What Would Clara Think?

My favorite historical figure is Clara Barton. I know that a lot of people think of Clara as an antiquated relic, but she was really quite a gal. Clara voluntarily obtained and distributed supplies to wounded soldiers under horrific battlefield conditions during the civil war, was an outspoken advocate for women’s suffrage and civil rights for African Americans, and was the founder of the American Red Cross. Clara was well connected, too. Her circle of associates included Frederick Douglass and Susan B. Anthony, and she achieved her accomplishments during a time when most Americans believed a woman’s place was in the kitchen. More remarkably, she accomplished all of these things while fighting her own battle against depression.


Clara was a brilliant woman, so I've often wondered what thoughts she would have concerning recent events. For instance, what would Clara think about the court battle going on between Johnson and Johnson and the Amercian Red Cross? I'm not a lawyer, so I’m not going to comment on the merits of the case, but Johnson and Johnson is suing the American Red Cross for copyright infringement. I checked out jnjbtw.com and read what Johnson and Johnson was saying about the case,and while I was there, I found a link that leads readers to a post about Clara Barton. Clara signed an agreement with Johnson and Johnson, which allowed the company exclusive rights to use the red cross as the company’s trademark. I think Clara would be rather surprised by the lawsuit. She always believed that people should sit down and talk their problems out.


There was one other story in the news today that made me take pause. I wonder what Clara would say about Hillary Clinton's interest in a nurse's life. Keep your comments clean.

Update: Here is a link to some additional information about the lawsuit between JNJ and the ARC.