DEAR ABBY: I donate to a number of good causes. But my mailbox and email are full of even more requests for donations. Now store clerks are asking for donations at the checkout counter, and if you don't donate, you are treated like a cheapskate.
I'm really tired of being strong-armed in stores. If they want store profits to go to these causes, fine, but customers don't shop there to have someone else choose their donations for them. I wish stores would stop doing this. We can't support every good cause. There are just too many. -- TOO MANY CAUSES
DEAR TOO MANY CAUSES: The adage "We can't change the behavior of others; we can only change the way we react" applies to your situation. If you feel you are being shamed or discriminated against because you are unwilling to donate to the cause du jour, shop elsewhere.