I am not usually given to such behavior, but this is a warning: this is a rant! Oooo… I am so pissed!
Today, I go in to give blood at my local Red Cross, like usual. They always have some little enticements for people to get them to come in, T-shirts, cards for a free car wash, cards for free Chick-Filets, and so on… Today the receptionist signs me in and hands me a car wash card and a brand new glossy hard cover book off of a stack that she has. Hmmm… I’m wondering to myself, what’s up with this? And it hits me… oh yeah… this is Memorial Day weekend! I sit down to wait my turn for screening, and think… well, I’ve got a book that I can read while I wait…
Well… here’s the frickin’ book that I got , in all it’s red, white, and blue glory… Please, take a few moments to thumb through some of the little gems that Amazon will allow you to view… I would post some of the photos, but every page has “Copyrighted Material” emblazoned on it in at least four places… Basically, this book amounts to 160 pages of glossy neo-con propaganda sandwiched between two quotes on the covers from the Chimpotus… “Today our nation saw evil… and we responded with the best of America.”, and “The world is beginning to understand why we all treasure America so much – our values, our freedom and the strength of the American character.” Oh, the irony…
Some of the headier material inside includes excerpts from Chimpotus’ address to the nation on September 11th, and a timeline of the terrorist attack (funny, “My Pet Goat” isn’t mentioned anywhere at all in the book… go figure.). Another chapter is entitled “New York’s Mayor Shines in Adversity”… the money quote underneath a picture of Chimpotus and Rudy supervising operations: “Giuliani could run for anything now and win.” Interestingly, most of the huge quotes in the book were cited… this one wasn’t… And what 9/11 memorial book would not be complete without a huge picture of Rudy escorting a bride to the altar… A spiffy flag on every page and copyrighted in triplicate…
“Next…” the phlebotomist says.
Oooo… I am on low simmer after having sat for ten minutes and skimmed through this 160 page craplet.
“Hmmm… I got 140/82, your pressure seems to be a little high today, but that won’t keep you from donating…”, she says.
“Ya’ THINK!!!“, I scream inside my head as I reply, “Hmmm… must be the two cups of coffee I had this morning…”
I go on to donate my blood, but I am seething that the Red Cross would be handing out this kind of crap on Memorial Day… granted, I live in a decidedly red state, but still… I hadn’t felt this violated in a long time… I know better than to lash out at the people working there, because they were likely not responsible… What’s a well mannered Cognitive Dissonant to do? Then, it hits me…
“Excuse me…” I say to the lady donating next to me (she turns out to be a High School teacher retiring after 32 years). We make some small talk, and then I say, “I really don’t want this book, would you trade me your free Chick-Filet for it?”
She gives me a funny little look and says, “Ah… no, I don’t think so…”
“How about your car wash coupon?”
A not so funny look, and she says, “um…no…”
So I turn to the guy across from me and ask, “Will you trade me for your Chick-Filet?”
He smirks a little and says, “Uh… no thanks”
Wow! I’m on a roll… I migrate on over to the orange juice and cookie step down area and continue my quest. The results of my informal poll with ten people responding, probably well over half of which were reDublican, is that the book “America’s Heroes” is not worth either a Chick-Filet or a car wash. Fortunately, 56 days between donations is a long time; long enough for the Red Cross staff to forget me and the glares that they were shooting me.
Not surprisingly, when I got home and looked it up on Amazon, it was selling for $18.87, with a cover price of $29.95… there were 156 used and new in stock starting at $0.01… one penny. Did my fellow donors of the reDublican persuasion at the Red Cross know this ahead of time, or is there something universal and intrinsic going on here? I submit the latter, but proof will have to await the test of time, or a better crafted study at a later date…
Bottom line, though, is that I’m still pretty miffed at the Red Cross for injecting (pun intended) politics into blood donations. I am exactly two pints away from achieving my fourth gallon (I have a pretty rare blood type and they always call me up). This will probably not affect my willingness to donate in the future, because I have always given with no strings attached… but is it wrong to expect the same in return?
In a further effort to purge myself I dashed off a little missive to the Red Cross HERE . This is what I said:
I am writing to complain about the distribution of “America’s Heroes” to blood donors as an incentive to give blood over Memorial Day weekend.
In my opinion, the book is decidedly politically skewed, and I resent the implication that the tragedy of 9/11 should be associated with Memorial Day, and therefore, a particular political agenda. I realize that this campaign may not be nationwide and only limited to the particular site at which I recently gave. If this is the case, please note my address above and forward this complaint to the appropriate people.
At a time when blood donations are down nationwide and many centers have been cut back to less than half time (as is the case with the center at which I donate) would it not be a prudent strategy to adopt a more centrist stance so as not to offend some people who might otherwise be inclined to give? While I have given for years, and will continue to do so despite this perceived insult, I fear that many might be inclined to walk out when confronted with “America’s Heroes”.
Additionally, I feel that the money used to purchase this book in bulk could have certainly been spent in a more useful manner.
Thank you in advance for your prompt attention into this matter.
Sincerely,
The Dood (I didn’t really sign it “The Dood”)
Well, I feel a little better. I did a quick Google of SP L.L.C. the publishers, and didn’t really find any right wing conspiracy… yet… and certainly nothing tied to the Red Cross. Perhaps I’m being a little prudish here, but I don’t think so… I think that I can recognize propaganda when I see it… especially from 2001. I take some comfort in the fact that I couldn’t give this book away, even to people who ought to find it of some worth… Is this evidence that my little slice of Red America might be waking up a little, if only on a semi-conscious level…? I like to think so. At any rate, there is much to ponder on this Memorial Day weekend…
Should I talk to my doctor about increasing my medication…er… not for blood pressure…
My doctor gave me a prescription for Propranolol which he says he takes before he has to give a deposition … it eases anxiety, lowers blood pressure and doesn’t make you feel dopey at all.
Seriously, this sucks. My guess is that someone saw those books for a cheap price and thought it a nice all-American gift, without really analyzing the propaganda aspect. I’m glad you spoke up. Your letter is VERY good. Do let us know if you get a reply.
My guess is that someone saw those books for a cheap price and thought it a nice all-American gift, without really analyzing the propaganda aspect.
Susan, that comment was most kind and generous of you – quite the thoughtful spin to something that had MY blood boiling. Bless you.
Dood – you’re obviously far more mature than I. When the blood pressure registered as it did, I would have shared the reason why, in no uncertain terms. Coffee my ass. Probably would’ve given them a warning that their little gift was likely to cause life-threatening BP levels with others as well – and if anything bad happened as a result they’d have blood on their hands. (No pun intended)
But that’s just the type of kind, gentle person I am in the face of such situations.
Perhaps the books were a donation to the Red Cross from the publisher. If books don’t sell they need to find creative ways of unloading them.
Yet I will say this, you did well – I think my temper would have flared and I would have raised hell (which I might have regretted – probably do to a reasonable explanation) and I would have walked out and looked for another place to donate, like directly to a hospital.
Yes.
Probably the pour soul who got the books was thrilled just to have something to give away — because it can be very time-consuming to get giveaway items.
I’ve secured donations for various causes over the years — I’ve spent countless hours calling people on the telephone, driving to stores, dropping in on merchants, trying to find out who to talk to, waiting in stores, reminding people, picking up the merchandise, delivering it, making sure the merchant gets mentioned in publicity, writing thank you letters, etc.
Still …
Still…
Exactly.
Also, it is the Red Cross. Somebody correct me if I’m wrong – but I have a vague recollection that they do resell much of the blood to hospitals for a tidy profit.
I laughed out loud. -Ebert
Elizabeth Dole ran the Red Cross before she became Senator from North Carolina. So if they distributed the book nationally, that would not surprise me one bit.
even with a rare blood type-
I don’t hold back about anything anymore-I’ve lost all decorum in public if anyone even remotely mentions Jesus or Bush…
There’s a small Garden shop in my town where I buy my flowers and vegetable plants and the lady has a poster at the check out about how she will PRAY for anything, anybody etc.,..Everytime I check out I tell her to Please pray for America cause it’s in Deep Trouble because of Bush… she just stares at me. I should ask her if she actually says that prayer for me, but my life has been pretty good lately so maybe she’s praying for ME??
You handled yourself well, good letter..Let us know if you get a response.
Bless you.
You forgot “flaming tips.”
Don’t worry, you, with your rare blood, humor, and sense will prevail.
No doubt Liddy Dole walked to all her Red Cross outlets to deliver the books.
would have been, and how much blood, does this book cost??
Great restraint Dood, KUDOS ; )
.
Take these reports with you as literature next time to donate, will give you instant heart burn …
GENEVA – Agency says US was repeatedly given details of mistreatment. Intelligence officers of the U.S.-led coalition in Iraq estimated that 70 percent to 90 percent of Iraqi detainees were arrested by mistake, and Red Cross observers witnessed US officers mistreating Abu Ghraib prisoners by keeping them naked in total darkness in empty cells. Abuse was, “in some cases, tantamount to torture,” it said.
“Upon witnessing such cases, the ICRC interrupted its visits and requested an explanation from the authorities. The military intelligence officer in charge of the interrogation explained that this practice was ‘part of the process’.”
The report supports allegations by the International Committee of the Red Cross that abuse of prisoners by U.S. soldiers was broad and “not individual acts” — contrary to President Bush’s contention that the mistreatment “was the wrongdoing of a few.”
The abuses found, included brutality, hooding, humiliation and threats of “imminent execution”. “These methods of physical and psychological coercion were used by the military intelligence in a systematic way to gain confessions and extract information and other forms of cooperation from persons who had been arrested in connection with suspected security offenses or deemed to have an ‘intelligence value’.”
But you are absolutely right, blood donation should be free from any political virus, in a surrounding of highest degree in hygiene. Blood doesn’t mix.
Oui – Liberté – Egalité – Fraternité
Because you’re holding down spots # 1 AND #2 in the Recommends.
(Now . . . will he go for the hat trick. . . the trifecta. . .the threepeat?)
must not have stayed that way for very long… I have to go and “hold down” a real job this morning… ; )
Yes, your restraint is commendable. I would have probably lost it. I am working on the holding of the tongue. Just spent four days in Tucson with my repub sister. All went well until yesterday morning and she brought up social security and how the dems were unwilling to do anything about it. She totally agrees with private accounts. At first I tried to defend my position and that the majority of Americans disagree with Bush. I could see her starting to boil(with been through this scene before) and said lets not talk about it as we agreed not to do after the election. She wanted to keep at it and I just got up and walked away. I knew there was no point and did not want to ruin what was to that point a pretty good weekend togather for us.
You are to be commended! I sure hope that it didn’t ruin your visit…
Oh well, thanks Bood. I almost got hooked in. The other part of all this is that she also recollects our childhood much differently than I. All a matter of perception I guess. I suppose what disturbs me more than anything and not just with my sister but with most encounters I have with repubs is when I do make a statement I am told “NO, that is not true” or “That’s just absurd”. I have just found it easier to agree to disagree when the circumstance is one that neither party is really going to change the others mind. It is one of the hardest things to do especially with family. When an agency such as the Red Cross is handing out political propaganda though, I think I really would have made a scene.