Letters______________
2_________
Opinion
WedNESÓAy, D ecem H er 5, 2001
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I
J P A P J E ■
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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.
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