Just What Part of "Do Not Call" Don't You Understand?

Monday, February 27, 2006

I was rudely woken up from a nice nap today by a phone call. I didn't think it was rude at first since I knew it must have been a friend since I'm enrolled on the Do Not Call Registry. Ah, but leave it to good old fashioned American ingenuity to foil any attempt to conduct business honestly.

The sickeningly polite person, speaking over the background noise of a busy call center, wanted to tell me about a new store opening up in my neighborhood. I asked if they were non-profit. The caller politely said no, and I then asked "How is it that you're calling me since I'm on the do not call list?". The caller, obviously prepped with the answer to this question, quickly said that she was not selling anything, she was only inviting me to a store opening. Resisting the urge to use every curse word I've ever known I told her to put me on her no-call list and hung up.

Congress in their infinite wisdom gave exceptions to the Do Not Call Registry. They said that non-profit organizations were exempt. They also, and this one is really galling, said the political calls were exempt. By leaving these loopholes they have rendered the do not call list useless.

Ok, I'll admit I get fewer calls than I used to, but for some reason the ones I get now are more maddening. It's like having a mosquito with defensive shields and an attitude. You swat at it, and it just says "na na you can't get me". Since being on the list I've still received numerous harassing calls from "non-profit" organizations and charities of dubious worth. And during the elections... wow. I just didn't even answer the phone.

So now I want to know how start a movement. I want to start a "Do Not Call, And This Time I Really Mean It, Registry". Who can help me with that?