Help Red Cross Lose Political Correctness

Re “Red Cross Word Ban Keeps Students Off Stage,” March 10:

It has come to the attention of many American citizens since the 9/11 catastrophe that the American Red Cross has done some unseemly things.

The most recent event occurred in our own backyard in Orange County when a school choral group was told by the “American” Red Cross that they could not sing “America the Beautiful,” “God Bless the USA” or any song that used the words “God” or “prayer.”

The Red Cross said the decision was based on its “sensitivity to religious diversity” and the desire for a music program that was “inclusive.”

It is a sad commentary when the only time that some people can stomach God or prayer is when a catastrophe hits. Do you remember when Congress broke into a spontaneous rendition of “God Bless America”? Does this make the secular elites who so aggressively attack any reference to religion look foolish? Does “American” still fit in the title of “American Red Cross”?

On this very day we received a request to donate money to America’s Disaster Relief Agency. We don’t think so.

Lee and Sharon Hendershot

Santa Ana

*

Once again the spineless specter of political correctness strikes, and this time it robs seventh- and eighth-grade students of their freedom of expression by keeping them from singing a song dedicated to rescue personnel who responded on 9/11.

Our Red Cross has fallen in line with other wishy-washy bureaucratic institutions by fearing that anyone attending their awards ceremony might be offended by children singing “America the Beautiful” and “Prayer of the Children.”

Heaven forbid that anyone should be offended! Better to offend the children who have worked so hard for a good cause.

Come to think of it, by their spineless act of hurting the children, the Red Cross has offended me. Such spiritless and unthinking actions have made the word “offensive” synonymous with “censored.”

Milt Rouse

Dana Point