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About The Clackamas print. (Oregon City, Oregon) 1989-2019 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 5, 2001)
Letters______________ 2_________ Opinion WedNESÓAy, D ecem H er 5, 2001 r I J P A P J E ■ r $ m -1 News Editor The tragic events of Sept 11 have brought to light one of the more im pressive things about being an Ameri can citizen. Ourinfallibleabilitytohelp our fellow Americans out in a crisis is one of the best things about living in the greatest country in the world. But the only charitable organization that stepped forward from the begin ning was that old standby, the Ameri can Red Cross. Hurricanes, floods, earthquakes and other natural and man-made disasters have been en countered by Americans all over the country, and the Red Cross has been there in the aftermath, providing logis tical and financial support to those in need. The recent events involving the Red Cross have been blown way, way out of proportion. Over $500million have been donated by generous Americans and others around the world to the Red Cross, in the hopes that those af fected by this travesty can help to pick up their lives. Only in recent weeks has the Red Cross come under fire for not disclosing what exactly is to be done with this large amount of money. The American Red Cross is not a government agency, but a non-profit organization whose sole purpose is to help those Americans in need because considered for publication if submitted by 1 pm the Friday prior publication. Letters to the Editor are subject to editing. We reserve •_ right to not publish any letter. ■3 ME The Red Cross took a chance Red Cross helps peojflfyj j j’7 FRANKJORDAN All signed letters to the editor should be 500 words or less and will | DANMERYS of circumstances beyond their control. Yet there are Americans who truly think that the Red Cross has not done Staff'Writer In the days following the Sept. 11 enough to help. If the Red Cross wants to spend a small portion of do attacks, the American Red Cross set unless they are absolutely su where it’s heading. The Americ Red Cross took a chance and g burned. From now on America will take what the American R< Cross says with a grain of salt, ai nations to actually cover administra tive and logistical costs, I certainly have no problem with that. Mother Nature just does not shut down in the face of terrorism. Last week, the Red Cross mobilized to help those people affected in the Midwest after the devastating tornadoes that struck that region. The American Red Cross is located in every nook and cranny of our great nation, ready to help those in need. up the Liberty Fund. The purpose of the fund was to fill the immediate House and apartment fires hit in our was something that money was not to do. intended for. When the facts came The American people have a rig to light, a good portion of the Ameri to be angry. But when that anger i: can people were outraged, and detriment to a highly beneficial ort rightly so. What the American Red nization (which has done nothing I Cross did was wrong. They chose help and care for others) then it’s tii to use the money for something b& - to sit down and shut up. All the Ame can Red Cross has ever done and v sides it’s intended use. Clearly, the Red Cross needed to ever do is help people who, whetl take care of other things ($6 million through their own actions or son of the Liberty Fund went to pay ad one else’s, are unable to help thei ministrative and logistical costs), selves. The American Red Cross i and the American people would completely non-profitorganization tl have been more than willing to oblige depends on us as much, if not mo than we depend on it them. Go ahead and be pissed off, but By lying, the American Red Cross member that the American Red Cn has seriously jeopardized its rela tionship with the American people. is out helping people with real pn No longer will people be so eager to lems. Just be glad that you don’t nt hand over their hard-earned dollars that help. and long-term needs of the victims. To date, $564 million have been do nated to the fund. Millions of people donated money with the expressed intent of helping the victims of the attacks. But the American Red Cross chose to use a portion of the money to cover administrative costs, which towns and cities every day. The Red Cross is usually the one that handles making sure victims are fed and housed in the short-term. Donations are the only way the Red Cross makes money to be able to afford these basic life needs. If people think they have been misled, maybe they should take a look at the bigger picture. If dona tions fall off or, God forbid, end, then there will be no one to pick up the slack. Criticizing the major efforts of a well-respected relief organization such as the American Red Cross in our time of national emergency is not only wrong, but also short sighted. Disasters will not go away. The American Red Cross is there to help pick up the pieces. the American Red Cross will be te tative with their handling of certa situations. This is a prospect that completely unacceptable for bo sides. The American Red Cross’ inte was just, but misleading the publ about what the funds are to be us< for was not. The simple truth is thi should have done what they set o Do you agree with the way the Red Cross disbursed the funds collected for the victims of Sept. 11? Krystal Schneider Brandon Gleich Major: Elementary Education Major: History "Not really. If they said they were going to use it for that (Sept 11 victims), they should have used the whole thing for that" "I think it all should've went to Sept 11...What are they going to do? Put it away for a rainy day until someone else flies a plane into a building and it blows up.'' Ben Wiltgen Amy Powers Major:Business Technology Associates Major: Business Tecnology Associates "No, they should give it to the people who were affected because that's what it was for." "Yes. Because they are helpi people in need. Business Manager: Editor-in-Chief: Maggie Jirasek (x2447) Nick Barron (x2578) Opinion Editor/Production Coordinator Salena De La Cruz Webmaster: Copy Editor: Staff: Luke Mahan Allison Gerfin Sports Editor: , Isaiah Creel Jesse Gurzynski Erinn Lerten Christina McFarland Daniel Mery s Elisabeth Meyer Ben Walker Leah Boeringa Elena Boryska Managing Editor: Liesl Muggii News Editor: Frank Jordan Photo Editor: Mike Pollock 19600 S. MoUll* Ave. O.eqox Clé». Oxeqo« 97045 (505) 657-6956 txi. 2509 CCCP*lhl@clACkAMAS.CC.OR.U$ Photos and quotes compiled I Salena De La Cruz and Mag{ Jirasek Secretary: JoAnne Gale A & E Editor: Daisy Bain Advisor: Patty Mamula (x2310) The Clackamas Print aims to report then in an honest, unbiased, professional man. The opinions expressed in The Clackai Print do not necessarily reflect those ol student body, college administration, its ulty, or The Clackamas Print advertisers. Pi ucts and services advertised in The Clan mas Print are not neccesarily endorsed by one associated with The Clackamas Pi The advertising rate is $4.75 per column ii The Clackamas Print is a weekly publ tion and is distributed every Wednesday cept during Finals week. The Clackamas I Copyright 200i.
