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from IMDB - FEMA and charities

From imdb.com's Studio Briefing:

FEMA Promotes Robertson Charity; Ignores Secular Ones

"Televangelist Pat Robertson's controversial charity group Operation Blessing stands to gain millions of dollars after being prominently included on a list of organizations accepting donations for hurricane relief, according to an article posted on the website of The Nation magazine. In fact, only two non-faith-based organizations were included in the FEMA list, one of which is the American Red Cross, which has been at odds with the Department of Homeland Security after being barred from attending to New Orleans holdouts who have refused to evacuate. The Nation pointed out that Operation USA, a prominent secular disaster-relief group, was omitted from the FEMA list. It described Operation Blessing as 'a front for [Robertson's] shadowy financial schemes' and cited, among other things, an expose in the Virginia Pilot alleging that Operation Blessing's planes had been used to transport diamond-mining equipment for a Robertson-owned venture in Zaire. "

Comments

...American Red Cross, which has been at odds with the Department of Homeland Security after being barred from attending to New Orleans holdouts who have refused to evacuate.

I've heard differing reports, but this is on the Red Cross's website:

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.

Tom Harrison
John said…
[contemptous snort]

Like you've never smuggled diamond-mining equipment on your church's jet.
Revwilly said…
I'm not big fan of Robertson, but how does it help to speak of allegations? The Nation is hardly unbiased and offers no proof, nor does the Virginia Pilot. I guess the idea is that secular organizations are more truthworthy and that if Robertson is wealthy and a conservative he has to be guilty of some vile deed.
Revwilly said…
Oops I posted before I finished by post...We don't have to worry about the world destroying the church, we are in the process of doing it ourselves.

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