Canadian Red Cross Interview at Shacknews

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Have you heard about the latest Red Cross emblem controversy? Here's a snip from the interview Shacknews has conducted with David Pratt of the Canadian branch:

Shacknews: Is that what happened this time?

David Pratt: Actually what happened in this case, is we have a receptionist, a fellow who's in his early 20s. He plays video games, and he's obviously involved in the Red Cross and aware of this issue, and he brought it to my attention. One of the things that struck us in relation to the video games industry is that while certain products that are out there, first aid kits and so on, that's certainly a problem--and our philosophy is that there's no emblem abuse that's too small to report, because you have to try to get them all, which is a practically impossible task--but one thing we saw with the video games industry is that it has a huge reach, especially with young people. It may create an impression that the Red Cross emblem is part of the public domain.

It's not a question so much of targeting, because we will pursue any case any industry. We're not singling out the video game industry, but the video game industry is an important file we're working on right now. We would never single out one industry for paritcular attention.

Read the rest at Shacknews.

 

Interesting article.

Personally I think the Red Cross will regret opening this can of worms and here's why:

By going after the gaming industry they now have to go after every industry that uses a Red Cross. They even state in the interview that they aren't picking on just the gaming industry. Can you see the problem here? They now have to go after every single war movie for having medics with a red cross on their arm. Comic books, television shows, the list goes on and on.

The Red Cross is supposed to be a non-profit organization that's sole purpose is the help people in need. We aren't talking about a for profit organization here that needs to protect it's trademark.

Last year I gave a very large donation to the Red Cross after Hurricane Katrina (being from Florida I know what it is like to be through a nasty hurricane) I wanted to do something to help so the best thing I could do was donate to the Red Cross.

However, now that I find out that the Red Cross will probably be spending a lot of money on a team of lawyers to protect their symbol from appearing in video games I honestly have to say I won't be sending them one "red cent" (pun intended) again. I will have to find other avenues if I want to help people in need.

Another point that the Red Cross hasn't considered is that this is going to turn into a political battle. Although they state in the interview that they do not get involved in political issues of any kind, it is very easy to see where this is headed.

Towards the bottom of the interview the Red Cross states that they might consider allowing some uses of their symbol in certian medias. Once you open that can of worms you will immediately lose people who would normaly have donated money because you simply can't please everyone and somebody is going to get upset at the choices the Red Cross makes for the use of its symbol. (Example: "WTF!!! You're not going to let DOOM XIV use a red cross for a medic pack. That's it I'm never donating to these pigs again!!!11!!1!!one!!)

Going back to what the Red Cross is supposed to be. A non-profit organization that helps people in times of crisis. How does the Red Cross justify using money that is donated to them to pay for legal costs to sue the gaming industry for using their trademark? If anything the use of the red cross in video games is a free advertisement for the Red Cross. Have you ever seen a Red Cross used in any video game that didn't represent a "medic" or "first aid"? Didn't think so.

When the dust settles on this one I think they will realize that this was a mistake as all it will have accomplished is to alienate people who would normally donate to them.

 

Ditto.

And the symbol appearing on medpacs does the Red Cross a good service IMHO, at least in the context of war games etc.

 

Well said, Frek.

I stopped donating to the Red Cross a few years ago. I'm not going to state my reasons because I can't verify them.

Didn't the crusaders use a red cross? I have medical information posted on my refrigerator with a big red cross; no circle and the red has faded to pinkish color. Maybe I should change it to a caduceus.

 

Until the international trade union of medics sues you or something.