SNIP...."Thank you for contacting the American Red Cross with your concerns. There is much more to the story about the "donation" from the Dixie Chicks that the American Red Cross supposedly "turned down" referred to in a Friday, August 22, The Guardian news article entitled "Free the Dixie Three." Here are the facts:
" The American Red Cross is founded upon seven fundamental principles: Humanity, Impartiality, Neutrality, Independence, Voluntary Service, Unity and Universality.
" The American Red Cross operates a National Celebrity Cabinet comprised of celebrities in all fields who are invited to assist the American Red Cross.
" The American Red Cross extended an invitation to the Dixie Chicks in November 2002 and again in January 2003 to be part of the American Red Cross Celebrity Cabinet. The Dixie Chicks did not respond to these invitations.
" Three other country music entities agreed to be part of the Cabinet and help support the American Red Cross throughout the year.
" The Dixie Chicks controversy erupted in March.
" It was only after this controversy developed that the Dixie Chicks approached the American Red Cross.
" The Dixie Chicks wanted the American Red Cross to align itself with the Dixie Chicks summer concert tour and offered the American Red Cross a financial benefit in return for this alignment.
" Stated differently, the prospective financial benefit would be given by the Dixie Chicks only if the American Red Cross would embrace the band's summer tour.
" The Dixie Chicks controversy made it impossible for the American Red Cross to associate itself with the band because such association would have violated two of the founding principles: Impartiality and Neutrality. The Neutrality principle states that we "may not take sides in hostilities or engage at any time in controversies of a political, racial, religious or ideological nature."
" Should the Dixie Chicks like to make an unconditional financial donation to the American Red Cross, we will gladly accept it...."
I found this National Celebrity Cabinet at their website:
http://www.redcross.org/news/other/entertainment/natcelebcab/quotes.aspThere are not many taking advantage of it.
I wonder how much more to the story than this? I remember the Tampa incident with Susan Sarandon, and they spun it like cotton candy.
I appreciated their response, but there are so few celebrities here, it makes me wonder why there aren't more?