We Interrupt This Program
Posted by Phoenix Woman on June 14, 2008
The Obama campaign sent out this e-mail yesterday:
We need your help right now.
In Quincy, Illinois and surrounding areas, the river is expected to crest on Monday or Tuesday.
There are emergency sandbagging operations going on right now and
public officials have put out a call for all available volunteers. Your
help is desperately needed.The widespread flooding in the Midwest has affected millions of
people. We have an opportunity to use our grassroots movement to make a
real impact at a time of urgent need.If you can assist, please travel to one of these areas this weekend:
QUINCY, IL
Oakley-Lindsey Civic CenterSouth 3rd St. and Kentucky St.
Quincy, IL 62301
Saturday and Sunday, June 14th – 15th6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Volunteers are asked to come through the north doors of the
Oakley-Lindsey Center. Everyone will be asked to sign a registration
sheet as they enter and leave so the city can keep track of the
volunteer service.
Volunteers are encouraged to bring shovels, gloves and sturdy shoes.
NIOTA, IL
If you’d like to help sandbag in Niota you can call Hancock County emergency services at 217-357-6004 for more information.
URSA, ILVolunteers are still needed in Ursa. The operation is underway
at Shaffer Farm, along the Ursa blacktop road, 1/8 mile west of the
North Bottoms Road.Volunteers are also requesting cold bottled water for those who are working.
More information on volunteering in this area:
http://my.barackobama.com/floodvolunteer
Our thoughts and prayers go out to those who have been affected by the recent flooding through the Midwest.
If you are not able to make it to Quincy but would like to help, visit the American Red Cross to donate to their relief efforts or find out how to get involved.
Thanks,
Obama for America
Please help, if you can.
UPDATE: Obama cancelled a planned appearance in Iowa so he wouldn’t be in the way of the people trying to deal with the flooding that was already happening; instead, he chose to organize relief efforts and to do some sandbagging in Illinois towns a bit further downstream, to try and head off the flooding for them as much as possible.
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9 Responses to “We Interrupt This Program”
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Mercury Rising 鳯女 
Kathy said
Better to give money to the Salvation Army. May as well flush it down the toilet than to the Red Cross.
MEC said
And if you don’t want to give your money to a “faith-based” organization, particularly the Salvation Army since it discriminates against homosexuals, donate to Mercy Corps. It’s a secular organization that provides both emergency relief and long-term aid for rebuilding.
Noah’s Wish is also a personal favorite; it helps to rescue and house animals in disaster areas.
Phoenix Woman said
Sandbagging is always a good thing to do.
joel hanes said
Better to give money to the Salvation Army. May as well flush it down the toilet than to the Red Cross.
I’m curious — what motivates you to say this?
I’m willing to be educated if there’s something to learn.
Charles II said
I think I can answer that one, Joel.
Remember Katrina? The Red Cross failed to show up.
The Red Cross also tends to be a turkey farm for Republicans and has the repeated financial and blood banking scandals to prove it. They do some good work, but it’s a disgrace that the premier relief group in the US has screwed up as much as the RC.
Here’s one example of criticism about the Red Cross. Search on “Red Cross” scandal and you’ll find a quarter million like it.
Stormcrow said
Nice move on Obama’s part.
I seriously doubt it’ll convince even a single solitary Republican outside the flood area itself to vote for him. Those jackasses are still deluding themselves about Katrina.
But it impresses the hell out of me. And while it’s my firm intention to vote for the man anyway, you folks all know I have misgivings.
Fewer today than yesterday, though.
Like I’ve said elsewhere, I don’t know whether this guy had it in him all along, or whether he’s just a very fast learner. I really don’t care, so long as he gets there.
MEC said
I recall that Howard Dean’s presidential campaign organized groups of community volunteers, not for campaign work but for things like stocking food panty shelves and cleaning up parks, things that directly helped people in the community. I think Obama and Dean are going to get along just fine as party leaders. They seem to have the same philosophy.
So, has anybody heard whether McCain’s campaign has sent out email encouraging people to help with flood relief? Or the RNC?
Phoenix Woman said
Not a word, MEC. Just the well-wishes noted above. Trust me, if he’d done so, the media would be bumping their coverage of fallen colleague Tim Russert for this.
“…now may not be the best time for a campaign trip.” « Mercury Rising 鳯女 said
[…] with local authorities to find out where help would do the most good, then directing his and his volunteers’ efforts to assisting with sandbagging and other efforts in the river towns not yet hit by the […]