June 21, 2006--The Red Fur Hat
It all began so simply in 1863. That is if you consider carnage simple. Swiss humanitarian Henry Dunant founded the Red Cross then after witnessing in horror the unattended casualties, left to die after a battle between Austrian and Franco-Sardinian forces. His vision for the Red Cross was and is to help all, regardless of nationality, who are in dire need.
So why then in Islamic lands do we have the Red Crescent (moon or sword?) and not the Red Cross? Because the Red Cross’s cross reminds Moslem people of the Crusades and that for them is a problem. Never mind that the Red Cross emblem is the inverse of the Swiss flag, which is a white cross on a red background. Or that the cross itself in the Red Cross symbol is hardly suited to a crucifixion. It’s just not the right shape.
But though Islamic concerns were addressed we now have a problem with the Israelis who want nether the cross nor the crescent. They have been kept out of the Red Cross/Crescent until there could be international agreement about what might be acceptable to them. They settled on an emblem which consists of a blank, red-bordered square standing on one corner—sort of a Red Diamond? Not sure that is the best way to represent the Jewish Red Cross considering who controls the international diamond industry. There is a piece about this flap (linked below), which has been going on for decades of course, in The International Herald Tribune, which is owned and published by the NY Times so I consider it appropriate to mine for this blog.
OK, let’s assume that they strike a deal for the Israelis by bringing the Palestinians into the International Red Cross at the same time. Actually, it would be good to see some examples of this kind of compromising in that part of the world.
But then, what about other excluded groups—what, for example might be the emblem for the Mormon Red Whatever—the Red Bee? For the Amish? How about the Red Beard? For Hindus—easy, the Red Cow. The Jains—the Red Ant? The Buddhists—it’s hard to represent but I suggest the Red Ommmm. For the Hassidim it of course has to be the Red Fur Hat. And for the Black Muslims? The Red Bow Tie.
Is everybody happy? Good. I’ve earned my vino. More tomorrow.
So why then in Islamic lands do we have the Red Crescent (moon or sword?) and not the Red Cross? Because the Red Cross’s cross reminds Moslem people of the Crusades and that for them is a problem. Never mind that the Red Cross emblem is the inverse of the Swiss flag, which is a white cross on a red background. Or that the cross itself in the Red Cross symbol is hardly suited to a crucifixion. It’s just not the right shape.
But though Islamic concerns were addressed we now have a problem with the Israelis who want nether the cross nor the crescent. They have been kept out of the Red Cross/Crescent until there could be international agreement about what might be acceptable to them. They settled on an emblem which consists of a blank, red-bordered square standing on one corner—sort of a Red Diamond? Not sure that is the best way to represent the Jewish Red Cross considering who controls the international diamond industry. There is a piece about this flap (linked below), which has been going on for decades of course, in The International Herald Tribune, which is owned and published by the NY Times so I consider it appropriate to mine for this blog.
OK, let’s assume that they strike a deal for the Israelis by bringing the Palestinians into the International Red Cross at the same time. Actually, it would be good to see some examples of this kind of compromising in that part of the world.
But then, what about other excluded groups—what, for example might be the emblem for the Mormon Red Whatever—the Red Bee? For the Amish? How about the Red Beard? For Hindus—easy, the Red Cow. The Jains—the Red Ant? The Buddhists—it’s hard to represent but I suggest the Red Ommmm. For the Hassidim it of course has to be the Red Fur Hat. And for the Black Muslims? The Red Bow Tie.
Is everybody happy? Good. I’ve earned my vino. More tomorrow.
posted by Steven Zwerling at
1:04 PM
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