You once wrote that societies - more specifically, their institutions - rot from the top down, which is true. What we're seeing here is that they can - and will - be reborn from the bottom up. All's not lost.
The Cajun Navy was born out of the disaster that was federal (lack of) response to Katrina.
They're a well-oiled machine now, and a model for others to consult when it comes to evading federal roadblocks to get disaster relief to people who need it.
I'm in GA, a bit south of Clemson, SC. We got hit fairly hard, but nowhere near as bad as places in western NC.
Immediately, it was neighbors helping neighbors. A group of us cleared the road to the neighborhood with the chainsaws and tractors we had on hand. While this was happening, others took it upon themselves to check on the elderly residents, and set up spare generators and keep them fueled during the power outage. Help was given generously, whether asked for or not.
The local electrical EMC, which is also run and staffed by neighbors, worked round the clock to get power back on as quickly as they could.
The local tree cutting companies were working around the clock, prioritizing dangerous situations (trees fallen on homes).
I was reading this post to my spouse and saying "what a heartwarming story this is". And then we looked at each other and noted that everybody we know would behave just like this... Our friends, our siblings, our children, and our neighbors… There are a lot of good people out there. TPTB would have us think otherwise… Thanks for sharing this.
There are a lot of good people, and a lot of dangerous arseholes.
We got clobbered by a Cat5 hurricane in coastal FL not so long ago. In my parents' neighborhood, the residents had the roads clear in a little over 24 hours and were all checking on each other and looking after the empty (evacuee) houses, grilling and sharing everything in their freezers before it could go bad, and generally helping each other out.
In my sibling's neighborhood, we chainsawed a way in by road on day 2, while five or six able-bodied men stood around a truck three houses away, smoking pot and eyeballing our tools. After that, every day in that neighborhood was open-carry day, until we got our sibling out. They did *not* want us clearing the road, because they *liked* the cops not being able to get in there. The local dealer offered us a free sample in the middle of the street. People kept buzzing through the yards and gaps on stolen dirtbikes they had lifted from the dealership a few blocks away. Not a friendly atmosphere. One neighbor offered to help us clear branches. But it became obvious after a while that he was only there to collect the aluminum siding mixed in with the debris, and once that was all gone, he, like the rest, sat and watched us work.
Be thankful if you live in a neighborhood like my parents. Civilization is a lot thinner than you'd think, everywhere else.
Bless the private citizens who are supporting each other through unfathomable loss. MSM doesn't care about Appalachia because they don't want more JD Vance's exposing the rot. TN and NC national guard was deployed to the Middle East before the storm, while Biden napped and Kamala fundraised. The definition of America Last. "I'm from the government and I'm here to help!"
They have dropped the “I’m here to help” in favor of “What are you hiding?” The government has gone feral, and is past the stage of ignoring the citizens to the point of actively trying to replace them. Compare and contrast the media firestorm because Bush didn’t move relief efforts into New Orleans ahead of Katrina with Biden/Harris ignoring Helene entirely.
I was at a Costco yesterday just outside of Charleston, SC and there were quite a few people buying supplies to bring to those in need. Generators, water, paper plates, plastic utensils, packaged food, etc… plus many places around town loading up UHauls with donations. We at the coast like to get away to those mountains, many have family and friends there and nobody is waiting around for the government to help.
18th Airborne Corps, 82nd Airborne division have a fucking ton of helicopter aviation assets in North Carolina.
If only someone in the Biden admin understood that disaster relief means something other than asking media allies to provide cover every time a Democrat says something stupid.
And as the Air Assault brigade, they’ve got way more aviation assets than the 82nd. 160th SOAR is also at Campbell still, aren’t they? Even more helicopters.
Your stirring account of citizens’ can-do efforts is the first I’ve heard of this but makes me wonder why we pay taxes to support that nest of useless ticks and slugs in DC. The whole lot of them should be taken out and hanged. The tree of liberty is desperately thirsty for some revitalizing blood right now.
Thousands from all over our state (and from out of state) mobilized immediately. Every small town around me has sent linemen, fire and rescue, swift water rescue, needed supplies. People are doing this work on foot, with mule teams, horses, private machinery and vehicles. We in Eastern NC learned a long time ago you can’t wait for the government to help.
In Massachusetts, as seen on TV The Finale (Seinfeld).
The Good Samaritan law establishes that any person who attempts to help a stranger should not be faced with legal action in response to their actions. ie: arrests
They've been pulling this stunt for 30 years or more.
FEMA has BFF contractors who get fed money for bringing in supplies... inadequate and late, but they don't care. They don't want private actors horning on in their sweet sweet fed contracts. After hurricane Opal, power was out for a week. Everybody was desperate for ice. Ice to save what was in our freezers. Ice to cool our drinks. Ice to preserve people's insulin. Bunch of intrepid Alabama boys figured out how much they'd need to charge to pay for gas and make an easy buck, and they drove down to the coast with truckloads of ice, selling it for $10/bag. On the feds' orders, those guys were threatened with arrest, and started being turned away at the county line, for "price gouging". People, it's not gouging if it pays for their gas and makes it worth them taking a couple days off to do this. Anyhoo, those guys had been there *the day after* the storm. It took FEMA and their bosom buddies the Red Cross FIVE DAYS to get ice into our county. By then, all the insulin was bad, all the meat was spoiled, and enough people had generators or power up and running for us to make our own ice.
It's only gotten worse since. Now they try to block people who are there to *give stuff away for free*.
We always expect to self-rescue after a hurricane. Not everyone can, so those who can, pitch in far and wide. I'm never prouder of my people than when a bunch of good ol' boys throw chains and chainsaws, water and okay maybe beer, in the back of someone's truck after a storm, setting out to check on the neighbors and anyone else who might need a hand. In this case it's hillbillies, boats, helicopters, and thank God for Elon having bought X to help coordinate (and for Trump & Elon, Starlink, and several other awesome new twists). The scale of the scene is tough to absorb, and mark my words Roy Cooper is going to slow-walk recovery at least past 05 Nov to disenfranchise as many of these people as he can. They cannot defeat us.
I am so worried about our country. They refuse help because they are afraid of the people offering, they aren’t DEI enough I reckon. We have become a “Ship of fools” for those old enough to get the reference.
FEMA created a system that cannot take into account unsolicited help. Granted, some of this has to do with unqualified/untrained people becoming themselves liabilities but that is an easy fix if the lawyers and courts can stay out of it.
Have them contact Rob Gaudet at Cajun Navy Ground Force to send donations. They are the kings of food and water distribution. https://gocajunnavy.org/
You once wrote that societies - more specifically, their institutions - rot from the top down, which is true. What we're seeing here is that they can - and will - be reborn from the bottom up. All's not lost.
Oh, no, this is a rebirth!
^^^This!^^^
The Cajun Navy was born out of the disaster that was federal (lack of) response to Katrina.
They're a well-oiled machine now, and a model for others to consult when it comes to evading federal roadblocks to get disaster relief to people who need it.
Someone tell the Biden/Harris administration and state media there are women in the storm-wrecked counties not able to get the abortions they need.
WE'RE ON THE WAY
They’d be sling loading mobile Planned Parenthood units in there stat.
🎯
I'm in GA, a bit south of Clemson, SC. We got hit fairly hard, but nowhere near as bad as places in western NC.
Immediately, it was neighbors helping neighbors. A group of us cleared the road to the neighborhood with the chainsaws and tractors we had on hand. While this was happening, others took it upon themselves to check on the elderly residents, and set up spare generators and keep them fueled during the power outage. Help was given generously, whether asked for or not.
The local electrical EMC, which is also run and staffed by neighbors, worked round the clock to get power back on as quickly as they could.
The local tree cutting companies were working around the clock, prioritizing dangerous situations (trees fallen on homes).
I'm proud to call these people my neighbors.
I was reading this post to my spouse and saying "what a heartwarming story this is". And then we looked at each other and noted that everybody we know would behave just like this... Our friends, our siblings, our children, and our neighbors… There are a lot of good people out there. TPTB would have us think otherwise… Thanks for sharing this.
Thanks for the kind words.
Agreed: The people on TV will drain your faith in humanity. The people down the block will restore it.
There are a lot of good people, and a lot of dangerous arseholes.
We got clobbered by a Cat5 hurricane in coastal FL not so long ago. In my parents' neighborhood, the residents had the roads clear in a little over 24 hours and were all checking on each other and looking after the empty (evacuee) houses, grilling and sharing everything in their freezers before it could go bad, and generally helping each other out.
In my sibling's neighborhood, we chainsawed a way in by road on day 2, while five or six able-bodied men stood around a truck three houses away, smoking pot and eyeballing our tools. After that, every day in that neighborhood was open-carry day, until we got our sibling out. They did *not* want us clearing the road, because they *liked* the cops not being able to get in there. The local dealer offered us a free sample in the middle of the street. People kept buzzing through the yards and gaps on stolen dirtbikes they had lifted from the dealership a few blocks away. Not a friendly atmosphere. One neighbor offered to help us clear branches. But it became obvious after a while that he was only there to collect the aluminum siding mixed in with the debris, and once that was all gone, he, like the rest, sat and watched us work.
Be thankful if you live in a neighborhood like my parents. Civilization is a lot thinner than you'd think, everywhere else.
Stop Volunteering!
-Government of Tennessee, The Volunteer State.
Bless the private citizens who are supporting each other through unfathomable loss. MSM doesn't care about Appalachia because they don't want more JD Vance's exposing the rot. TN and NC national guard was deployed to the Middle East before the storm, while Biden napped and Kamala fundraised. The definition of America Last. "I'm from the government and I'm here to help!"
They have dropped the “I’m here to help” in favor of “What are you hiding?” The government has gone feral, and is past the stage of ignoring the citizens to the point of actively trying to replace them. Compare and contrast the media firestorm because Bush didn’t move relief efforts into New Orleans ahead of Katrina with Biden/Harris ignoring Helene entirely.
If Trump was in office right now the media would be blaring the government’s shortcomings nonstop.
I was at a Costco yesterday just outside of Charleston, SC and there were quite a few people buying supplies to bring to those in need. Generators, water, paper plates, plastic utensils, packaged food, etc… plus many places around town loading up UHauls with donations. We at the coast like to get away to those mountains, many have family and friends there and nobody is waiting around for the government to help.
18th Airborne Corps, 82nd Airborne division have a fucking ton of helicopter aviation assets in North Carolina.
If only someone in the Biden admin understood that disaster relief means something other than asking media allies to provide cover every time a Democrat says something stupid.
Covering for dumbocraps saying/doing stupid things is a 24/7/365 job. 🙄🤮
Although I prefer using grift rather than “job.”
101st Airborne is about 40 minutes from Nashville too.
And as the Air Assault brigade, they’ve got way more aviation assets than the 82nd. 160th SOAR is also at Campbell still, aren’t they? Even more helicopters.
Two guys in the 82nd airborne landed in my neighborhood today. They are doing this as volunteers with paid leave...they are not "deployed."
You know the country is in bad shape when a paralyzed government tries to block the American virtue of self-reliance.
They're afraid the people will figure out that The Founders got it right.
They'd rather let people die than acknowledge government is the "help" of last resort....and for a good reason.
Of course they are. The government has been busy destroying our self reliance for decades and we Americans are ruining all of their hard work.
It's all about the $$$
https://x.com/ryantyre/status/1841583311782568064
If you want the feds to show up, just post "I have a landing pad at 124 Deckawoo Drive, and men can't get pregnant".
Of course, then they'll just shoot your dog and eat the rest of your food.
Maybe they will kill your food and eat your dog?
It's a landing pad, not an interstate bus stop.
It took me awhile but I got there, busted out laughing. Another sign of getting older, damnit!
In all seriousness, I'm making a donation today. Western NC is destroyed.
That wouldn't surprise me at all!
Like!
One movie comes to mind, and it’s not the Canadian guy. It’s Chuck Norris and John Carradine in Lone Wolf McQuade.
This is what’s best about America. People really do care for their neighbors and will go out of their way to help when necessary.
Your stirring account of citizens’ can-do efforts is the first I’ve heard of this but makes me wonder why we pay taxes to support that nest of useless ticks and slugs in DC. The whole lot of them should be taken out and hanged. The tree of liberty is desperately thirsty for some revitalizing blood right now.
Thousands from all over our state (and from out of state) mobilized immediately. Every small town around me has sent linemen, fire and rescue, swift water rescue, needed supplies. People are doing this work on foot, with mule teams, horses, private machinery and vehicles. We in Eastern NC learned a long time ago you can’t wait for the government to help.
God bless you all!
How can they be threatening people with arrest? Are there laws against helping people in disasters? I’ve never heard of such a thing.
But the strength of the response by regular people gives me hope.
In Massachusetts, as seen on TV The Finale (Seinfeld).
The Good Samaritan law establishes that any person who attempts to help a stranger should not be faced with legal action in response to their actions. ie: arrests
They've been pulling this stunt for 30 years or more.
FEMA has BFF contractors who get fed money for bringing in supplies... inadequate and late, but they don't care. They don't want private actors horning on in their sweet sweet fed contracts. After hurricane Opal, power was out for a week. Everybody was desperate for ice. Ice to save what was in our freezers. Ice to cool our drinks. Ice to preserve people's insulin. Bunch of intrepid Alabama boys figured out how much they'd need to charge to pay for gas and make an easy buck, and they drove down to the coast with truckloads of ice, selling it for $10/bag. On the feds' orders, those guys were threatened with arrest, and started being turned away at the county line, for "price gouging". People, it's not gouging if it pays for their gas and makes it worth them taking a couple days off to do this. Anyhoo, those guys had been there *the day after* the storm. It took FEMA and their bosom buddies the Red Cross FIVE DAYS to get ice into our county. By then, all the insulin was bad, all the meat was spoiled, and enough people had generators or power up and running for us to make our own ice.
It's only gotten worse since. Now they try to block people who are there to *give stuff away for free*.
Yes, it's called Good Samaritan laws.
If one imprudently feels obliged to get between a country boy and the folks that need help, one will be in need of help posthaste!!
They probably have some unamerican "shelter in place" style diktat in force.
Just a guess, not research.
We always expect to self-rescue after a hurricane. Not everyone can, so those who can, pitch in far and wide. I'm never prouder of my people than when a bunch of good ol' boys throw chains and chainsaws, water and okay maybe beer, in the back of someone's truck after a storm, setting out to check on the neighbors and anyone else who might need a hand. In this case it's hillbillies, boats, helicopters, and thank God for Elon having bought X to help coordinate (and for Trump & Elon, Starlink, and several other awesome new twists). The scale of the scene is tough to absorb, and mark my words Roy Cooper is going to slow-walk recovery at least past 05 Nov to disenfranchise as many of these people as he can. They cannot defeat us.
https://substack.com/@bellingthecat/note/c-71108760
I am so worried about our country. They refuse help because they are afraid of the people offering, they aren’t DEI enough I reckon. We have become a “Ship of fools” for those old enough to get the reference.
Mostly the help gets past the fools, but still.
Too many Republican voters in most of the affected counties. Another great piece by Chris Bray.
Yep. They need them unavailable, incapacitated, or dead. Can't have THEM voting!
Don’t worry too much. We southern folk aren’t often accused of following ill conceived laws.
FEMA created a system that cannot take into account unsolicited help. Granted, some of this has to do with unqualified/untrained people becoming themselves liabilities but that is an easy fix if the lawyers and courts can stay out of it.
FEMA created a system where any unsolicited help is a threat to their BFF's federal aid contracts.