My Rant (Red Cross)

Ok, ok one of the little dirty secrets that just emerged is that the Red Cross did not respond to the Convention Center because it was too difficult and ahem, dangerous. Clara Barton (Founder of the ARC) would have felt ashamed. Jean Henry Dunant would feel ashamed. What part of there are times you have to risk life and limb even in,. oh my lord, poor areas, did the Red Cross in the United States miss? What part of you may have to defy the US Military to bring those supplies have those volunteers missed? Or perish the thought could the Red Cross Volunteers avoided the necessary response because the spirit is not there? I am sure that is part of it... and it is a disgrace.

So must of the time when I put on the uniform I just responded to calls. From time to time I defied the authorities to carry on my duty. From time to time I got shot at... and there were times I thought, I am not going to make it home tonight. That is the risk, but it seems even that has been forgotten by the Red Cross. By the by, if there is a civil war, they will not know what side is up... I predicted this twenty years ago after taking a disaster class from the American Red Cross and was told we don't have procedures to request international aide. Well they have grown fat and happy and Clara Barton would not recognize them.

Too sad, for they have proven, we need to rely on each other and go around the feds and even organizations that are supposedly independent of the Feds. May god have mercy on their souls, for I cannot forgive them for their failure to duty. In my view not responding to the Convention Center was the equivalent of abandoning their post.

(Oh I used to be a Mewxican Red Cross Medic until seven years ago... ask about being shot at... will gladly bend your ear... so they could have gotten shot at... guess what skippy? It is part of the job)

They are suposed to DEFY orders from the NG if need be to get the aide in. What part of INDEPENDENT from the FEDS are they missing?

Look this is unprecedented, at least in my view they are being asked to actually do what their mandate under the Charter of the Red Cross requires them to do.

Are they independent from the Feds or not? And does the we request all authorities to aide and assist the bearer of this card to do its duty under the Geneva Convention are they missing?

What they posted ARE excuses... trust me on this, they are

Sara Barton must be spinning in her grave...

dying and going thirsty at the Convention Center the Red Cross did not go in with water, and food supplies because it was too dangerous... bull hokey.... they should have gone in, and yes they risked being shot at, yest they risked death... guess what? That is what a Red Cross Volunteer signs up for, help others in need, even if this costs them their lives. Just how many volunteers do you think die world wide in the line of duty?

And by the way what you are seeing is a politicized organization at the top that is not truly independent of the party in charge, you read right, the party in charge.

do they take their direction from the governor or the national office.

It was not Red Cross refusing to help these people, our government was blocking them. The question is, was it Brownie Boy or Gov. Blanco denying the people stranded in NOLA food, water and medical care?

But, I have heard Red Cross would not have shelters in NOLA, too dangerous. Unable to verify this.

from DHS at ALL LEVELS