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mcar

(43,376 posts)
Sun Sep 29, 2024, 09:31 AM Sep 29

Today, my husband is in the flood damaged area

in the western part of our county, with members of my local Rotary club. They're helping a fellow Rotarian and her neighbors who were, once again, flooded by a hurricane.

We don't know if this woman or her neighbors are Republicans or Democrats or indifferent, though we can assume they are Rs, since this is a very red county.

He doesn't care, he just wants to help. Why? Because, as a true "bleeding heart liberal," he has a desire to help people in need.

I just wanted to post this as an alternative to the several OPs insisting that the South got what it deserved and offering no sympathy to any of us who live here. I thought we, as Democrats, were better than that.

67 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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Today, my husband is in the flood damaged area (Original Post) mcar Sep 29 OP
We are better than that. yardwork Sep 29 #1
I have a nephew and grand nieces in Tampa, wnylib Sep 29 #7
The areas hardest hit in FL mcar Sep 29 #19
I remember the No Name Storm. 911cat Sep 29 #34
It was insane! mcar Sep 29 #36
Native South Floridan here. 911cat Sep 29 #37
We live 20 miles or so inland from the Gulf mcar Sep 29 #48
"I had a friend who rode out Andrew in Homestead" soandso Sep 29 #60
Yes, the bend has been hit very hard recently with one natural disaster after another wnylib Sep 29 #44
My late cousin lived in Asheville mcar Sep 29 #8
I can only imagine. COL Mustard Sep 29 #29
I guarantee that most of the people in Asheville are aware of climate change. yardwork Sep 29 #30
Mad at us for not doing more? LisaM Sep 29 #53
Yes, Asheville is a bright blue dot. They turn out in droves to vote Democratic. yardwork Sep 29 #55
You bet mountain grammy Sep 29 #43
Most of us are. PikaBlue Sep 29 #2
... Solly Mack Sep 29 #3
There are plenty of us Democrats in the South; we're outnumbered, but also outcheated. eppur_se_muova Sep 29 #4
Absolutely SouthernIrish Sep 29 #5
I vote (blue) every election kwijybo Sep 29 #59
Yes! mcar Sep 29 #10
He was a good man and I wish he'd been reelected. COL Mustard Sep 29 #31
K & R malaise Sep 29 #6
We are gerrymandered to death in Texas - TBF Sep 29 #9
Heroes you are Clouds Passing Sep 29 #11
"When a prosecutor, I never asked about a victim's politics, only if they were OK."- 2024 Harris ad. Silent Type Sep 29 #12
Remember when T*ump said he'd only send mcar Sep 29 #20
I can't be the only one to wonder DENVERPOPS Sep 29 #39
We can put away our differences Keepthesoulalive Sep 29 #13
We should be working to help people in these areas mcar Sep 29 #21
I'm in deep red TN. piddyprints Sep 29 #27
We spoke to our nephew this morning Keepthesoulalive Sep 29 #32
I'm so glad to hear that! piddyprints Sep 29 #38
If you have rain barrels they can be used to flush toilets Keepthesoulalive Sep 29 #42
We *should* be FirstLight Sep 29 #14
I hope she is ok. LoisB Sep 29 #16
Pulling for her snowybirdie Sep 29 #18
You must be so worried about her mcar Sep 29 #22
Ignorance is accepted. Violence not. twodogsbarking Sep 29 #15
IMHO Rotarians are good Americans, no matter where they are FakeNoose Sep 29 #17
Thanks. I'm proud to be associated with them mcar Sep 29 #23
Now THAT is something that deserves its own thread! calimary Sep 29 #41
I'll provide a report. Thanks for asking. mcar Sep 29 #49
ita. K&R brer cat Sep 29 #24
I have done some video work for Rotary International. OldBaldy1701E Sep 29 #25
I'm very interested in what Rotary International does mcar Sep 29 #28
K&R Docreed2003 Sep 29 #26
💙💙💙 sheshe2 Sep 29 #33
When people are in need there is no politics or religion... MiHale Sep 29 #35
When our neighbors need help, it's not about party, it's about humanity. Society is about helping each other. mucholderthandirt Sep 29 #40
Most of our neighbors are Republicans mcar Sep 29 #50
I can both want to help them and call out their bullshit. Happy Hoosier Sep 29 #45
Excellent! BumRushDaShow Sep 29 #46
Thank him for all of us. Like you, I've been taken aback at a few of the reactions... Hekate Sep 29 #47
Yes to all of this! mcar Sep 29 #51
Or do what djt the moron suggested, to rake the forest floors. SWBTATTReg Sep 29 #52
Part of the problem in Cal. forests is pine bark beetles, which have turned large swathes of conifers into tinder Hekate Sep 29 #54
Ha he hah...if I handed djt a rake, he wouldn't know at the least what it's for, idiot that he is. I am sorry about the SWBTATTReg Sep 29 #56
Terrible Jrsygrl96 Sep 29 #57
Nature doesn't care. Godot51 Sep 29 #58
I often speak with rage about MAGAts, but I know that if I were down there, I'd help everyone without question. Lucky Luciano Sep 29 #61
Thanks for posting canetoad Sep 29 #62
Mahalo for Posting mcar.!... Cha Sep 29 #63
It's a good post JustAnotherGen Sep 29 #64
And that, my dear JAG, is what it's all about mcar Sep 29 #65
We all know what's coming. roamer65 Sep 29 #66
Please tell him thank you from my family. HeartsCanHope Sep 30 #67

yardwork

(63,821 posts)
1. We are better than that.
Sun Sep 29, 2024, 09:36 AM
Sep 29

Unlike some people who are still angry about something some rando said in 1993, I'm appreciating all the kind wishes and help being offered.

My son is in Asheville, which is in the western mountains of North Carolina. They are totally devastated.

Thank you for this post.

wnylib

(24,149 posts)
7. I have a nephew and grand nieces in Tampa,
Sun Sep 29, 2024, 09:47 AM
Sep 29

a nephew in Atlanta, and a cousin in northwestern South Carolina. They are ok, but all are in areas that were hit hard.

None expected their areas to be devastated by a hurricane. Tampa has been a relatively safe area for a coastal city on the Gulf, usually bypassed by the worst storm effects. Atlanta and northwestern SC are far enough inland to not be directly hit. They sometimes get tropical storms after a hurricane, but not such severe flooding as happened with Helene.



mcar

(43,376 posts)
19. The areas hardest hit in FL
Sun Sep 29, 2024, 10:33 AM
Sep 29

Cedar Key, Steinhatchee, etc, just south of the Big Bend, have experienced 3 "100 year" storms in a year. Just south of there, Crystal River, in my county, has experienced disastrous flooding from all three storms, plus a tornado last year.

I've lived here for 32 years and the only time I recall such flooding was in 1993's No Name Storm.

And yes, think of NC, GA, and SC and how hard they've been hit. No one expects this to happen in these areas.

911cat

(4 posts)
34. I remember the No Name Storm.
Sun Sep 29, 2024, 11:42 AM
Sep 29

I was a firefighter in Inverness. If I remember correctly we had a few snow flurries.

mcar

(43,376 posts)
36. It was insane!
Sun Sep 29, 2024, 12:00 PM
Sep 29

We had just moved north after experiencing Hurricane Andrew and then this? It was extremely stressful.

911cat

(4 posts)
37. Native South Floridan here.
Sun Sep 29, 2024, 12:12 PM
Sep 29

Hope ya'll are OK after Helene. I had a friend who rode out Andrew in Homestead. It was nuts. I was already living and working "up yonder" by then.

wnylib

(24,149 posts)
44. Yes, the bend has been hit very hard recently with one natural disaster after another
Sun Sep 29, 2024, 01:07 PM
Sep 29

even before taking the brunt of Helene. They were hit much harder than Tampa.

Tampa dodged bullets when past hurricane predictions suggested landfall there. This time, although they again escaped a direct hit, Helene was so strong that Tampa experienced the nightmare of flooding that they had previously feared.

I remember some predictions in 2017 that Irma might move north to make landfall at Tampa. After it landed just south of Fort Myers and moved up the coast, I tried to reach my brother. He lived in a low lying area near the eastern end of Tampa Bay. When I could not get through to him, I reached my nephew in Tampa. He had remained at his house but had sent his wife and daughters to his brother in Atlanta. He told me that my brother was at a mandatory evacuation center and was ok. Both of their homes had no damage, but there was a lot of debris from fallen trees, downed lines, etc.

His daughters, who were teens during Irma, are grown now and on their own. I thought about the extensive reach of Helene and realized that the Tampa relatives would not have been better off going to the Atlanta relatives this time.




mcar

(43,376 posts)
8. My late cousin lived in Asheville
Sun Sep 29, 2024, 09:50 AM
Sep 29

I love that city. I am so sorry for what they are going through. The devastation is shocking.

I wish them the best.

COL Mustard

(6,819 posts)
29. I can only imagine.
Sun Sep 29, 2024, 11:27 AM
Sep 29

I've seen pictures of other towns in NC and it's horrible.

I sympathize with everyone who suffered a loss--whether property or person. I also hope that people will start to realize that climate change is real and things like this will happen again and again.

yardwork

(63,821 posts)
30. I guarantee that most of the people in Asheville are aware of climate change.
Sun Sep 29, 2024, 11:28 AM
Sep 29

A lot of the young people there are mad at us for not doing more.

LisaM

(28,456 posts)
53. Mad at us for not doing more?
Sun Sep 29, 2024, 03:07 PM
Sep 29

Did they turn out in droves to vote for Democrats? Because if not, I don't want to hear it. We have run some of the most pro environmental candidates ever.

PikaBlue

(250 posts)
2. Most of us are.
Sun Sep 29, 2024, 09:37 AM
Sep 29

These communities could use donations, including the animal shelters. I have close friends in Asheville and was so relieved to hear that they are okay. We can fight like 10-year-old mean girls when it comes to politics, but when the SHTF we are one people.

eppur_se_muova

(37,325 posts)
4. There are plenty of us Democrats in the South; we're outnumbered, but also outcheated.
Sun Sep 29, 2024, 09:39 AM
Sep 29

But don't forget that not so long ago my vote helped to send Democrat -- and civil rights lawyer -- Doug Jones to the US Senate -- from **ALABAMA** !

SouthernIrish

(530 posts)
5. Absolutely
Sun Sep 29, 2024, 09:44 AM
Sep 29

Tennessee has the lowest voter turnout in the country. I am hoping that changes this year. We need Harris/Walz and Tennessee needs Gloria Johnson. Marsha needs to go.

mcar

(43,376 posts)
10. Yes!
Sun Sep 29, 2024, 09:55 AM
Sep 29


Look at GA, and NC's governor. Here in FL, we've flipped several local and state seats and, in many cases, the Moms for Liberty school board candidates are losing.

We can, and do, make a difference.

TBF

(34,026 posts)
9. We are gerrymandered to death in Texas -
Sun Sep 29, 2024, 09:50 AM
Sep 29

and we still have a lot of active democratic clubs and blue cities. I haven't seen those OPs, but if I do I'll certainly say something. People like that are no better than MAGA. And I have to wonder if someone who says that is even a dem - maybe they are just a troll that we haven't caught yet.

Silent Type

(6,146 posts)
12. "When a prosecutor, I never asked about a victim's politics, only if they were OK."- 2024 Harris ad.
Sun Sep 29, 2024, 09:56 AM
Sep 29

Thanks for your family's help.

mcar

(43,376 posts)
20. Remember when T*ump said he'd only send
Sun Sep 29, 2024, 10:35 AM
Sep 29

aid and funding to Red States after a natural disaster?

Kamala Harris would never do that, ever.

DENVERPOPS

(9,859 posts)
39. I can't be the only one to wonder
Sun Sep 29, 2024, 12:18 PM
Sep 29

If those RED states hit hardest by the Hurricane, won't dream up some skulduggery to at least delay or postpone voting in their States.

A bunch of us have been saying that the RepubliCONs will stop at nothing, (literally or figuratively) to screw with this presidential election as well as house and senate elections......absolutely nothing......

Keepthesoulalive

(471 posts)
13. We can put away our differences
Sun Sep 29, 2024, 09:59 AM
Sep 29

These people did nothing wrong, no one can prepare for floods like this. My husband spoke to his nephew in Asheville and they are running out of food . We can resume the righteous fight later but right now let’s give positive thoughts because that is all most of us can do.

piddyprints

(14,795 posts)
27. I'm in deep red TN.
Sun Sep 29, 2024, 11:14 AM
Sep 29

Just over the mountain from Asheville. We were notified this morning that our county will run out of water today because the pump house was flooded. We are fortunate to have a well and power, and have been sharing water with our neighbors who also have a well but no power. The suffering is just too much.

I would happily share food, water, showers... whatever we can as long as we have it.

Keepthesoulalive

(471 posts)
32. We spoke to our nephew this morning
Sun Sep 29, 2024, 11:34 AM
Sep 29

They have managed to get food, Publix and Target are open and on backup generators . Ingles is closed but there are food trucks in the area. Thank you for your concern your humanity transcends our politics.

FirstLight

(13,876 posts)
14. We *should* be
Sun Sep 29, 2024, 09:59 AM
Sep 29

I know I have my moments, but natural disaster bring humans together for a reason...we all care when the chips are down.
(At least we *should*) But my momma's momma's way of being a human went out with the dinosaurs. My mom has told me many tales of her mom finding another scoop of beans for anyone who came to their home hungry... (depression era made people help eachother too...ugh let's not do that one again)

Anyway...my kid lives in Shelby, NC and is unfortunately "no contact" ...so I found a way to have my bestie, her auntie, text to make sure all is well, and at least give me a heads up.

mcar

(43,376 posts)
23. Thanks. I'm proud to be associated with them
Sun Sep 29, 2024, 10:38 AM
Sep 29

On Tuesday, we'll be at a local park, leading 3rd graders in games to help them understand the value of recycling. It's so much fun!

calimary

(83,997 posts)
41. Now THAT is something that deserves its own thread!
Sun Sep 29, 2024, 12:31 PM
Sep 29

Last edited Sun Sep 29, 2024, 01:02 PM - Edit history (1)

I certainly would like to hear more about those games and what they teach!

We had recycling sessions at my kids’ elementary school for six weeks, where the participants made decorations for the upcoming carnival. The whole school participated in bringing in empty, cleaned-out milk cartons and bottle tops and lots of other stuff for the carnival art sessions after school every Friday. I’d send notes around suggesting what “components” would be used for that week’s session - like “bring in your aluminum pie plates” or “this is Plastic Lids Week” or some such thing. Plus the usual toilet paper and paper towel tubes and soda can pull tabs and all kinds of other stuff that might otherwise have been thrown out.

Whatever the carnival theme was, that year, THAT’S what we used as our theme for the decorations. For example, for the year of the “space carnival”, there was a call for recycled soda bottles, and we wound up with ingenious rocket ships with all kinds of flourishes, to display everywhere, along with balloons that were blown up and used for paper mache planets and moons. Those would dry all week and the kids would finish them the following week with lavish decorations. (We nicknamed that one the “slop fest” cuz it was pretty messy, but boy did the kids LOVE that one!) You get the idea.

There was a “full house” for that, every Friday, in a little side area full of picnic tables usually used for lunchtime. We called it the “Crafter-school” art sessions, and they were great fun, and there was never an empty seat! These little recycled-art artists were amazingly creative! I even learned new things! Then, the results went on display in all the booths and rides all over the carnival grounds. It was SOOOOO COOL! All day long on Carnival Day, you could see kids proudly dragging their parents to where THEIR carnival art piece was set up to make sure nobody missed it! And each of these pieces had the artist’s name on it so everybody could know who made it. MOST important OF ALL!

And at the end of Carnival Day, nothing got thrown out. The kids were encouraged to take their art pieces home, and they did!

DAYUM that was fun. Still makes me smile, BIGLY, whenever I think back on it.

OldBaldy1701E

(6,178 posts)
25. I have done some video work for Rotary International.
Sun Sep 29, 2024, 10:56 AM
Sep 29

Good group.

And yes, as a 'bleeding heart liberal', I also do not worry about political parties when I stop to render aid at an accident. I don't worry about their stupid posts or their desire for 'purity'. Those things can be discredited another time. Now is the time for all good people to come to the aid of their fellow human. That is my motto in such times. (It is also a side effect of being, as my husband often reminds me, "Too nice!".)

mcar

(43,376 posts)
28. I'm very interested in what Rotary International does
Sun Sep 29, 2024, 11:14 AM
Sep 29

Hubby and I run a small charity that gets medical equipment to places in need. I'm just getting started with Rotary but I'm hoping to learn more about opportunities with RI.

mucholderthandirt

(1,099 posts)
40. When our neighbors need help, it's not about party, it's about humanity. Society is about helping each other.
Sun Sep 29, 2024, 12:25 PM
Sep 29

If more people followed this, it would be a better world. It's not about us as an individual, it's about us as a community, as a nation, as a species.

Thanks to your husband and the others for going out and helping, that takes some good mojo.

mcar

(43,376 posts)
50. Most of our neighbors are Republicans
Sun Sep 29, 2024, 02:20 PM
Sep 29

including the couple across the street. We've been friends/neighbors for 25 years; our kids grew up together. We'd watch each others' pets when we were out of town.

I can't talk politics with them but I know they'd give me the shirt off their backs. We'd do the same for them.

You learn this stuff living in a Red area. I'll never understand how such good people can vote for the felon, but there you are.

Hekate

(94,283 posts)
47. Thank him for all of us. Like you, I've been taken aback at a few of the reactions...
Sun Sep 29, 2024, 01:57 PM
Sep 29

As I told “flood plain survivor” (yes, I remember who, but am not doing a call out) — every natural disaster everywhere is happening harder and with greater frequency, and the reason is that climate change has hit the tipping point.

I live in one part of fire country — coastal California. When I first moved out here in 1980, common wisdom was that there would be about 30 years between one major fire and the next in any given area. The fuel load would all burn off, and it would take about 30 years for it to build back.

Well, it’s not that way any more. Wildfires are hotter, bigger, more destructive, and more frequent. Native trees like the Coast Live Oak and its cousins can survive repeated flash fires low and around their trunks — but when a major regional fire causes the tops of trees to burn away, aka “a crown fire, “ those trees die. Some seeds need to pass through fire to germinate — manzanita, ceanothus, and the giant sequoia among them — but fire needs to come at the right season, and I don’t think its helpful to have a fire that lasts weeks or months.

Other areas have their own changing ecologies. The hurricane-prone East Coast has to acknowledge a much warmer Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico.

It’s not helpful to blame residents as individuals when collective political action is needed, and I don’t mean stupid stunts like maiming irreplaceable pieces of art. Vote Democratic up and down the ticket — we seriously have the only politicians that give a rat’s patoot.

SWBTATTReg

(23,991 posts)
52. Or do what djt the moron suggested, to rake the forest floors.
Sun Sep 29, 2024, 02:35 PM
Sep 29

Moron. I grew up in forest lands in the Ozarks, and believe me, raking the forest floors? Yeah, right...sarcasm here, heavy-duty.

We are finding out that grassland fires, and the small typical fire in a forested area are getting more frequent. I am thinking that it's drier (we finally got some needed rain several days ago, a nice long rain (here in STLMO). It's the 2nd rain I think that we've had all year.

Parts of MO are under a drought warning and my sister (and husband) have been having to take water out to the cattle multiple times daily.

Hekate

(94,283 posts)
54. Part of the problem in Cal. forests is pine bark beetles, which have turned large swathes of conifers into tinder
Sun Sep 29, 2024, 03:15 PM
Sep 29

They attack stressed conifers — and extended droughts count as a major stressor. California is big and has amazingly rugged and high mountains and lots of them.

Wouldn’t you just love to hand that idiot Trump a rake?

SWBTATTReg

(23,991 posts)
56. Ha he hah...if I handed djt a rake, he wouldn't know at the least what it's for, idiot that he is. I am sorry about the
Sun Sep 29, 2024, 03:27 PM
Sep 29

beetles still being a big problem out there, I've heard about it, but I guess after not seeing or hearing anything about it, that it wasn't a problem anymore. I hope that they can wrap their hands around the issue and fix them/get rid of the beetles.

Unfortunately, we had the Dutch elm disease spread by beetles too, in MO, and man, they did a number on them.

You don't see as many elm trees as there used to be. As a matter of fact, on my old small ranch, I had a grove of elm trees, and treasured them, and kept quiet about them, wanted to protect them. They have a good chance of surviving, being all alone in those woods, all by themselves (roughly 20-30 smallish trees).

Jrsygrl96

(160 posts)
57. Terrible
Sun Sep 29, 2024, 03:30 PM
Sep 29

We, as Americans (red or blue) should be better than that. Comments about deserving what they got makes us no better than they are.
I lived through TS Irene in 2011 which decimated my town and then through Superstorm Sandy in 2012 which pummeled the Jersey shore unrecognizable.
Your husband is a good man! My hubby just retired from Local 3 IBEW and is looking into helping “Electricians without Borders.”
E Pluribus Unum - United we Stand!

Lucky Luciano

(11,397 posts)
61. I often speak with rage about MAGAts, but I know that if I were down there, I'd help everyone without question.
Sun Sep 29, 2024, 06:31 PM
Sep 29

canetoad

(18,061 posts)
62. Thanks for posting
Sun Sep 29, 2024, 07:29 PM
Sep 29

I feel good when people just do the right thing, no matter what the circumstance.

Cha

(304,612 posts)
63. Mahalo for Posting mcar.!...
Sun Sep 29, 2024, 07:53 PM
Sep 29

Reports of Human kindness makes me well up in Tears.

My sister and part of her family are in Asheville with No electricity, of Course.. and I'm anxiously waiting for news of their safety.

I Also have a sister in Gainesville, Florida and they lucked out. My nephew and his wife in St Petee, Florida were lucky where they lived too.

Your husband is a Kind and Helpful Neighbor!...I hope your family is Okay.

JustAnotherGen

(33,286 posts)
64. It's a good post
Sun Sep 29, 2024, 07:54 PM
Sep 29
When it snows - my husband takes out his toy and does all.of our elderly neighbors drives and sidewalks too. He is temperamental, bombastic, loud and fiercely protective of me in particular . . . but when people need help he does the right thing.

roamer65

(36,962 posts)
66. We all know what's coming.
Sun Sep 29, 2024, 08:34 PM
Sep 29

The livable and INSURABLE zone is shifting northward. This is the reality of a 500+ ppm CO2e world.

The crash that is now happening in the FL property market is going to move northward into GA, SC, NC and TN.

Banks and other lenders don’t write mortgages on uninsurable properties.

EOM.

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