Everyone involved in the shameful money giveaway at BayWalk on Saturday should have recognized that it was a formula for trouble. Kevin Shelton, who calls himself the Money Man, notified TV and radio stations in advance that he would be shooting $2 bills into the air at the entertainment center in downtown St. Petersburg. Consequently, hundreds of people crowded into the enclosed plaza, and before the publicity stunt was over, 12 were injured and half of those required a trip to the hospital.
As participants fought for the money, a 14-year-old girl was knocked to the ground and trampled. Two people likely suffered broken bones in the melee. "Nobody's life is worth a few bucks," concluded Wade Bloodgood, who had driven over from Tampa for the money grab.
Shelton, a successful real estate investor who likes to wear a vest with bundles of dollar bills fastened to it, wouldn't admit he had made a mistake. "It's the responsibility of people to act and be responsible for themselves," he said after the event.
That's true, of course, but it also applies to Shelton and the BayWalk managers. Shelton says he wants to bring joy to people's lives by "giving uniquely," which has earned him his 15 minutes of fame on TV shows such as Good Morning, America. But giving that endangers others and demeans the recipients is hardly charitable. If Shelton really cares about the unfortunate, he will find more effective ways to help them out.
On Monday, a BayWalk spokeswoman said it was unlikely Shelton would be invited back. Indeed, the spectacle wasn't the kind of publicity BayWalk should want. Families said they were frightened off by the unruly crowd, and merchants complained that they made no sales during the 3-hour event.
Those who showed up in hopes of catching a $2 bill have to accept responsibility for their actions, as well. A handful of dollars isn't worth risking injury, or causing it. They should remember the adage: If something sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
