Why I don’t do the Ice Bucket Challenge

By: Krisisha Conly / Contributing Writer

The ice bucket challenge is dumb!

Now, before you get all in an uproar, there’s a difference between being against the ice bucket challenge and being against the awareness of a foundation. I’m all for bringing awareness and actually donating to a cause, but I’m against the whole action of throwing buckets of ice water over your head to just do it.

I remember back in early May when this Ice Bucket Challenge started a little buzz amongst friends. The idea was to get the people you nominate to donate $100 to a specific fundraiser. If they accepted your challenge then they only had to donate $10, but also dump a bucket of ice water over their heads. If they did not accept your challenge, then they had to donate the full $100 to that fundraiser.

The challenge had to be done within 24 hours after being nominated. The ice challenge buzz didn’t last too long.

Earlier this August, Oprah Winfrey was challenged by Tyler Perry to do the Ice Bucket Challenge and after that in the world of stardom the ice bucket challenge for ALS took off! Celebrities that did or didn’t accept challenges still donated to the ALS Foundation. But, as usual, once all these celebrities started doing this, everyone watching started doing it.

They forgot the whole point behind it— which was to donate to a foundation. My Facebook was filled with friends nominating other friends just to get them wet. A lot of people were doing it just to gain popularity.

I rarely heard people say, “If you don’t accept this challenge, you have to donate! You’ve got 24 hours.” Every once in a blue moon, someone that’s very community-oriented mentioned something about donating to a foundation.

Another problem I had with the Ice Bucket Challenge was that we all know of the issues going on in Ferguson and Gaza. There are thousands of other foundations that need donations.

I wish that most of the celebrities would have brought awareness to other foundations or to  current national and world wide issues by doing the Ice Bucket Challenge.

Celebrities know that they are looked at in the public eye constantly and we look to them to figure out what’s “in” or what’s next. I hope these celebrities can take the world by storm with another challenge and bring awareness to several foundations and current issues.

So please do not nominate me. I’m not going to do it. I rather donate to whoever I please and dump a bucket of ice over my head whenever I please. Thank you.

opinion@fiusm.com