Where's The Red Cross?

Discussion in 'Politics' started by pspr, Nov 1, 2012.

  1. pspr

    pspr

    At a press conference this morning on Staten Island, a host of local officials, including Senators Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand, gathered to highlight the needs of the hard-hit borough in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy. And, although many pols spoke, no one was more impassioned than Borough President James Molinaro, who called the Red Cross an “absolute disgrace” and even urged the public to cease giving them contributions.

    “Because the devastation in Staten Island, the lack of a response,” Mr. Molinaro said to explain his comment to NBC after the press conference. “You know, I went to a shelter Monday night after the storm. People were coming in with no socks, with no shoes. They were in desperate need. Their housing was destroyed. They were crying. Where was the Red Cross? Isn’t that their function? They collect millions of dollars. Whenever there’s a drive in Staten Island, we give openly and honestly. Where are they? Where are they? I was at the South Shore yesterday, people were buried in their homes. There the dogs are trying to find bodies. The people there, the neighbors who had no electricity, were making soup. Making soup. It’s very emotional because the lack of a response. The lack of a response. They’re supposed to be here….They should be on the front lines fighting, and helping the people.”

    Several other local officials agreed with Mr. Molinaro’s rage over Staten Island’s situation, although they did not call out the Red Cross specifically.

    “It is as the borough president, Jim Molinaro, said, it’s disgusting, it really is,” State Senator Andy Lanza said, criticizing the city for giving the go-ahead to the New York City Marathon this weekend and the focus on pumping the water out of the East River tunnels. “We’re talking about getting water of the tunnel. Let’s get the water out of the tunnel tomorrow, let’s get the people out of the water today. There’ve been thousands of people who have been displaced. There are people who are cold, who are hungry, who are without a place to go, and looking for warmth. There are people still trapped. Yet we’re talking about marathons and tunnels. I walked on the rooftop of a house yesterday, I stepped on it because the debris that surrounded it was level with the rooftop. That’s what happened here on Staten Island.”

    Congressman Michael Grimm concurred.

    “I think this is an example of what infuriates people here on Staten Island,” he said. “Like Senator Lanza just said, we have people, people still in water. Families displaced, families wondering where their grandparents are. Are they at a shelter? Are they at a hospital? Or are they gone? That’s what we should be focusing on. I think it would be very misguided to have this marathon. I think that the people of Staten Island will see this, unfortunately…as another shot against them, that the City Hall is more worried about getting everything running again for Manhattan and making everything look like it’s back to normal. We’re not back to normal and we’re not going to be back to normal for a long time.”


    http://politicker.com/2012/11/staten-island-borough-president-dont-give-money-to-the-red-cross/
     
  2. Don't worry, the red cross(crescent) is coming.

    http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/...st/iran/121101/iran-offers-us-aid-after-sandy
    November 1, 2012 04:01

    Iran offers US aid after Sandy
    Iran has volunteered their International Red Crescent workers to aid the US after Sandy

    Iran would like to send aid workers to the United States to help out with the rescue efforts on the east coast, Iran's Red Crescent Organization said on Wednesday.

    According to the New York Times, the head of the organization, Mahmud Mozaffar told the semiofficial Fars News Agency in Iran that they were "ready to help the flood stricken people of America." His men are on standby, ready to board planes as soon as the United States accepts their offer.

    Iran's Red Crescent Organization, which routinely deals with both floods and earthquakes, has experience in providing immediate disaster assistance. However, according to The New York Times, documents released on WikiLeaks show that the US believes that members of the organization, which is closely tied to the government, are used as spies when helping in other countries.
     
  3. pspr

    pspr

    They were ready for Katrina, too. Thanks but no thanks.
     
  4. LEAPup

    LEAPup

    In my former state, we had a major flood that did bring out the Red Cross. I was working my way through college as a police officer back then. While working 16 hour shifts (yes, missed classes for a week), during the crisis, I was in a Red Cross trailer when I saw a large plate of sandwiches just sitting there going to waste. I grabbed one as I was extremely hungry, and one of the Red Cross workers said, "oh no sir. We don't have approval to give those out." I put the sandwich down, and went with a guy from the Salvation Army who had bags of snacks. We exchanged Red Cross horror stories. Mine from when I was in the Marine Corps. His from his constant dealings with the Red Cross nightmarish joke of an organization.

    To this day, I take care of the Salvation Army. The Red Cross? Sorry...
     
  5. pspr

    pspr

    The Red Cross has become a big bureaucracy. The last dozen years or so I have given to the Salvation Army what I used to give to the Red Cross.