the red crystal

[mellowtigger]

I learned today that "The Red Cross" (as an organization) actually has 3 different international symbols.  It uses the red cross and the red crescent, both of which have subtle-to-overt religious significance, but it also has the red crystal.

I was following a news link from a Steam game that I've played, "This War of Mine".  It's a game developed in Poland and inspired by the war in Bosnia, trying to highlight the horrors of civilian life in wartime.  Their news post on Steam used the hashtag #FuckTheWar.  Pursuing that charity topic is how I eventually learned of this other symbol.

I now favor use of the red crystal exclusively.  I don't know about other countries, but here in the USA the red cross (as a symbol) is plastered over nearly any first aid resource.  It is useful that way.  Use of the red crystal would instead be unique to the organization which is recognized globally with protective status during warfare.

Comments

[armiphlage]

(sorry, just to clarify: I got York Regional TRANSIT to relabel all their first aid kits on their BUSES, not every first aid kit in the geographical area).

[mellowtigger]

This discussion is newly relevant.

⚡️Zelensky: "International Committee of the Red Cross is forbidding us to use their emblem on the humanitarian mission vehicles. It's very revealing. Some influential people would rather 'cross out' Ukraine."
- twitter, @KhivIndependent, 2022 March 08

Given international law, I side with Red Cross on this one. But it still seems "easier" to me that in the future they should acknowledge their global success by relinquishing the red cross image to become a generic symbol of lifesaving care during emergencies then using the red crystal strictly for official logistics.