Red Crystal, or Why are people so stupid?

[c9]

The International Red Cross uses a cross, which often represents Christian compassion and mercy, etc etc. It has been used since 1864. It in fact was designed to honour the Swiss founder of the movement. In 1876, the Red Crescent was used by the Ottoman Empire to avoid alienating Muslim soldiers, and today we call it the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement.

Today, the 192 signatories of the Geneva Convention started a conference, and announced a new third emblem, a red crystal which carries no specific religious connotation. This is designed to be a third option, not a replacement.

The stupid people part: A quote from a comment on the Globe and Mail website below the article: "Are we going to change some parts of our Canadian flag next....to satisfy some people here or abroad???"

Comments

[ratonil.livejournal.com]

Now my question is... should the hospitals and ambulances change the traditional cross to this diamond?

And a second question... How should we call to this new movement? The Red Diamond?

[c9.livejournal.com]

Sorry, edited to say "Red Crystal." I think it's meant as another option, not as a replacement.

[jdhorner.livejournal.com]

this is ridiculous.

i always thought it actually had something to do with the swiss flag, and i'm not far off:

http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Flag_and_Coat_of_Arms_of_Switzerland§ion=6#Red_Cross

it's not a religious cross to begin with (meaning, it's not longer north to south, if you know what i mean).

what prompted this, curiously?

[c9.livejournal.com]

I assume you mean the idiotic comment I quoted is ridiculous. I read the story in the Globe, then read the idiotic comment, and decided to share as a way of asking why people are stupid.

One note: not all Christian crosses are asymmetrical, especially outside of Western Europe and North America. So the Red Cross carries a very religious overtone in many other parts of the world.

[stargazen.livejournal.com]

Okay thats flat out bloody stupid!!!

Come on guys, lets change all the international symbols because its fun and will fuck with people!

[c9.livejournal.com]

Just to be clear, I think it's meant as another option where crosses and crescents are already considered offensive or overly religious. Nobody's going to force you to change anything in Seattle. :)

[stargazen.livejournal.com]

Yea, I was thinking that the crescent is the sign of islam I thought...

And sweet jesus I see that going over well... TO hell with killing marines, I'll shoot at the freaking white choppers with the moon on them.

Ahh.. Cross my lucky charms... their magicly delishish!

[thespos]

You find the most interesting stories in the newspapers, I have to say. I find I learn more just by reading your journal than watching the news here. :-)

And I like your flag. The idiot who made the comment totally missed the point. But then, they're arguing about whether they should say "holiday" or "Christmas" in this country right now.

People are innately stupid.

[c9.livejournal.com]

*sigh* We see those debates here too. I wish I lived in Europe.

[cap-hill-latte.livejournal.com]

I wonder if it's the maple leaf or red bars that people find offensive.

[cap-hill-latte.livejournal.com]

(Please apply my standard dose of sarcasm to the above statement.)

[jdhorner.livejournal.com]

Just to be clear, I think it's meant as another option where crosses and crescents are already considered offensive or overly religious.

ahh.

[miket61.livejournal.com]

I used to have a coffee mug with a Canadian flag on it - a big mosquito was depicted sucking about half the red out of one of the stripes...

[canuckboy.livejournal.com]

Is it Quèbecois? Does the mosquito snort coke before sucking the blood out of the Canadian system?

Enquiring minds want to know!

(please note sarcasm)

[miket61.livejournal.com]

They also had one where a big bear was sitting in the middle instead of the maple leaf, and it had taken a bit swat out of one of the stripes.

[canuckboy.livejournal.com]

Did that one come from Alberta? ;)

[skeezix1000.livejournal.com]

Heh. The new globeandmail.com comment section is insane -- the rants of crazy people. It's virtually unreadable.

[c9.livejournal.com]

I know! I can't figure out what the Globe is getting out of it. To me, it just dirties the page.

[miket61.livejournal.com]

Probably from Nunavut.

[simplisticton.livejournal.com]

I like it. Primarily because a diamond is the "meta" key on Sun keyboards, akin to the Windows or Apple key. The diamond has a long history of being inoffensive.

I'm sure there are some elm enthusiasts who find the maple leaf offensive.

Sigh. When are people going to realize that The World is not All Like Them.

[primary-suspect.livejournal.com]

Unless you are against the evil DeBeers diamond cartel and the symbol of diamonds infuriates you and makes you think of capitalist infidels!!!! Plus, it might be good to jack those vehicles since they might have diamonds in them. ;-)

[zedinbed.livejournal.com]

That's such a stupid idea unless you mass advertise this. What if you're in a life threatening emergency and don't know what the hell the diamond means? I think anything being done in the name of PC that affects life is really stupid.

[c9.livejournal.com]

I think that advertising it is the plan. They only just got everybody to agree, no point in announcing it if Kazahkstan was going to ignore it, for example.

From the sounds of it, this will only be used where up until now, the Red Cross and Red Crescent were being ignored or not even used. So it's not like you'll be driving down Eglinton and you'll see ambulances with Red Crystals or something. :)

[zedinbed.livejournal.com]

What makes you think I drive down Eglinton? :p

[c9.livejournal.com]

Oh, you're more of a Yonge Street girl, then?

[zedinbed.livejournal.com]

Definitly!