Posted on 03/11/2002 5:22:33 AM PST by gohabsgo
Saturday being a typically slow news day, I sat down with the morning coffee to read a front page article published in the Orange County Register titled: "Kid’s Chance to sing dissolves in discord." In it, writer Rachanee Srisavasdi described how a student singing group was forced to bow out of a Red Cross show rather than drop ‘God’ and ‘prayer’ from their songs. Group director Cherilyn Bacon had produced a 9/11 tribute called "Heroes Trilogy" dedicated to the rescue personnel who responded to the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. The 26-member singing group consists of seventh and eighth graders from the Orange County High School of the Arts. Their offense? A desire to sing three songs: "America the Beautiful", "Prayer of the Children", and "God Bless the USA."
There are conflicting reports as to whether the group and the Red Cross had already agreed to the song format prior to Bacon’s decision to cancel, or whether the disagreement occurred after the Red Cross refusal to allow the words ‘God’ and ‘prayer’ to be included in songs at all. One thing is certain though, the Red Cross stands firmly by their policy, that any expression of ‘God’ shall be excluded in the name of tolerance, religious diversity, impartiality, neutrality and inclusion. Seems to me I recall a lot of people in New York desperately expressing a need for God’s intervention on, and in the days following that hideous moment in history. So what is it about ‘God’ and ‘prayer’ that so sets Red Cross hairs on end? It’s simple: out of control tolerance policies disguised as being inclusive of all (while excluding any mention of God or Christianity) prevent anyone in a policy-making capacity from exercising common sense.
The official policy statement according to the Red Cross website states in part: "The American Red Cross Chapter in Orange County and the Orange County High School of the Arts regret that we were not able to reach agreement on the music program with conductor Cherilyn Bacon. The dispute was over the music program and has nothing to do with patriotism. The dispute centers only on our sensitivity to religious diversity, and a preference for a music program that would be inclusive and not offend different populations participating in this particular event". To put things in perspective, this is the same Red Cross who just last month trooped off to Camp X-Ray in Guantanamo to investigate mistreatment of Al Qaeda prisoners making sure that they had ethnically sensitive meals, prayer rugs, clean clothes, and cigarettes. No word yet on whether the relief agency also provided matches for the terrorists to light their cigarettes (or anything else near them they might care to ignite). Oops...back to the story.
Disappointed members of the group voiced their disapproval of the Red Cross decision. They said taking ‘God’ and ‘prayer’ out of their medley would negate its meaning. "I don’t understand why we can’t honor the heroes of Sept. 11 the way we want to," said Nicholas Baragno, 13. Klarisa Mesee, 14, wrote a poem that was going to be read at the March 10 event. "I just wanted to tell the heroes of Sept. 11 how much we appreciated what they did for the country. I was so excited."
Like many of us, I recognize the Red Cross for all the good things they do; the blood drives, humanitarian aid, and the selfless sacrifice of all of the volunteers. Yet, here a group of kids wants to express their gratitude in a manner very common in American tradition, and the Red Cross in effect accuses Bacon and her kids of playing politics and intentionally offending different populations participating in the event. Are you kidding me?
It gets more ridiculous. The school’s executive director, Ralph Opacic, criticized Bacon, stating "It was an inappropriate decision made by an instructor. To project your values as an entertainer is unprofessional." Really? Try telling that to self-appointed Hollywood elites like Alec Baldwin and Babs Streisand. I have one question for Mr. Opacic. If you have no values and no value system, what then do you have?
So I decided to send an e-mail to the Red Cross, voicing my objection to their stance. They were quick to respond. Within 30 minutes, a detailed e-mail came back stating in part: "What you heard reported has been entirely blown out of proportion and is in fact inaccurate, and we're trying to work with the media right now to get the facts out as they happened. The Red Cross representative suggested the program director (Bacon) look at other, more inclusive selections so that a very diverse community would be reflected in the program."
To which I replied: "I interpret your stance as one where Judeo-Christian charity is offensive, evinces exclusion, and may be hurtful to those who don't share the same views. I suppose brotherhood, mutual respect, and compassion equates to intolerance in your pathetic world view. In the future, I will give my money to the Salvation Army. They understand what America is about far more than the Red Cross. Inclusion should mean everyone, not just those who falsely cover their anti Judeo-Christian behinds with seemingly objective usage of terms like tolerance and diversity."
The Red Cross needs to get a clue and realize that it is they who promote division with ludicrous policies, in the name of "inclusion." In October 2001, the Red Cross fired its $450,000-a-year president, Dr. Bernadine Healy, during the controversy over how to distribute the $505 million dollars sympathetic Americans had contributed to help the WTC victims. Ms. Healy had earmarked $26 million from the fund for "community outreach to teach tolerance." Tolerance of what? Certainly not God and people who believe in God. And yet, the present Red Cross leadership is apparently intent on continuing the same policies.
These are the new politically correct thought police, tasked with enforcing intolerance of anything even remotely Judeo Christian. If one of their many policy makers were to examine very closely a one dollar bill using their ACLU-clouded coke bottle glasses, they’d discover in bold letters "In God We Trust." The Red Cross may indeed try to characterize the efforts of Ms. Bacon and her well-intentioned objective to permit these kids to express their gratitude for the volunteers as some sort of hate crime, but the majority of Americans see things differently. And it is for the wonderful, generous, care-giving Red Cross volunteers for whom I feel the most compassion for, for it is they who will have to live with the unfortunate fallout created by disdainful Red Cross decision-makers too intent on shamelessly insulting people with their arrogant disregard of common sense.
According to the Register, Annette Zufall, 50, of Orange, was one of the Red Cross volunteers who traveled to New York City to help with the rescue effort. While the registered nurse said it is important for the chapter to follow the Red Cross’s principles, she was saddened that the students wouldn’t perform. "Personally, I would have loved to hear it," Zufall said. "I don’t think any of the volunteers would have taken offense." Neither would the majority of Americans Annette. But, like many other organizations contaminated by leftist lawyers and judges, we are forced to watch helplessly as the values we held dearly in our childhood fall prey to the next perverted assault. These people have turned family, God, country and patriotism upside down in the name of diversity and tolerance, to the point where being an American makes one feel guilty of some form of profanity.
It is up to each American to realize what is happening here, right now in this country, and have the moral courage to voice their disapproval to the appropriate perpetrators in the strongest terms possible. Otherwise, don’t complain when saying "God Bless America" becomes a hate crime.
Howbeit this oh so subtle pill has grown into the political monster and taken over a noble institution as the Red Cross
Brilliant point. In the name of diversity and inclusion, they would have no objections... heck they'd be EAGER... if a Muslim choir sang an Islamic song that called for peace, happiness, and prosperity and gave the glory to Allah. (The 'tolerance' and 'education' pushers would fall upon the auditorium like a plague of locusts!) Yet in the name of diversity and inclusion, they're happily telling one particular group to stay home. Typical Leftists.
Part of the problem, I think, with these guys is that they are very focused on the current social trends of the various countries they work in. When your direction of the day is dictated by something that fickle, its no wonder they are in the trouble they are in.
There are a couple of minor nits that I have with this stuff too, like:
3. Safeguard the individual rights of every person in view of the principle that every human being has the right to live and enjoy the basic necessities of life;
As a fully-able'd individual, I don't have the right to even the "basic necessities of life" unless I am willing to work for them. People and organizations running around 'giving' these necessities to people may help in the short run, but they are killing people and countries in the long haul by making them dependent.
Hearts in the right place, but you have to use that thing above your neck too.
in #4 "...and taking preventive measures against various forms of social exclusion and vulnerability;"
then in #5 "..., paying special attention to the needs and rights of minorities. "
No exclusions....unless its someone from the mainstream or a religious group. I wonder too if the RC doesn't view religious groups as competition. If RC could tap into all those $$$ given every Sunday, man, they could really rule the world.
Just food for thought.
mp
I've got news for you:
The Red Cross was a pile of marxist Dog Turds long before Star Trek was a pipe dream in the tormented mind of little Gene Roddenbury.
Here is the email I sent off:
The Red Cross has done it again.
First you illegally convert hundreds of millions of dollars in donations for 9/11 survivors to you own pet projects. Did you ever account for the money your officers took?
High level corruption is the bane of our society. I have been a lawyer since the early 1980's. Rest assured, if I were the Attorney General, I would be prosecuting all of the Red Cross officials involved.
Now you refuse to allow students to sing the Lord's name or recite traditional words from the Declaration of Independence.
Outrageous!
When I lived just outside Orange County I donated whole blood as often as possible. I also slipped a couple of hundred to you as a donation.
Listen to this: Not one dime more will you receive from me. Ever! No more money.... Take a peek at the currency you greedily steal from charitable donations. It says 'In God We Trust' ..... when you cut off God, you cut off the support for your good work.
Signed: Outraged in Portland Oregon.
That's the best response I've yet heard!
Great point. Not to go off-topic, but in a similar vein, I decided to check out "Democratic Underground" today, so I logged in. After ten minutes and two posted messages, I was apparently banned for life. I didn't use any nasty language, just logic. The people at DU just can't handle the truth I suppose. Ironically, one of the threads was about right wing "Thought Police". Diversity apparently excludes anything conservative or Christian.
My mother is a nurse who was one of the volunteers honored at yesterday's event. In a phone conversation after the luncheon, she mentioned that the singing portion had simply been skipped; there were no replacement students or anything (even though it remained on the printed program, there being no time to reprint the program).
My mother also relayed the Red Cross' line on the issue: this was a manufactured controversy by conductor Cherilyn Bacon, who has political ambitions (she is or may be running for some office?) and who wanted to create an incident to get publicity. She did so by going to Fox News, which is well-known as being anti-Red Cross.
I am thinking of printing up signs for the blood drive tomorrow here at school...run by the Red Cross, urging people not to donate any money to the organization if asked due to the fact they have a double standard on excluding religion.
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