UPDATE:
PFG will not be sending funds collected to the American Red Cross as announced yesterday as they are not even being allowed passage into New Orleans, and I also believe they will become too overwhelmed in this effort. Instead, donations will be sent to America's Second Harvest, as we have already donated to them and know that they are a reputable organization that feeds hungry American people. I also hope we can collect enough funds to ships diapers and toys to the children through an organization that does this. It is the children who will be hurt so much by this disaster psychologically and physicially, and if there is anything PFG can do to help these children get through this, we will. Please read below to see how you can also obtain a tree to plant as a gift for your donation. And be assured that all donations can be located on our FEC statements.
Thank you.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Patriots for Al Gore
September 3, 2005
Words truly cannot express how we at Patriots for Al Gore feel about this tragedy to our country and what it will mean for its future and those Americans effected by it. Our hearts and our prayers go out to all who are suffering as a result of Hurricane Katrina, and we have sent a donation to the Red Cross to help in the relief effort and will continue to help in any way we can in the coming months with what we have. Also, any monies collected in the next month from our Be The Change store will also be forwarded to the Red Cross for relief efforts.
This statement is also being made to lay the accountability for where the relief effort stands regarding this disaster where it belongs: At the feet of an administration that cares nothing for the American people, and has shown that clearly for the entire world to see for the last five years and counting. This particular condemnation for us is not even in total about cutting funding for the levees.
This is really about the socio-economic punishment that was levied upon the poor and black residents of New Orleans as a response to this tragedy, and especially before this tragedy occurred. Many left behind could not make way to safety as they do not own cars, and had no other way to get out. Many of these people were already living below the poverty line, and many of them were still part of a culture of racism that exists in this country.
This is not something that just showed itself after Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast, it is the culmination of years of intolerance for our fellow Americans simply because their skin is not white or because they are not rich (as the poor white population in NO was treated with just as much contempt), and I doubt it will likely go away as swiftly as Hurricane Katrina passed over their homes. We at PFG believe a dialogue about this must begin earnestly in our country as a result of this tragedy. We cannot preach about spreading freedom and Democracy around the world, when our own people do not have it here.
The absolute indifferent, arrogant, and yes, racist response in making these people wait days for aid is inexcusable. Using looting as the reason for it is also unrealistic, in that troops trained in getting aid to every corner of the world during wartime would have no problem dropping aid to people in need then as they are doing today. Even without a set plan, compassion needs no plan. You either have it or you don't.
However, if any good is to come out of this horrible tragedy for our country, it will hopefully expose the blatant bigotry, hypocrisy, and arrogance of a certain group of people in this country who have done nothing but preach about love, peace, and Christianity while using it as a shield for their true hatred, warmongering, and intolerance. We at PFG condemn this behavior, and hope that this country will soon be on the road to truly being the country of tolerance we preach that we are to the world. The response the American people have given to this tragedy restores our hope in seeing that day come to pass.
Also, our Climate Change Challenge which we had scheduled for this month will not be held. Instead, once we receive the trees that we were to award as prizes (sometime in October), we will be giving trees to the first ten people who give a minimum donation of $10.00 for the month of September and sending any monies collected to the Red Cross to help the victims ( not "refugees" as these people are Americans) of this tragedy.
This is a tragedy beyond comprehension, and we are so grateful to all the American people for their help at this most crucial of times. Once again proving that it is the people who give hope, and that we must never let that hope fade.
And as a note to all who are interested in what Al Gore is doing: Today he landed a plane in New Orleans Airport, and is trying to take about 113 critically ill patients to Tennessee for care. Let us hope he is successful.
Thank you,
Jan Moore
Chairperson,
Patriots for Al Gore
Patriots for Al Gore