Dear Editor,

In Los Angeles, two people were arrested for posing as Red Crossvolunteers and accepting donations.

Why were these people arrested? Because I am not a policeofficer, I can’t even guess as to what the charges might be.However, being a moral being, I can assert why the two criminals’behavior was immoral.

The victims of these two criminals believed that their donationwas going to help the needy people. Like me, they probably conjuredup visions of hungry children without homes, worried parentswithout jobs and, worst of all, parents without children or viceversa. When these thought play the heart’s violin, even the hardestperson empathizes with Katrina’s victims.

Because of America’s compassion, the Red Cross’ coffers arefull. Millions of dollars have been donated by Americans from alllevels of America’s financial strata. All of these dollars weredonated with the flawed hope that the donated dollars would helpthe coast’s desolate people.

Why are people’s hopes flawed? Because some of the citizens ofMississippi are taking money they do not need.

If you have a home and a job, you do not need Red Crossmoney.

Rumors are running rampant about Red Cross abuse. I’ve heardstories of people accepting money numerous times under differentnames. I’ve heard about people receiving money for food thatspoiled while they were on vacation – during the hurricane.

We have citizens on the coast without homes who legitimatelyneed help, and here in Brookhaven we have people having theirgroceries replaced?

People in Brookhaven with jobs and homes who accept money fromthe Red Cross are the moral equivalent of the thieves who duped thecompassionate citizens of Los Angeles. Both took money from peoplewho thought they were donating to help the needy, not theopportunistic.

Jamie Wyant,

via e-mail