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

07 Nov 01 - 02:07 PM (#587589)
Subject: NYC Firefighters Protest #2
From: DougR

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


07 Nov 01 - 02:36 PM (#587632)
Subject: RE: BS: NYC Firefighters Protest #2
From: SINSULL

I will never donate another penny to the Red Cross.


07 Nov 01 - 03:14 PM (#587668)
Subject: RE: BS: NYC Firefighters Protest #2
From: mousethief

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


07 Nov 01 - 03:42 PM (#587700)
Subject: RE: BS: NYC Firefighters Protest #2
From: DougR

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


07 Nov 01 - 03:45 PM (#587703)
Subject: RE: BS: NYC Firefighters Protest #2
From: mousethief

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


07 Nov 01 - 03:53 PM (#587708)
Subject: RE: BS: NYC Firefighters Protest #2
From: McGrath of Harlow

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.


07 Nov 01 - 07:06 PM (#587853)
Subject: RE: BS: NYC Firefighters Protest #2
From: DougR

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

DougR


07 Nov 01 - 07:16 PM (#587860)
Subject: RE: BS: NYC Firefighters Protest #2
From: CarolC

Part I of this discussion is here.


07 Nov 01 - 08:45 PM (#587919)
Subject: RE: BS: NYC Firefighters Protest #2
From: Troll

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


07 Nov 01 - 09:41 PM (#587948)
Subject: RE: BS: NYC Firefighters Protest #2
From: SINSULL

The Salvation Army. Doctors Without Borders.


08 Nov 01 - 06:03 AM (#588110)
Subject: RE: BS: NYC Firefighters Protest #2
From: McGrath of Harlow

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


08 Nov 01 - 02:37 PM (#588426)
Subject: RE: BS: NYC Firefighters Protest #2
From: lamarca

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%


12 Jul 07 - 11:17 AM (#2100691)
Subject: RE: BS: NYC Firefighters Protest #2
From: katlaughing

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


12 Jul 07 - 11:58 AM (#2100742)
Subject: RE: BS: NYC Firefighters Protest #2
From: Mrrzy

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


12 Jul 07 - 12:56 PM (#2100802)
Subject: RE: BS: NYC Firefighters Protest #2 - video link '
From: katlaughing

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


13 Jul 07 - 10:14 AM (#2101574)
Subject: RE: BS: NYC Firefighters Protest #2 - video link '07
From: Wolfgang

Giuliani is the spelling of the candidate's name.

Swift boats come to my mind.

Wolfgang


13 Jul 07 - 10:25 AM (#2101586)
Subject: RE: BS: NYC Firefighters Protest #2 - video link '
From: katlaughing

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