Originally Posted by rickholio

Funny you should mention that... I was in CostCo today, picking up some steaks for a little long weekend BBQ action. At the teller there was a sign saying that Red Cross accepted donations there. So we say we want to add a donation to the RC on our bill, and our teller had no clue how to do that. While we waited for the floor manager to come by and give her the details, she commented that noone else had asked her about it yet and wondered why.

The guy in line behind us quipped "Maybe they SHOULD have thanked a brother."

Now most americans probably have no clue about what that means, but I suspect most every canuck near a TV immediately after 9-11 knows all too well. People here have long memories (particularly in Halifax, where the bulk of the 'refugees' ended up being deplaned and housed), and having been snubbed despite heroic efforts in the aftermath of a tragedy aren't quick to repeat it... once bitten twice shy, I suppose.

Doesn't help that they're too embarassed / prideful to accept international help until its far too late. DART and other relief workers were ready within 24-48 hours to go down and start saving lives. I'm not sure if DART even now has been allowed into the zone, and they'd probably be the most immediately helpful boots on the ground (50,000l of fresh water a day would go a long way to ease the suffering of a lot of poor people in 120 degree weather).

I still donated though. The peeps in NOLA have nothing to do with Bush being a fuckwit or his administration's dearth of morality. Large portions of the blood collected on 9-11 was never used, and I can't see getting spiked being at all useful this time around so I'll just keep tossing the odd bill in the kitty and hope it finds its way to people who need it the most.