One would hope that national disasters would precipitate only an outpouring of aid to the affected. Unfortunately, this is not always the case.
It is a shame the greedy acts of some have marred the unselfish and commendable efforts of others in the face of Hurricane Harvey.
The people that have suspended all other enterprises and risked their lives to aid in rescue efforts are the people that truly make America great. Their bravery is manifested in the lives that they have saved and the aid they have provided to make thousands of bleak futures just a little better.
The hurricane itself is an unqualified travesty. According to multiple reports from CNN, Fox News, and many others, at least 28 people have been confirmed dead and over $50 billion in property damage is suspected. Hundreds of thousands of Americans have been displaced and the whole of southeast Texas faces a long and difficult road back from the devastation wrought by one of the largest storms ever in the lower 48.
Nature can be lethal, but the ugly side of human behavior can be just as destructive.
Plenty of news coverage is dedicated to the heroic efforts of the Cajun Navy, the National Guard and the brave men and women that comprise Houston’s rescue operations.
But, adjacent to this coverage one will find the bellyaching of politicians and commentators. Social networks highlight myriad opportunities to crowdfund support for relief efforts right next to snide comments decrying those who do not give enough or some implying that some faction is to blame for this disaster.
There is no place for this kind of attitude or coverage, while historic rainfalls continue to descend upon Texas. And yet, political and personal agendas persist on news networks everywhere.
There is still some — and therefore too much — despicable behavior going around the national consciousness when the situation calls for cooperation and bravery.
Chris Christie engaged Ted Cruz in a completely illogical dispute over whether Hurricane Sandy or Harvey was more destructive.
Megachurch preacher Joel Osteen completely ignored the sanctuary-providing teachings of his own bible and only let displaced persons in once an avalanche of negative PR left him no other option.
Commentators and politicians from both sides of the aisle roundly criticized President Trump’s abbreviated and optics-focused appearance at the disaster, where according to a Politico report, “(Trump) didn’t meet a single storm victim, see an inch of rain or get near a flooded street”.
All of these political missteps deserve critique, but never in the middle of a national emergency. Relief efforts should be the only thing in the news and at the forefront of the American consciousness.
The behavior of those that live in southeast Texas rarely paralleled a victim mindset, and often they are seen acting as role models for the rest of us that look upon the disaster from afar. Political slights mean infinitesimally little to them while their families face uncertain futures. Cooperation and compassion will do much more to assuage the damages of the storm than any kind of infighting.
The voices that should be getting all the attention have no political disposition at the moment. Public figures with ties to southeast Texas have leveraged their platforms to jump-start millions of dollars in fundraising efforts and provide relief directly to Houston-based relief efforts.
In times of national disaster, these are the things that should be receiving all front-page coverage across news outlets and social media feeds. Disaster support should be an untainted nonpartisan affair, with no room for increasingly petty squabbles.
People that focus upon their own personal gain during a national disaster deserve nothing but comprehensive denouncement, let alone any attention. If a politician, public figure or citizen is leveraging the disaster for anything beyond relief of those affected, do everyone — especially those in southeast Texas — a favor and cut them off from the attention they crave.
Jonah Baker can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter at @jonahpbaker
If you are interested in donating to the relief efforts, visit http://money.cnn.com/2017/08/30/news/harvey-charity-fraud/index.html.