Theos-Talk Archives (September 2005 Message tt00062)

Posted for what it is worth.

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Red Cross not allowed in New Orleans 

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2005/9/2/2125/04978
Daily Kos

** I was wondering where the Red Cross was in all
this. They were never mentioned. It was like they
didn't exist. And, after yesterday's drama at the
convention center, the Brown and Chertoff lies, the
Red Cross was still MIA. Then, earlier today, I saw a
note that the Red Cross was not allowed to enter NO.
Hmm, that's doesn't make sense. This simmered for a
couple hours. 

So I called the Red Cross and asked them if its
true.... 

And, to my surprise, the nice lady answering the phone
said it was true and they told/asked/ordered not to
enter NO. She then went right into her spiel about all
the other work the Red Cross was doing across the
region. I said that's nice, but I still didn't
understand why they weren't in NO. To my amazement,
she patiently explained it to me. I even called back
to verify what she said. This time she asked if I was
media, I said no, just a concerned and confused
contributor. 

So here goes: Homeland Security (her term, not mine)
told the Red Cross DO NOT enter New Orleans and says
this still now. And why, you may ask? Not Security.
Not worker safety. Not lack of access. It was because
people would be drawn to the Red Cross food and they
wouldn't want to go to be evacuated. So I asked: "The
people starving and dying at the convention center
yesterday couldn't get Red Cross food and water
because they would be drawn to the food at the
convention center, where they were, and not want to be
evacuated from the convention center where no
evacuations were going on or planned and all the while
they are dying". (Actually, it was a couple
questions.) She went back into her spiel about all of
the other good work they were doing. When I asked
again, she said yes, that was true. She seem relieved
to admit it. 

In closing, I asked if she asked this question before
since she was very familiar with the answer she gave.
She said yes. And I promised another donation. Which
they will get after this post.