Hurricanes remind me of narcissists. The storms move from place to place, leaving a path of destruction and misery everywhere they go. There is a massive amount of destruction from Florida to Virginia. And the flooding threat is not yet over as some rivers are still above flood stage.
Whenever disaster strikes and I want a fuller picture of what has happened, I take to social media. For all its faults, social media is a good source of information from both those who are experiencing the tragedy and those witnessing it. There I have read desperate posts from those trying to locate loved ones in hard-hit areas where there is no WiFi or cell service. They're hard to read.
And then there are posts from politicians and influencers. Many of them piss me off. Even politicians I otherwise like seem to be playing the blame game of who's responsible or who was negligent. Must be a neurotypical thing because I simply do not get how all these folks in positions of power and influence think it's ok to take a tragic event and change the focus from those who need help to silly schoolyard spats about "what our party did and yours didn't do." You gotta know it's not a good look. Or do you even care?
There are also posts sharing information on what help is available. Starlink stations have been made available for public use. Churches, libraries, and even the Register of Deeds office in Ashville are making their spaces available to those who need access to wifi, electricity, a hot meal. Rescue workers from other areas are on the ground. Utility workers from around the country are helping restore power. FEMA is present, as are the Red Cross, Salvation Army, and World Food Kitchen. The Humane Society is sending in teams to help with animal rescue and care in affected areas.
Do I know the political affiliation of any of these helpers? No, and I don't care. What I care about is they are doing what they can to help those who need all the help they can get.
We should be electing leaders who will be there for us when we need them, not those who can throw out a zinger when needed on tv or social media, and definitely not those who have the right letter after their name. If we were more cognizant of what we want and need from those we elect to serve, I'd bet that half of those currently in office would not be there.
If you want to help those impacted by Helene and you aren't local, the best way to do that is to give money. I know you mean well sending your used clothes and all that extra food and water you bought at Costco through a church organization, but where do you think that stuff is going to go? Many roads are damaged or washed out and storage space is at a premium.
Don't send your money to just anyone. Don't give to gofundmes. Don't give to the cousin of an influencer. And don't give to anyone asking for gift cards. Instead, give to reputable organizations. If you don't know which ones to give to, check news outlets in affected areas to find out who's on the ground providing help.
Also, before you click on links, check their authenticity. Is that really the Red Cross or some scammer who set up a clever fake site? There are plenty of thieves who want to take advantage of your generosity. Do your due diligence to make sure your donation gets where you want it to go.
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