The America I see.

(if its the wrong forum apologies please move it)
We are witnessing it in Texas, we saw it last year during the flooding in Louisiana, or a few years back with F5 tornado in Oklahoma, and in Alabama, I also saw it in Florida years ago when I lived there.

All these video's out there of regular folks moving quickly to rescue people in trouble, providing food shelter, consoling them doing what they can to assist them in a real way. That is the America I choose to see, do we have problems certainly we do every country does, and with all these 24 hour news channels fighting for ratings they see a need to sensationalize things.

White supremacists are going to take over the country, to BLM is a terrorists group, Sharia law is imminent just one frenzy after the other it is easy to get caught up in the narrative and miss the facts that are in our faces right now.

People are in trouble, folks are dying and, while the state and federal services are moving as fast as they can to help and doing a great job, regular Americans have stepped up to fill in that gap and assist risking themselves to help their neighbors, race, religion does not matter just helping. You have the Cajun navy coming over from Louisiana, a contingent from the NYPD, saw power company in Oklahoma had trucks rolling south, I am certain many more groups are rolling to assist.

Now maybe I am silly and idealistic to a point, or even just nostalgic I do not know but when I say I am going to continue my fight for America this is the America I see and remember this is the America I want my kids to grow up in, not the Narrative pushed by the media and a good portion of the politicians.

That is all I have for the moment, again if I dropped this in the wrong forum apologies.

a reply to: Irishhaf

This is the only America that there is--you're not "choos[ing] to see" this version of America because this is the reality. The dog-and-pony show of mass media and partisan BS is the sideshow that comes in many flavors and is generally as temporary as a bruise.

The core of America--what it truly means to be an American--is absolutely reflected in what the vast majority of these people about whom you speak are doing right now. The true mettle of Americans is shown during these sorts of disasters, and almost without fail (on an individual level), I am always proud of what I see.

Now, that said, what can get really disappointing and disgusting is how government entities respond to these crises and how, many times, they prolong misery and suffering--not always, but sometimes. This time, they seem to be doing a decent job, from what I've seen, but "decent" is subjective.

originally posted by: Irishhaf
People are in trouble, folks are dying and, while the state and federal services are moving as fast as they can to help and doing a great job

Next time you talk to someone who works in the government you should thank them for their service. It is very popular in the media and by politicians to blame the government for EVERYTHING that is wrong in this country. Sometimes people working in government are NOT the bad guys. Sometimes the people working in government are just our neighbors working at their job.

a reply to: dfnj2015

I know how hard they work been Military and civil service, Lots of people doing hard work on behalf of the Fed.

a reply to: Irishhaf

I live on the Virginia peninsula. Right at the very very tip. I have water to my east to my west and to the south and I'm in hurricane alley. We've weathered many many storms.
After hurricane Isabel the power was off in north Carolina in Virginia, Delaware and Maryland. Our power companies were taxed to the max working day and night and then one day while out searching for ice (a big shortage) I saw a parade of power trucks from Pennsylvania and Tennessee and even Georgia and it was the best sight ever.

During these events adrenaline runs high but it's in the aftermath where you really see what you're made of.
Days with no power meant some folks with wells had no water. No air conditioning no lights in the what is usually sweltering heat. No way to cook no hot water for many. And at first it's ok. An adventure. Like camping but it doesn't take too long for that to wear off. We cooked on our gas grill and I luckily have a gas water heater but still ice was a daily search mission because it was coming from out of state too.

These folks will have that to deal with along with a long and dirty clean up.
First to get rid of the mud then removing flooring and any drywall that got wet. Replacing furniture cleaning everything that can be saved with bleach to prevent mold. It will be a challenge that will be with them long after the news has moved on to other stories.
It's in the weeks ahead that they will face the worst of this. And it was during that time, when the focus had moved on that we pulled together as a community. I live on a main road. My power wasn't knocked out by falling limbs it was turned off because they didn't want the relays over taxing our area. I got my power back on after only three days and immediately started filling gallon containers with water to freeze. Then I brought it to people at my store who didn't have water or power. One lady who lived on the other side of the James river had a well and so she didn't have any water. I invited them over to use the shower and get a hot meal.
We made ice for neighbors who houses were on another line and who didn't get power back for a week.
Some areas in rural Virginia were without power for two months.
Prayers and good thoughts go out to theses folks for the toughest times that are still ahead for them.
We will see ourselves through and be there to help because that's what we do.

a reply to: SlapMonkey

You are correct poor choice of words on my part.

a reply to: Irishhaf

I'm part of a media production team and you have no idea how hard me and my crew work to bring you the content you watch on TV.

It's a business, capitalism and very competitive.

If you are unhappy in the way it's presented...get an LLC, and start your own news organization.

start with this....join us!!

www.celtx.com...

Trouble comes when the government gets in the way of people helping. About 6 years ago where I live in eastern NC, we had Hurricane Irene. It caused the most flooding our area has ever seen (nowhere near the level of that in Texas currently) but it also created a new inlet, destroying the road going down to Cape Hatteras. After the storm, some locals with boats tried to get down there to help, bringing bottled water and canned foods down there to people who were cut off from the rest of the area and had suffered the most damage and flooding. The national guard was already down there and refused to let anyone near the area, even if it was just to drop off supplies for people in need. I never heard too much about it, just people calling in on the radio who had tried to get down there for that reason. I don't know if the national guard took the supplies they brought to distribute it but the way the callers made it sound on the radio was that they were refusing absolutely all outside aid.

a reply to: dfnj2015

Really, you would have more impact if you were somewhat less transparent.

originally posted by: Irishhaf
(if its the wrong forum apologies please move it)
We are witnessing it in Texas, we saw it last year during the flooding in Louisiana, or a few years back with F5 tornado in Oklahoma, and in Alabama, I also saw it in Florida years ago when I lived there.

All these video's out there of regular folks moving quickly to rescue people in trouble, providing food shelter, consoling them doing what they can to assist them in a real way. That is the America I choose to see, do we have problems certainly we do every country does, and with all these 24 hour news channels fighting for ratings they see a need to sensationalize things.

it's all true, though. most people are pretty good at heart, and step in to help in times of trouble. most people care.

and at the same time there are real problems, problems that are built into the system and do need to be fixed, and a lot of good, caring people who step up in times of trouble... also give that stuff a pass and let it continue.

katrina was full of people helping, and it was also home to this... The Homicides You Didn't Hear About in Hurricane Katrina

i think we can find a balance between not losing hope in our fellow man... and not turning a blind eye to problems that do exist, and need fixed. just my two cents

I see an America of dim witted poorly educated folks with college degrees who are just riding the coat tails of the previous generations.

texas had at least week of warnings that the hurricane was going to hit there but the dim witted poorly educated folks with their college degrees decided to stay, no offense to Texans because I see it everywhere everytime a hurricane is coming to America, in florida, louisianna,north Carolina etc etc. a week of notice that a hurricane has you in it`s sight and dim witted americans just sit there and wait to get smashed by the hurricane.Then they cry and wail for the government to recue them and give them handouts and lots of money.

even animals have enough sense to get the hell out of the way,so I guess these folks are dumber than animals, natural selection I reckon.

Living along the gulf coast most of my life I've been through a number of natural disasters, and every time i'm always touched how people of all backgrounds come together. It's kind of a sappy feel good situation that the media loves to dwell on, but nonetheless it's still nice to see this unification. However after some time passes, after the dust settles when things slowly return to normal and routines re-established, the majority without fail settle into their old ways. I guess the media just beats them over their heads with political drama until they ultimately end up right where they were before it all unfolded.

I went through 4 hurricanes down in Florida.

A lot of people in Florida act like petulent children as a matter of course...I have no idea why...

But when the power was out and the traffic-lights weren't working, they behaved themselves pretty well.

It never failed to surprise me how humane people can be when things seem to be at their worst.