Posted on 09/01/2005 2:59:41 PM PDT by angkor
I called Doctors Without Borders [Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF)} today, asking what help they would be providing to the New Orleans (and elsewhere) Katrina victims.
I had donated $500 to MSF just a few weeks ago.
The answer, summarized, was "We don't provide help to developed countries."
Meaning, MSF will provide nothing, ZERO, to help the victims of Katrina. The answer was quite unambiguous.
Fool me once, fool me twice.
I'm going to ask them for a total refund of my (recent) donation to MSF after Labor Day, and will make MSF's life extremely miserable if they don't refund it.
Finally, they're disgusting. I've seen MSF do excellent work in other countries.
Yes what a bunch of Bigot Doctors!
They take a Hypocritic oath, not a Hippocratic oath!
Doom on them!
Oh where are the Chevaliers of Old France?
They all moved to the USA long ago!
Doctors Without Borders USA
Médecins Sans Frontières (also known as Doctors Without Borders or MSF) delivers emergency aid to victims of armed conflict, epidemics, and natural and man-made disasters, and to others who lack health care due to social or geographical isolation.
MSF was founded in 1971 by a small group of French doctors who believed that all people have the right to medical care and that the needs of these people supersede respect for national borders. It was the first non-governmental organization to both provide emergency medical assistance and publicly bear witness to the plight of the populations they served.
A private, nonprofit organization, MSF is at the forefront of emergency health care as well as care for populations suffering from endemic diseases and neglect. MSF provides primary health care, performs surgery, rehabilitates hospitals and clinics, runs nutrition and sanitation programs, trains local medical personnel, and provides mental health care.
For more information, or to contact Doctors Without Borders USA, see their website at: www.doctorswithoutborders.org
I think they were already operating in Banda Aceh and very nearby. And third world conditions are so far beneath those of the U.S., that the current situation in New Orleans looks tame. MSF largely operates in places where there is nothing to loot in times of disaster, and in places where people who get diabetes just die -- no insulin, syringes, blood sugar testing kits, etc. exist. It's not "political" to suggest that they shouldn't feel obligated to shift resources away from those places to help in New Orleans, where people are horrified at a few people dying for lack of insulin. If you look at it completely objectively, you value all human lives equally, and determine that saving 10 lives in Niger is more important than saving 1 life in New Orleans. That's how they see it, and I can't make a rational argument against their stance. Personally, I tend to care more about people whose lives I can more or less identify with, so I wish I could run to New Orleans and be helpful, even though I could obviously save more lives if I went to Niger for the same length of time.
Huh? After the tsunami, MSF was the first relief organization to put out an announcement saying "don't send any more money for tsunami relief -- we've already received more than we can use".
Gosh,I suppose I have to give up French Fries again.....
Nah, just arm about thirty Germans to re-invade and take over their country again.
Look, we CAN handle our own problems, but it sure would have been nice to have them at least offer.
Fair enough.
We don't need anyone's help.
INCOME STATEMENT: FYE 12/2003
Revenue
Primary Revenue $53,170,348
Other Revenue $203,851
Total Revenue: $53,374,199
Expenses
Program Expenses $42,158,155
Administration Expenses $947,196
Fundraising Expenses $6,105,222
Total Functional Expenses: $49,210,573
Payments to Affiliates $0
Excess (or Deficit) for the Year $4,163,626
Net Assets: $12,487,98
******
Nicolas De Torrente
Executive Director
Compensation: $96,470
Doctors Without Borders, USA
333 Seventh Avenue
2nd Floor
New York, NY 10001
tel: (888)392-0392
fax: (212)679-7016
bttt
Why don't they call themselves "Doctors Without Developed World Borders" then? I'm glad you ratted them out. People who need help are people who need help. They won't make much press helping Americans, however.
Ain't life hell?
Well,.... now we have confirmation of what they really are and what they're worth.
At the very least, they ought to change their name to "Médecins Avec Frontières" as better reflecting their principles.
I hope you payed by credit card. Just contact your CC company and cancel payment due to change of commitment. It is perfectly legal. If you payed by check, try stop payment. It may cost you you a couple of $ but the end result is the same...
Yup, I know that not only are we the "can-do" country, we are the "ready-to-do for our neighbors" wherever around the globe we are needed, but you are absolutely right, it would warm our hearts just to have one of the usual ingrates offer even a cold cup of water.
Doctors Without Borders was set up to help third world places. Granted I could make a sarcastic remark about how many of NOLA's people seem to have reverted to third world savagery but the fact remains that DWB doesn't do developed countries and never has. I dislike the French but I can't smack them on this point.
Get serious. What did you expect.
Hopes and prayers.
Those bastards should be on the ground in NO...and I think you will help put them there.
Sacre bleu!>>>>>>>
What does that mean exactly, heard it since I was a kid!
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