BS: NYC Firefighters Protest #2 - video link '07

Subject: NYC Firefighters Protest #2
From: DougR
Date: 07 Nov 01 - 02:07 PM

For some reason I cannot add a message to the original thread and I wanted to refute something I said earlier on that thread.

I defended the American Red Cross. Based on what I have been reading in the newspaper, I think the American Red Cross deserves all of the criticizm it is receiving. I think they have done a terrible job of distributing money where donors intended the money to go. They have a fiduciary responsibility to the donors of those monies, and in my opinion, they are betraying that trust.

DougR

Subject: RE: BS: NYC Firefighters Protest #2
From: SINSULL
Date: 07 Nov 01 - 02:36 PM

I will never donate another penny to the Red Cross.

Subject: RE: BS: NYC Firefighters Protest #2
From: mousethief
Date: 07 Nov 01 - 03:14 PM

Who will give blankets to the next flood victim? Who will give food to the next fire victim? Who will give blood to the next accident victim? ARC may have its problems, but what do we have to take its place?

Alex

Subject: RE: BS: NYC Firefighters Protest #2
From: DougR
Date: 07 Nov 01 - 03:42 PM

ARC has to clean up it's act, Alex. There is no other existing agency that I know if that can do what they do.

DougR

Subject: RE: BS: NYC Firefighters Protest #2
From: mousethief
Date: 07 Nov 01 - 03:45 PM

Then they'd better clean it up, of course. A whole hell of a lot of people would be a lot worse off right now if not for the red cross- we can't afford to lose them.

Alex

Subject: RE: BS: NYC Firefighters Protest #2
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 07 Nov 01 - 03:53 PM

Over here most disaster relief appeals seem to get coordinated through OXFAM, which has charity shops all over to provide a local focus. I see you've got a OXFAM America.

So that might be another way to channel help in the future if people feel a bit wary of the Red Cross for the time being.

Subject: RE: BS: NYC Firefighters Protest #2
From: DougR
Date: 07 Nov 01 - 07:06 PM

I'd sure be wary of sending the Red Cross money now, McGrath.

DougR

Subject: RE: BS: NYC Firefighters Protest #2
From: CarolC
Date: 07 Nov 01 - 07:16 PM

Part I of this discussion is here.

Subject: RE: BS: NYC Firefighters Protest #2
From: Troll
Date: 07 Nov 01 - 08:45 PM

The Salvation Army does relief work and they do a good job of it too.
I haven't had much use for the ARC since my father told of coming out of the jungles of Burma (Myanmar) in WWII and having the Red Cross charging the soldiers for do-nuts and coffee and selling cigaretts that were clearly marked "Gift of the tobacco industry to our servicemen. Not for re-sale".
Give to OXFAM or the Salvation Army. Let the ARC starve.

troll

Subject: RE: BS: NYC Firefighters Protest #2
From: SINSULL
Date: 07 Nov 01 - 09:41 PM

The Salvation Army. Doctors Without Borders.

Subject: RE: BS: NYC Firefighters Protest #2
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 08 Nov 01 - 06:03 AM

Here's a link to the US site of Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF)

Subject: RE: BS: NYC Firefighters Protest #2
From: lamarca
Date: 08 Nov 01 - 02:37 PM

I read in a Washington Post editorial yesterday (link here will work until about Nov. 20, 2001) that Bernardine Healy resigned not because of the allocation of September 11 donations, but because the International Red Cross and Red Crescent umbrella organization would not admit the Jewish counterpart, the Magen David Adom, or Red Shield. To quote from the editorial:

THE DEPARTURE of Bernadine Healy from the American Red Cross is a blow to an organization that profited greatly from her leadership for the past two years. It is also a victory for certain members of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies in Geneva -- and apparently certain American Red Cross board members -- who objected to Dr. Healy's strong and principled stance against the anti-Israeli feelings that have kept Magen David Adom (MDA), Israel's equivalent of the Red Cross, excluded from full federation membership for 50 years.

The denial of unconditional recognition to MDA in the worldwide family of national Red Cross societies because it employs a Red Shield of David as its symbol rather than the Red Cross or Red Crescent is an abomination. Bernadine Healy thought so too. At her request, and with strong bipartisan backing in Congress, the American Red Cross decided to delay payment of its dues to support the federation until bigotry gave way to tolerance.

All large organizations are political; they're made up of humans who are political by nature. The Red Cross organizations have done lots of good, but perhaps looking to other organizations with smaller political networks might be a better way to go. I've donated money to Doctors Without Borders, as they seem not to have as many political fingers in their pie to distract them from their goals.

This is the time of year when US Federal employees are encouraged to donate to the "Combined Federal Campaign", a payroll deduction way to give to charity. Charities that wish to be designated have to go through an application process; I don't know what all the criteria are for inclusion, but donors receive a booklet with the designation number and a short description of each charity. At the end of each description is a percentage number: 0.0%, 19.4%, 27%, etc, which tells how much of the donation will go to cover administrative costs for the charity, rather than directly to the cause being supported. It's informative to see those figures; some examples:

American Red Cross (national) 10.0%
American Red Cross (Montgomery County, MD chapter) 28.0%
Oxfam America 17.8%
Doctors Without Borders USA 9.9%

Subject: RE: BS: NYC Firefighters Protest #2
From: katlaughing
Date: 12 Jul 07 - 11:17 AM

The firefighters have come out with what I consider to be an important thirteen minute video regarding Guiliani, lack of reliable radios during 9/11, etc. You may watch on youtube at:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vaCYEEO-58I

Subject: RE: BS: NYC Firefighters Protest #2
From: Mrrzy
Date: 12 Jul 07 - 11:58 AM

The Salvation Army is a Christian organization. I'd rather give to the Red Cross - or the United Way.

Subject: RE: BS: NYC Firefighters Protest #2 - video link '
From: katlaughing
Date: 12 Jul 07 - 12:56 PM

Hmmmm...maybe I should have started a new thread for the guiliani video link. Sorry for any confusion caused.

Subject: RE: BS: NYC Firefighters Protest #2 - video link '07
From: Wolfgang
Date: 13 Jul 07 - 10:14 AM

Giuliani is the spelling of the candidate's name.

Swift boats come to my mind.

Wolfgang

Subject: RE: BS: NYC Firefighters Protest #2 - video link '
From: katlaughing
Date: 13 Jul 07 - 10:25 AM

Thanks, Wolfgang, I didn't know I'd spelled it wrong.