Edwards Sued Red Cross Three Times - Vanity

ABC John Stossel and The New York Times ^ | August 25, 2004 | eartotheground

[eartotheground]

I know this sounds like a joke but I am not kidding. Edwards sued the American National Red Cross three times in the 90's apparently and obtained a confidential settlement in each case. Anybody have any more info?

[VeniVidiVici]

I was riding my bike around a trailer park after Hurricane Charlie to look at the damage.

I watched as this lady in a sedan marked with the Red Cross logo stopped her car in front of this house that had a tree laying on the roof. A family of about 4 or 5 people were standing out front resting, as it appeared they had been trying to clean-up some of the damage.

The RC lady walked over to this little girl of about 4 or 5 years old, spoke to her for a minute and then took her hand. She then escorted the girl back to her vehicle, where she took out a teddy bear and gave it to the little girl.

I have no feelings against the RC one way or another. I don't know enough about their past actions to form one. But I would ask that everyone keep in mind that as you read posts that rail against the RC organization, there are volunteers that want to do nothing more than help.

[Rebelbase]

Please back off of Texasflower and stop being such a jerk. I mean it. STFU.

[texasflower]

I lived near the San Jacinto river you jerk.

What did I tell you bert? That's right. I told you UNDERWATER.

I said, underwater and I meant underwater.

My house was completely submerged for three days. The roof was covered for three days.

Do you get it?

Why are you doing this and what the hell does this have to do with your orginal question about the Red Cross's 2.00 soft drinks?

[texasflower]

Thank you.

[bert]

In honor of the Republican Convention I'm taking leave of absence from this thread till next week.

[bert]

The question has been asked.... why are you doing this?

The answer is simple. I can not let such a blatant misrepresentation of the truth about a valuable American organization stand unchallenged.

The truth is that the American Red Cross does not charge for disaster aid. The American Red Cross does not sell sandwiches or $2.00 cokes at disaster concession stands. The red Cross does not run concession stands at disasters.

The truth is that the Red Cross disaster vehicles, the ERV's have signs to the effect..... Everything is free, a gift of the American people.

All American Red Cross disaster relief and food  to victims and various relief workers, including emergency medical units working in the area, is paid for with donations from an appreciative American public.

Apparently there are those who are not only not appreciative of relief but have chosen to slander their benefactor.

 

 

[texasflower]

The Red Cross is a worthless organization. Every word I said is true.

I would really appreciate it if you would stop calling me a liar.

[bert]

In a disaster the American Red Cross is the agency officially charged with disaster relief, including mass care. The American Red Cross  maintains 24/7 365 disaster response capability in 50 states. Although disaster relief responsibility is a quasi governmental function and other official members of the disaster relief team are governmental agencies, the American Red Cross is not a government funded organization. With the exception of local grants,  The Red Cross relies on private donations for funding. The American Red Cross does employ paid staff, but the majority of persons involved in disaster relief efforts are volunteers who have extensive training in their specialized task area. 

The disaster is managed by local chapters all across the country until a certain level of families involved is reached. At that point relief efforts  becomes a national responsibility and the national American  Red Cross resources are brought to bear. 

Early on, within hours of the disaster Red Cross damage assessment teams begin to survey the disaster area to determine the extent and to develop a rough feeling for resources required for the relief effort. Disaster trained volunteers called up locally and nationally. 

In a disaster involving many families a headquarters organization is established very close to the disaster area to manage the various different efforts. These efforts include establishing shelters, establishing and coordinating food preparation area, receiving the Emergency Response Vehicles coming in from around the country, dispatching them to areas where needed, finding each and every family and learning their needs. Finding and providing food and shelter, providing trained nurses to interview and take care of medical needs, lost prescriptions, glasses or other such medical needs. Managing the volunteers coming in from across the country involves a personnel officer. Local purchasing the materials required to support the effort requires trained purchasing and logistics volunteers. The press is keenly interested in what is happening and volunteers skilled in dealing with the various media begin the effort to tell the story of what is happening and to alert the affected families as to where they may seek food, shelter and relief. The headquarters will also contain a individuals who conduct a fund raising effort.  The headquarters will not be closed until the disaster work is over.

After the initial hours of immediate relief, families are provided resources to assist in a comeback.  Mass care teams establish centers  within the disaster affected area to interview the people and provide relief in the form of vouchers that can be spent to provide food, clothing and other necessities. 

The initial efforts to bring order to a chaotic scene are short lived. Some degree of order begins to emerge and lives can begin to take on the responsibility for the new but changed conditions. The various American Red Cross mass care teams remain in the area to insure that people have the necessities of life. 

It should be noted that total destruction of one's living place can not be completely resolved. A disaster is a life changing event. It should also be noted again that everything provided in an American Red Cross disaster relief effort including food, drink, cleanup kits, prescriptions drugs, eye glasses, vouchers for clothing and personal needs, and other relief too numerous for mention are free, a gift of the American people. 

These few paragraphs are an attempt to draw on imperfect knowledge to describe a very dedicated and complex organizational capability. Since no two disasters are the same, each response is different and the responding staff and volunteers are different. The response is however made in accordance with advance planning and training. The ease with which the American Red Cross reacts to catastrophic events is the result of long experience, highly trained and dedicated volunteers. The American public understands the need and always responds with disaster relief funding. They do not allow fellow Americans  to go begging when all their personal resources are wiped out.

[texasflower]

Bert. I demand you leave me alone.

My experience with the Red Cross is exactly as I told you and I am not willing to be part of your never ending harassment.

Stop now.

[bert]

For the record, in September of 2004, the state of Florida was struck by four major hurricanes.

In its official capacity as disaster relief agency the American Red Cross pre positioned volunteer and staff disaster relief teams and the emergency response vehicles in northern Florida, Georgia and Alabama.They opened shelters in advance of the storms. They were in position in affected areas as soon as the storms passed.

The responded as they always do providing food, shelter and comfort to the affected people.

As of this writing in October, many are still there. They have worked very hard. They routinely work 12 and 14 hour days, 6 days a week during a three week assignment.Volunteers recieve no salary for their effort.Red Cross staff are on temporary assignment fron their home chapters and are poaid as usual.

There have been 25,000 or so Red Cross disaster people respond directly to the location, supported by thousands more their home chapters and the Disaster Operations Center in northern Virginia.

The Florida hurricane events in 2004 and the actions of these dedicated American Red Cross volunteers belie the fallacious allegations throughout this thread.

[Area51]

Hey Bert,

True or false, the RC charges or have charged Military Personel for personal hygeine items they were "given" while in the hospital after being wounded in combat?

[Area51]

Also true or false,

The RC took in Millions of dollars claiming it would be used to help those victims of the WTC bombing, only to have it reallocated to other areas within the RC INCLUDING
6 figure incomes to RC execs until the Press got wind of it?

[Area51]

Please break down where the Money that is charged for a pint of blood from the RC goes back into the Organization.

FTR-I stopped donating both money and Blood when I saw the rotten foul stench on display with the attempted scam of Hundreds of millions they were going to graft from the American Public during a National tradgedy they claimed they were going to dispurse.

[bert]

You probably did the right thing. In a state of totalignorance it is best to do nothing.

[Area51]

I appreciate you taking the time to answer my questions.
Point by point.

Another outstanding defense of the indefensable.
Scum is what they are. Shake down America while it is greiving the loss of 3,000 Americans on our own soil so they could hand out money to the top Execs.

The term scum doesn't do them justice!

[bert]

It is my policy to not argue with an ignorant man.

[Area51]

Then you'ld best stop talkiing to yourself.

Again thanks for responding with facts and figures to counter my claims and that of THOUSANDS of Military personel that were fleesed by the RC, and their attempted scam with the WTC donations.

Crooks is what they are.