A full ten days after the weather crisis in mid america began, the local news services were still reporting the warm and fuzzy stories about how everyone was pulling together to get through this horrible event. But I knew things weren't as rosy as they were letting on. I knew it from word of mouth descriptions of people turning on one another, from family members who were robbed, and from my ever amazing faith in mankind (and self-described christians in particular) to turn on one another in times of uncertainty.
But as I finished a meal in a nearby diner just across the state line in Arkansas, I had the opportunity to ask someone who I felt would be "in the know" on such matters. As I waited to pay my bill and Arkansas State Trooper fell in line beside me to pay his own. I thought, "here is my chance". So, I asked him point blank: "Are the rumors that I've been hearing about violence and theft as low as the news would have us believe, or as serious as I myself suspect?" He replied quite frankly, "Probably worse than you suspect".
We continued to chat and banter and when I said that I was setting on top of my own place when I didn't have someone to man it for me he stated matter of factly, "Good. We thank you. And I hope that you are a good shot!" I was so taken aback, and being the untrained, wannabe news reporter that I am, I failed to get the officers name or badge number.
We wished each other luck, bid farewell and went on our ways.
Power companies and their crews are being forced to request armed protection as they attempt to re-establish the power grid. A local mayor who gave her own home electrical generator to their shelter had her car shot up (in Walnut Ridge, AR. Google it!) Police stations are forced to take precious manpower from the streets to man their own headquarters to protect from threats of violence against them! Now, I'm no fan of the police but this is ridiculous! But we are, after all, a Christian Nation, eh? Way to set the example!
It may be worth mentioning that since Katrina a very large portion of the United States has learned first hand a taste of what Iraqis and Afghans experience day in day out (without the bombs, of course). But does that enter into the minds of any of these... people? Hardly. All that they can think of is, "Poor, poor me... and maybe my neighbors, too. But if I go to a different neighborhood, looting and stealing is just fine. In fact, I'll fight over what bread and water may be left on the shelf, or my place in the gas line." Is it any wonder that the world views Amerika as self-absorbed? We ARE!
There has been officially around 50 storm related deaths from this winter storm at this point. Hundreds have been injured. And thousands have visited violence upon their neighbors. While hundreds of thousands are still without basic services two weeks after the storm. Some are looking at another week to three or more.
When Hurricane Ike hit the Gulf Coast, I take it on good authority (a friend of a friend) that there were bodies floating in the streets for weeks. But do the rest of us hear of these tragedies within our own boarders? No. Why? Because they don't want us to know... that, and we don't want to hear it. If it doesn't affect me personally, I don't give a damn. That is our collective attitude!
And while Australia is burning to the ground, I can't seem to get a fire started to burn all of the tree limbs that were stripped from the trees by the ice. Irony?
A logistical note: it only took myself and two other men, two chainsaw's and a back hoe five hours to get most of the mess cleaned up and some roof damage patched (though not yet repaired). While there is still plenty to do, all of the "heavy lifting" is done. And though we are still without electricity two weeks into this crisis, it is a relief to have the tree damage cleaned up. Incidentally and on a personal note, I was operated on for cancer two days prior to this winter storm event and came down with a sever case of stomach flu three days ago, as of this writing.
And though I rain regularly on "good christians", there are definitely some good people who identify as Christians who are out here helping people and each other. Though I am hyper critical of anyone who wears their religion on their sleeve, showing me that one is a person of faith and conviction through ones deeds goes much farther with me than mere profession of faith and proselytism. I guess in other words, if you show me that you are a person of faith and moral principal as opposed to simply professing it I will respect you and your faith much more. Missouri is, after all, known as "The Show Me State".
But it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out the validity of this past statement. Plus I kind of resent when Christianity is presented as some exclusive club with exclusive rights to community, moral, and ethical behavior.
