The news coming out of Appalachia are distressing.
People are in need; people are dying and apparently there are two bands of criminals trying to impede the rescue efforts: Common criminals and the Feds.
From one set of sources, the common criminal issue is being solved the Appalachian way and it seems that the number of missing should have a special subcategory.
But the most plentiful have been the stories of FEMA and supporting cast getting in the way of citizens actually helping those in need. The Feds want to take the whole credit (election year anyone?) and the dance will be choreographed according to their music and steps. That they are deaf, with two left feet and the DJ has not arrived yet seems not to be important.
Anyway, if you are volunteering and going up and down that area, be safe and do have somebody (or two) riding shotgun as in the original meaning of the expression. And ignore the one set of assholes as much as you can or simply dress them down and upload videos.
And don’t be shy requesting what you need.
Appalachan way?
Hmm. At least the hogs will gain some weight...
I've often said the real disaster of Katrina hitting New Orleans was government made. Not to downplay the results of the hurricane in any way.
In New Orleans and the surrounding area, there is a whole community that is totally reliant on the government for their very existence. And, that government, for whatever reason, let them down.
How many busses were sitting unused? The Governor told the President that he did not want the National Guard mobilized. The Mayor of NO saved his own backside and got out.
And, for years prior to that, how much money for shoring up the levies was diverted to other, more "social" projects? Add it all up, and you get a recipe for disaster, all of which is 100% man made. Just add one big storm.
As to the Feds, especially FEMA and the other "humanitarian" agencies, their mission is to make people even more dependent on the Federal government. (No, that is not in their mission statement, but it is the inevitable outcome of the agency's existence.) If the local people can dig themselves out without help, the reason for funding the agency disappears. It is a matter of simple survival for them.