Posted on 03/12/2002 8:55:35 AM PST by Notwithstanding
March 12, 2002
AMERICAN RED CROSS APOLOGIZES FOR CENSORING RELIGIOUS SPEECH
In a news release March 11, the Catholic League pledged to contact the leaders of over 100 organizations asking them to join us in dropping all support for the American Red Cross. We did just that—we faxed all of the organizations on our list. And also we contacted the Red Cross.
Our complaint centered on the decision of the headquarters of the American Red Cross to defend its Orange County (CA) chapter in prohibiting students from Orange County High School of the Arts from singing “God Bless America” and “America the Beautiful” at a Red Cross luncheon this past Sunday. The Red Cross opposed the songs citing its “sensitivity to religious diversity” and its “preference for a music program that would be inclusive and not offend different populations participating in this particular event.”
Yesterday evening, the American Red Cross issued a statement saying “the judgements we made in this case in applying our principles clearly offended some in our community.” It mentioned that “it is important to use reasonable judgement in applying principles to the everyday circumstances we confront.” The news release continued saying “the judgement we made to exclude certain songs from the Sunday program was a mistake.” It then apologized for its decision.
Catholic League president William Donohue remarked as follows:
“We are delighted that reasonableness prevailed at the American Red Cross and we have no interest in continuing our campaign to discredit the organization. While we accept the apology we do not buy the line that this was a ‘mistake.’ No, it was a calculated decision designed to punish religious speech. The statement, therefore, is intellectually dishonest. But the bottom line is they got the message. One more point. We expect the organization will soon change its name: any group that has ‘Cross’ in its name is clearly being insensitive to religious diversity.”
Contact: American Red Cross National Headquarters.
Phone: (202) 639-3500
ORANGE COUNTY, Calif., March 11, 2002 — The Fundamental Principles that guide the American Red Cross — Humanity, Impartiality, Neutrality, Independence, Voluntarism, Unity and Universality — are more important today than ever before. We have used these principles time and time again to govern our work here in Orange County and around the world.
We used these same principles to develop the program to honor our volunteers this past Sunday who provide vital services to our community throughout the year. We certainly did not intend to hurt or offend anyone.
But the judgments we made in this case in applying our principles clearly offended some in our community. Principles should remain inviolate. But like many things in life, it is important to use reasonable judgement in applying principles to the everyday circumstances we confront. So, while our principles remain sound, the judgement we made to exclude certain songs from the Sunday program was a mistake.
We want to apologize to the community and to any people who were hurt or disappointed by our actions.
Eat $h!t
Pledge of Allegiance?
God Bless America?
VERBOTEN!
:
Don't forget the whole name of the organization:
RED CROSS/RED CRESCENT
Donations help fund organizations like the Palestinian Red Crescent Society,
which cranks out propaganda like this:
Israeli Army Shoots at Innocent Civilains & Pregnant Women
Isn't it comforting to know that the selfless contributions
of well-meaning Americans are going to support these "Red Crescent Societies"?
:
I am wondering if I can find out what organizations were contacted by the league concerning its boycott. Does anyone know? Thanks
I'll just keep donating at the hospital.
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To drive the point home.
Organizations like these along with some religious organizations, because they are desperate for volunteers, are easily infiltrated by people with an anit-American agenda. They occasionally try to test their strength and get shot down. Over a period of time these people gain leadership positions and take control. It is easy to see if you are lookin for it.
Given that the red cross was derived from Christianity, and that the red crescent was derived from a moon god symbol incorporated with Islam, perhaps they should choose another symbol... perhaps a Red Star. Now there is a better match, given their socialist leanings.
Wish they would.
The RC has become more and more a Front Organization. I don't intend to donate to them ever again.
The Christian community is most likely one of the largest contributors to the Red Cross. The Red Cross, along with alot of other agencies, feel free to slap our God in the face and have nothing happen because we are assumed to be humble, turn the other cheek and get over it. Well guess what world, there are some things we are just not humble about. There are some things we get real war like over, deal with it.
Truth can indeed be stranger than fiction.....
From their website:The emblems go back a long way. The red cross on a white background was formally adopted in the first Geneva Convention of 1864. The red crescent was adopted by the Ottoman empire in 1876 during the war with Russia. It was recognized in the 1929 Geneva Convention along with the red lion and sun of Persia.
For National Societies, the emblem serves two purposes; it is "indicative" (it is their logo or identification when undertaking their normal work) and it is "protective" (a protective device when they, and the medical services of their country's armed forces, are involved in conflict.) The rules on the use of these emblems are defined in international law under the Geneva Conventions of 1949.
Under the conventions, states can only use one of the two emblems for the protection of the medical services of their armed forces. National Societies, too, can only use one emblem, that adopted by their government. Adopting one of these two recognized emblems is one of 10 conditions a National Society must fulfil in order to be officially recognized by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and become a member of the International Federation.
The International Federation can use both emblems indicatively because it is neither a state nor a National Society.
Current problems
The emblems worked well for a long time, but in recent decades two problems have arisen. Firstly, in some conflicts the cross or the crescent have been interpreted as having a religious significance. They do not, but this fact has occasionally compromised the neutral nature of the emblems, putting lives at risk.
Secondly, some countries and their National Societies have not felt comfortable using either the red cross or red crescent. This is the case for the Israeli society which uses a red star of David, and the Kazakh society which uses both a red crescent and a red cross.
The proposed solution
The international Red Cross and Red Crescent has proposed an additional emblem to resolve these problems. This approach was agreed by a joint working group of governments and the Red Cross in April 2000. The additional emblem could be used in conflicts for protection, and, with the inclusion of a local sign, as the indicative emblem of a National Society.
This solution is not simple because it involves changing both international law and the statutes of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement.
The first stage is to adopt a third additional protocol to the Geneva Conventions creating an additional emblem to stand alongside the cross and crescent. This requires a diplomatic conference, convened by the Swiss government, of all 188 states which have signed the Geneva Conventions. The second stage is for a full International Conference of the Red Cross and Red Crescent (comprising the 188 governments and the 176 National Societies) to change the statutes.
When the time is right, the diplomatic conference will take place and the international conference will follow as soon as possible. These meeting will define both the use and form of the new emblem.
Once the protocol comes into force it will be possible to use the additional emblem in conflicts. And once adopted by the Israeli and Kazakh societies, they can formally be recognized by the ICRC, and then welcomed into the International Federation as full members.
Further information about the emblem issue is available on the web site of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement.
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Dang! That ol' cross sure seems to be a "problem", eh?
I wonder what their proposed "additional emblem" is.
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