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FEMA plans to reimburse faith groups for aid

DRB

unemployed bum
Oct 24, 2002
15,242
0
Watchin' you. Writing it all down.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9495550/

After weeks of prodding by Republican lawmakers and the American Red Cross, the Federal Emergency Management Agency said yesterday that it will use taxpayer money to reimburse churches and other religious organizations that have opened their doors to provide shelter, food and supplies to survivors of hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

FEMA officials said it would mark the first time that the government has made large-scale payments to religious groups for helping to cope with a domestic natural disaster.

Civil liberties groups called the decision a violation of the traditional boundary between church and state, accusing FEMA of trying to restore its battered reputation by playing to religious conservatives.
I don't think this is a bad idea.
 

valve bouncer

Master Dildoist
Feb 11, 2002
7,843
114
Japan
enkidu said:
Religious-label-blind, ideology-blind political-affiliation-blind reimbursement sounds fair to me, too.
Agreed. Perhaps non-religious groups are already re-imbursed? I don't know but I would imagine there'd be an unholy sh*tstorm if they weren't.
 

Andyman_1970

Turbo Monkey
Apr 4, 2003
3,105
5
The Natural State
If I were a religious group that aided storm victims, I wouldn't want to be reimbursed........that's part of a churches ministry. I purchased several hundred dollars worth of clothes for a displaced family from Katrina that are living up here in Little Rock, I wouldn't accept reimbursement for that.
 
E

enkidu

Guest
Andyman_1970 said:
If I were a religious group that aided storm victims, I wouldn't want to be reimbursed........that's part of a churches ministry. I purchased several hundred dollars worth of clothes for a displaced family from Katrina that are living up here in Little Rock, I wouldn't accept reimbursement for that.
But wouldn't the reimbursement make it possible for you to do more with it?

I agree with you that it is not an act of charity, if you "count" on reimbursement, but I will be thrilled to see that at least that much of "federal" fund will be used for good cause through me with *twice* the value (with reimbursement) rather than to making more weapons-of-mass-destruction delivery system.
 

Andyman_1970

Turbo Monkey
Apr 4, 2003
3,105
5
The Natural State
enkidu said:
But wouldn't the reimbursement make it possible for you to do more with it?

I agree with you that it is not an act of charity, if you "count" on reimbursement, but I will be thrilled to see that at least that much of "federal" fund will be used for good cause through me with *twice* the value (with reimbursement) rather than to making more weapons-of-mass-destruction delivery system.
If people would use their reimbursement for helping others, that's cool - but you're right it's not charity if you're counting on getting reimbursed.