Go Help Yourself

I went on hiatus from the Red Cross while packing for my move. I couldn't stand saying "No" when I was called to assist, and realistically, I just couldn't go out of town for 3 weeks on disaster assignments. Even just attending the function and team meetings and responding locally was a chore, particularly with all the unfunded mandates from the Homeland Security Office. With all the increased terrorism threats, those folks are saying, "The Red Cross can do it."

I'm not sure they realize who the Red Cross is. We're volunteers, eeking out dribbles of time because we think it's important to help. I believe the figure is something like 97% volunteer. Sure, there's chapter employees. We've had almost three complete turnovers in the office since September 11, 2001. Budget cuts get the credit for most of the last chop. You see, people aren't giving as much, because times are economically tough, unemployment is high. Also, usually we go around giving United Way speeches at corporations, but they're not inviting speakers in because of heightened security, and the bottom line is the dollar is shrinking. Not just the charitable dollar. The nearby Bigtown mayor asked the police and fire departments to donate a few days a month to help out. He didn't say how many days he was donating. It strikes me as...stupid...to ask your security personnel to work for free during these orangish times.

I'm thinking I won't go back to the Red Cross immediately after we move. Maybe I'll wait for a regime change. I still get the newsletter; every month they bid good-bye to long-time volunteers. I remember how overwhelmed I felt with all the new services required of us, with fewer people and resources to accomplish them with.

The straw on the hump was the gutting of Americorps (see here and here). Americorps is the old VISTA, or homegrown Peace Corps. Molly Ivins mentions the local efforts of the group, like building playgrounds, and they work in our Red Cross chapter too, but the fact is these kids go out on disaster assignments. They were the backbone of the effort I attended in South Louisiana last year. And, unlike the Red Cross folk with their 3-week assignments, Americorps stays for the duration. If anyone thinks the job is easy, they're cordially invited to go sign up with Red Cross and see how much fun it is to work weeks of 12-hour days in the midst of tragedy and to stay in mice-infested, mouldy hotels in far from desirable locales. If Congress sees fit to cut back Americorps, why don't we just admit that we don't give a hoot about anybody? Let people pull themselves up by their bootstraps, if they haven't pawned them.

Note to Congress: Jesus did not say, "The free market is the way, the truth, and the light. No man cometh to the Father but by the free market."

Tomorrow for sure: Harry Potter and the Enneagram.

9:20:17 PM