the Red Cross is NOT in New Orleans.....late but still surprising.

[Gabi Hayes]

http://www.redcross.org/faq/0,1096,0_682_4524,00.html#4524

Hurricane Katrina: Why is the Red Cross not in New Orleans?


Acess to New Orleans is controlled by the National Guard and local authorities and while we are in constant contact with them, we simply cannot enter New Orleans against their orders.

The state Homeland Security Department had requested--and continues to request--that the American Red Cross not come back into New Orleans following the hurricane. Our presence would keep people from evacuating and encourage others to come into the city.

The Red Cross has been meeting the needs of thousands of New Orleans residents in some 90 shelters throughout the state of Louisiana and elsewhere since before landfall. All told, the Red Cross is today operating 149 shelters for almost 93,000 residents.

The Red Cross shares the nation’s anguish over the worsening situation inside the city. We will continue to work under the direction of the military, state and local authorities and to focus all our efforts on our lifesaving mission of feeding and sheltering.

The Red Cross does not conduct search and rescue operations. We are an organization of civilian volunteers and cannot get relief aid into any location until the local authorities say it is safe and provide us with security and access.

The original plan was to evacuate all the residents of New Orleans to safe places outside the city. With the hurricane bearing down, the city government decided to open a shelter of last resort in the Superdome downtown. We applaud this decision and believe it saved a significant number of lives.

As the remaining people are evacuated from New Orleans, the most appropriate role for the Red Cross is to provide a safe place for people to stay and to see that their emergency needs are met. We are fully staffed and equipped to handle these individuals once they are evacuated.

am I the last person on earth to find this out?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=104&topic_id=4599047&mesg_id=4599047

EDIT: I wonder if they're letting in any Minutemen.....

[Horse with no Name]

1. I think so.

:)

[Gabi Hayes]

2. oh.....feeling kinda like this:

[Horse with no Name]

4. you need to post a graphic warning with that

I spewed when I saw Jethro and Ellie May.;)

[Gabi Hayes]

6. did you see the description when you click "properties?"

'....chimplike.jpg'

[cornermouse]

3. No. Only one in there right now is the military.

Why does this bother me?

(Don't answer. Its a rhetorical question.)

[Horse with no Name]

5. and don't forget

the FBI snipers that just landed at the airport with Gonzo.:scared:

[Gabi Hayes]

7. lots of discussion about this being a crowd control exercise

sure does seem to be more and more like that....

from their propaganda, it looks like the ONLY way they can get any positive spin is to turn this into a law and order situation.

at least it'll keep the stupidest morans in their base from the ratjump

[KoKo]

8. Yes...I knew that ...but didn't want to discourage other DU'ers....

who figured they needed to give to them.

I'm holding back my giving until I can find folks who will really use my paltry dollars to help "real people."

There's so much "money being thrown" out there from folks so anxious to help...yet the need "on the ground" isn't funded.

Red Cross is not one that I would give to because of this....

[Gabi Hayes]

9. same here, which raises the obvious question:

are all charities staying out of NO?

where's all the money going...being saved up for post evac distribution?

what good will it do NOW, when it's needed to save lives immediately?

this makes no ffffing sense

is that the way it's worked in other hurricane situations, or is it only because of the martial law deal?

who knows about this?

[KoKo]

10. I live in Hurricane Prone South...

I don't want to discourage any DU'ers from giving to any cause they find worthwhile...but...I'll just add that...the money one gives often goes into a "Big Pot" of funds...and the "people" might not always get a DIRECT benefit...(just from experience, here).

If it makes one feel good to give to the Major Charities for Relief...DO IT! Not discouraging.

But...on the ground folks...really don't get the immediate aid they need. It's best to wait until the local newspapers identify the groups "on the ground" who have appeals for the "basics of life."

I'm WAITING on this ONE...So much Money is pouring into the Bush Coffers that I don't trust that folks who really need help will get it. :shrug:

And I was 9 Days without power through Hurricane Fran, and an Ice Storm where if we weren't savy we could have been "left behind." I never saw Red Cross or anything in what we went through...but, I'm not living close to poverty level where it would have thrown me over... It was that I saw that when you're down and out...you're on your own no matter how much you give to Red Cross and think they will give you "coffee or a sandwich" when your power is out for 9 days...which is MINIMAL compared to DISASTER HURRICANE VICTIMS.

I think our major charities do the best they can...but their Chairs and Vice Chairs make an awful lot of money for "charities." :shrug:

[goclark]

11. I am giving to a family that now has 17 relatives from NO

living with them. They arrived with only the clothes on their banks.

Until I see some Red Crosses in NO I'm not giving a dime to them.

That is just me, I'm sure they do great work. I know they do but their absence in NO sent the wrong message to my brain.