“Terence Dougherty, the organization’s general counsel, testified via video deposition that the ACLU had spearheaded the effort and served as Heard’s ghostwriter in exchange for her promise to donate $3.5 million to the organization.”
Sorry but a donation is either free (donare: give as a gift) or it is no such thing. What a travesty.
Thats not how donations work in the New Age / Arts community. If you go to a "free" yoga class, they "suggest" a "donation" of $10.
You see, they're suggesting because being explicit about the cost puts a ceiling on how much they could receive while using shaming as the tactic for the price floor. Being explicit also makes them come across as capitalists, and capitalists are evil.
Calling it a donation makes it a favor. They're doing you a huge favor .. a priceless service. Won't you donate a little bit of your money to support the greater "mission"?
In India there is something called "donation fee". It is paid in exchange for admission to a university (as opposed to admission by merit for free). It's pretty ironic
Also an interesting way in which the rich avoid taxes. If she had paid for the writing, it would have been taxed as a service, but instead there was a wink/nod service then donation.
Sorry but a donation is either free (donare: give as a gift) or it is no such thing. What a travesty.