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.
I have no intention of debating the topic of the Red Cross with my mother, nor would I ever encourage her to subject herself to the flame wars here on Free Republic.
As a Red Cross volunteer nurse, she is much more familiar with (and involved in) the useful activities that the Red Cross engages in, rather than with its fundraising scandals and politically correct administrative mindset. In my previous post I was merely passing on some of the information she picked up while attending yesterday's volunteer recognition luncheon.
Last night CBS Sixty-Minutes made a presentation that sought to claim this wasn't the first time the Red Cross had tried to use donated funds on unrelated activities. Those who listen to this real audio file will hear a report that sounds a lot like the events surrounding the 09/11 fund.
Click on the link for the audio from last nights Sixty-Minutes' Report. LINK
There's a little background noise on this. Sorry about that.
Um ...do you mean AMERICANS???
Don't you know you will offend the atheist population that has infested FR? They will tell you that, through Objective Morality, none of this could ever be their fault. They are the tolerant haters of God. < /sarcasm>
Tell it like it is, my friend!
And I have the right and I choose NOT to send ANY of my Money to them ever again! First the 9-11 fiasco and now this. I pray they go under and yield to a new organization (s).
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