Heartland Heretic here, reporting live from the militarized zone that our nations Heartland and Mid-South have become. Here to give the rest of you an unfiltered, unbiased, honest assessment of this disaster stricken region.
They repeat incessantly on the local radio and television outlets of how "civil and polite" everyone has behaved since a devastating ice storm pummeled the nations mid-section. I have heard over and over again how people have banded together and assisted one another during these trying times.
But let me begin with the storm itself. On Tuesday, January 27th, 2009, a winter storm hit Oklahoma, Missouri, Arkansas, Texas, Mississippi, Tennessee, Illinois, and Kentucky with a vengance, the likes of which has not been seen since 1932. Infrastructure took the hardest beating. Miles of power poles in miles long rows all throughout the entire area were simply snapped... sometimes into three or four pieces. And of course, all of that line, if it were not snapped entirely, is lying on the ground. City and Rural water supplies were frozen at the pumps where the water originates. Well over an inch of ice coated everything everywhere. It was reported by utility companies that some of their equipment had 4 to 5 inches of ice covering them.
After three days with no water, it began to trickle again and immediately notices went out that if you have no electricity you should assume that you are under a "boil water" order. Hmmm. It's a good thing that we have all of this extra fire wood lying around! Ironically, I took measures to ensure that MY OWN water lines would not freeze. I find it puzzling that the folks who provide water didn't have the same foresight.
Trees everywhere, if they were not toppled and pulled from the ground by the roots as their weight increased threefold or more, limbs were stripped right down their sides leaving clean spires erupting from the ground in places. And the falling limbs impaled homes and home owners alike. Even a local Police Chief was struck and killed by a falling limb as he set out reflective cones around already fallen limbs and was killed instantly.
Banks, hospitals, stores, police and fire stations, rich and poor alike are all demoted to third world denizens. The scenario I have awaited for quite some time now. The only difference being that no one really realizes that they are all the same. And of course, they really aren't. Commerce and the moneyed will receive all reparations first. And ignorant rednecks will always be ignorant rednecks. And the all pervasive religious will continue to praise God for visiting upon us all "each other" with which to weather the current crisis.
Keeping in mind that The Heretic, myself, lives in a very rural setting, two of the closest service stations have had multiple fist fights and at least two pistols drawn in lines waiting to obtain gasoline. The main problem in that situation is not that stations do not have gas, it is that very few have generators to power the pumps. Hence scarcity among heathens.
Shop store shelves are bare, the ones that are open. There are no phones, batteries, heaters, dairy products, gas or kerosene heaters or cook stoves nor fuel for them. No candles, lamps or lanterns. No nothing of necessity. Nice that I thought of most all of those things ahead of time. Replenishing those supplies might be another story altogether.
I saw plenty of National Guard Troops out today. I can't really tell exactly WHAT they are here for other than to enforce the mandatory curfews put in place by local municipalities. But that doesn't prevent the rampant looting going on out in the rural areas. As many people are "all electric" and virtually none are prepared for a day without access to a vendor of some sort, let alone a week or a month, many are forced to leave their homes and seek shelter in the burgeoning impromptu shelters or to leach off of those of us who DID prepare for just such an event. While they are gone from their homes, bands of thieves are going from home to home and kicking in the doors and stealing everything that isn't nailed down.
And those of us who WERE bright enough to prepare for such a massive failing of society in general and bought electric generators and other supplies must be ever watchful of the renegades assaulting our countryside. The generators are big targets for theft, even if they don't kick in your door. And I really don't see it getting much better. My own aunt has had her electric generator stolen. She is crippled from a massive stroke and has to use a leg brace and a walker to get around. Yup, that's just how they do in the "Good Christian", all American, close knit "communities" of the mid-south.
And the best part is that the insurance companies are already trying to find ways to exclude the claims that their customers are making against damage and theft as a result of the storm and the resultant renegades. Ain't Democratic Capitalism grand? FEMA and the Office of Emergency Management have already announced that there will be no relief for individuals. Of course, BUSINESSES will receive all available considerations.
Don't get me wrong, I don't ONLY see the underbelly of Christendom at work here. The first two trips that I made to get fuel for my generators, everyone was super friendly, helpful, courteous and polite. People are trying to work together. But in other places, people are just downright hateful, selfish, greedy, and disrespectful. Some stations are rationing gasoline!
And, as always, there are those (in the majority, apparently) who feel that though this is a major inconvenience to everyone, it is affecting them personally inordinately and that they really shouldn't be expected to endure any hardship whatsoever, let alone contribute anything at all to the tasks that must be done to endure. I myself am saddled with one such leach. It is not that they cannot do anything to contribute, it is that they will not contribute in any way as it is their belief that the world owes them a living and is behind on the payments. Allowing this cretin to benefit simply from being in my proximity is my act of compassion to the rest of this morally and ethically bankrupt society.
Interestingly, local news services are starting to report "commercial looting" and home invasions five full days after the storm. And, while not reporting violence visited among citizens yet (though it is most certainly happening), they are starting to urge everyone to "keep a cool head". They are also reporting that shelters are running out of food and volunteers are getting tired. Only on this fifth day of the crisis has Missouri been declared a Federal Disaster Area. And while, of course, discussion is being exchanged about infrastructure and commerce relief, no discussion has occurred regarding home owner nor individual assistance.
As I write this piece I currently have no internet connection. The town that has my transmitter tower is without power. (I can't help wonder if I will be given a rebate of any kind for lack of services I pay regularly for. Probably not. Act of God and all... But as soon as there is any power to the transmitter I will log on and update. All that I am currently reporting will likely be "old news" by the time that my internet service provider is back on line. Though, write it I will.
Update (Three full weeks after the storm hit.)
Electricity has been restored. While Dish Network has generously offered considerations for my lack of service, my internet service provider acted as if I were being unreasonable for even asking. They were rude and combative. I will write more about that later. But for now, I'm back.
