not 'level headed.'

As I said before, I am very pro-volunteer work and support the efforts of other members of the organization. But I find this woman very concerning since she has appointed herself into a leadership position in the subculture, and I do not feel she is suited to do so.

delicti · 10-18-2007, 11:26 AM

I'll put it bluntly.

Their website is a joke that spreads harmful stereotypes about the goths they claim to protect. The idea of charity work as a cure for depression, which they promote, is asking for a wrongful death lawsuit.

They are a disreputable disappointment. While the chapter presidents seem to be nice, the woman running it is clearly having a midlife crisis and doesn't have a freaking clue when it comes to goth.

And as to the nature of their charity work? That coffin-jumping stunt of theirs was all I needed to see to know that the president has no respect for others and just wants to glorify herself. No *real* charity would ever pull something like that. How do I know? I've co-written grants and worked for two charities, as well as run benefit concerts independently.

Sorry those of you who are chapter presidents, but the organization you're working for is a legal disaster and a scam. You should try to find other ways to help.

thedoll · 10-18-2007, 01:40 PM

I did some work in San Diego with GHU and found it enjoyable.

well, I went one event because a friend asked me to check it out and we had fun because the three of us can have fun anywhere... sorry I'm not much help.

CyberneticDecay · 10-21-2007, 12:05 AM

The idea seemed nice, but I think it comes across as too over the top. The whole organization seems more hell bent on proving their 'gothy niceness' than to actuallly help people in need.

Besides, I think people should be known for the deeds they've done rather than how goth/gothic someone is.

CptSternn · 10-26-2007, 02:52 AM

I am somewhat bothered by the idea of this organisation.

First, you have a group that claims to represent the whole subculture. Now, I'm not knocking their works, just the principle behind them.

Some goths aren't nice. Most are very apathetic. Thats what the whole subculture is based on really - apathy. A mate of mine I used to DJ with year ago pointed this out, and it still rings true today.

To have some new group that likes to go help out at community centres, food drives, etc. is good, but doing it in the name of the goth subculture is wrong.

We are not a group that does that sort of thing. We like music, clothing, fashion, and dark clubs at night filled with the smell of patchuili, fake smoke, and clove cigarettes.

Besides - how exactly are ye supposed to engage in real work when dressed in proper goth attire? How can you help move boxes, hand out bottled water in the hot sun, or other sorts of helpful activities when in full regalia? It seems to go against what being goth is about.

We are an unhappy lot, who dress in black, and listen to music most think is depressing, and thats the way we like it. We're not a cub-scout pack.

If you want to help out, join greenpeace, or someo other quality organisation you feel helps your community, society, or the planet. I do all sorts of work with many groups, and but don't feel I need to 'represent' the goth scene while doing it.

In the same vein, I don't go into a goth club waving flags, signs, banners, etc. of other groups I work with.

There is a time and place for everything. Our subculture is about expression, socialisation, and of course, fashion. People shouldn't be taking it upon themselves to redefine the genre for everyone else, especially without our consent.

HumanePain · 10-26-2007, 07:31 PM

Well, us Perky Goths must have something to do! You can remain mopey. We won't force you into the cub scouts CAPTAIN. Hmmm, Captain of what? Oh! The one that comes *after* the cub scouts! Yes, all Goths aspire to be a CAPTAIN someday!

Just teasing Captain.

DeathyDarlin · 11-06-2007, 10:20 AM

So.. I wonder if y'all have heard at this point that GHU has dissolved. A number of my acquaintances were members of the San Diego chapter which was dissolved by GHU... and so they reorganized into their own association, and now GHU has dissolved entirely... I'm sure there are all sorts of politics I'm glad to not know about, but I do know a lot of the people in the Gothic Volunteer Association here, and they're good sorts, and I'm glad they're doing good deeds and all.

I won't be participating however. My boyfriend is, but really I am not gregarious enough for graffiti blackouts and disaster drills. Those might interest some- you get to be a victim, all bloodied up and moaning painfully for disaster training... and heck some people will take the opportunity to be a victim wherever they can get it... heh. If you can take the amount of sunshine these events require, you might really like it. In fact, I'm pretty sure that's been the only injury anyone's had, sun burn.

And oh! They recently had the first GVA meeting which I attended because they had a bat educational speaker there, and of course bats. It was nifty.

Renatus · 11-16-2007, 07:40 PM

Yeah the website's down, the only ghu myspace that is up is the denver chapter and they are apparently just freestanding now. Oh well, being the president, executioner, director, head of the treasury and only member of the midwest chapter was bound to end somtime. Hmm GHU might have completely crashed but the main thing I think that kept it going was the fact that there was a need for a goth voulenteer organization. Why not give gnet it's own voulenteer organization, at least that way I wouldn't be the only member in the midwest.

Ulfilas · 11-17-2007, 11:59 AM

The message I received on 20 Oct 2007, 19:36

"Goth Help Us is shutting down. We have tried everything to get people to get out and start helping others and a few of you really worked hard...the rest of you did nothing.

We were not a bulletin board for your events, although we reposted them.

We were not your "friends", although we tried to be.

We were not your parents, although many of you acted like our kids.

We were not about being used for selfish reasons, although 90% of you joined us for that very reason.

We were about love.

We were about helping people.

We were about getting out of our houses and making a difference in this sad world.

I started this organization because helping people is what *I* liked to do, and by running GHU everything I loved doing I couldn't do anymore. There simply were not enough hours in the day. No longer could I be activist or serving food to the poor. Everything I loved got swallowed up by the time it took to run GHU.

I wanted GHU to go on to do good things and we did. We did lots of good things. But the time has come for renewal.

So this profile is being deleted. The website is being shut down. All of the chapters are already gone. We are starting from scratch.

No more will I try to rally you into doing what's good...you know what is good and just already. You don't need GHU to be conscious of helping others...don't do it for us, do it for yourself. We shouldn't have to tell you to go help people--you should already be doing it.

I am sorry to see GHU go, but it is time. This is something I have been wanting to do for quite some time now. I didn't like the hate mail, I didn't like the death threats, I didn't like the bullshit that came along with trying to do something good.

So it's over.

I am not a celebrity, I am just a mom, and now I'll have time to be one again."

But - there are several of what used to be GHU still around as there own thing..

http://www.myspace.com/lava_ca
http://www.myspace.com/milehighgothic
http://www.myspace.com/gothhelpusdenver
http://www.myspace.com/gothicvolunteeralliance
http://www.myspace.com/ulfilas

My version is now overtly christian

Ulfilas · 11-17-2007, 12:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by emeraldlonewoulf

after checking out the site, I would be very interested in hearing from anyone who has had direct experience with the organization.

One thing I did notice was that under their definition of goth you have to go half way down the history/explanation to see anything about music.

their music player is from VF.

other than the above though, it looks like something I would really like to think is legit.

the staff seems reasonably qualified, by their description.

The reason the Music Player is from Vampire Freaks is that Jet who owns Vampire Freaks was Chapter President for New York at one point and gave GHU free accounts for VF

Ulfilas · 11-17-2007, 12:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Renatus

Yeah the website's down, the only ghu myspace that is up is the denver chapter and they are apparently just freestanding now. Oh well, being the president, executioner, director, head of the treasury and only member of the midwest chapter was bound to end somtime. Hmm GHU might have completely crashed but the main thing I think that kept it going was the fact that there was a need for a goth voulenteer organization. Why not give gnet it's own voulenteer organization, at least that way I wouldn't be the only member in the midwest.

myspaces are not all down though. Rebecca deleted all the details but I still have admin rights to the Birmingham UK one and am in the process of re-badging it to use it as a portal to other projects, not least MINE! The Ulfilas project..