DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Tailgate Forum Iowa Floods...a Midwesterner Opinion

I saw this earlier and thought it was good to share with folks who live in the midwest. Hard to believe it was from a "Wolverine" grad.

A reader from the Wolverine State [Michigan] wonders:

Where are all of the Hollywood celebrities holding tele-thons asking for help in restoring Iowa and helping the folks affected by the floods?

Where is all the media asking the tough questions about why the federal government hasn't solved the problem? Asking where the FEMA trucks (and trailers)are?

Why isn't the Federal Government relocating Iowa people to free hotels in Chicago?

When will Spike Lee say that the Federal Government blew up the levees that failed in Des Moines?

Where are Sean Penn and the Dixie Chicks?

Where are all the looters stealing high-end tennis shoes and big screen television sets?

When will we hear Governor Chet Culver say that he wants to rebuild a "vanilla" Iowa, because that's the way God wants it?

Where is the hysterical 24/7 media coverage complete with reports of cannibalism?

Where are the people declaring that George Bush hates white, rural people?

How come in 2 weeks, you will never hear about the Iowa flooding ever again?

Response--
Why?
Because Iowans, are resilient.
Because Iowans, will not wallow in self-pity nor embrace victimhood.
Because Iowans will roll up their sleeves and get to the heart-wrenching and back-breaking work of digging out and moving forward.
Because Iowans, are not looking for someone else to solve their problems.
Because although Iowans may be amused, be mused, and irritated by the goings-on in Hollywood and Washington, they recognize that neither is a real place inhabited by real people doing real work--Iowais all three.
Because Iowa is bordered by the east coast and by the west coast—the east coast of the Missouri River and on the west coast of the Mississippi--making it an entertainment and political backwater to those in Hollywood and Washington. Oh, Iowans will gratefully accept some dollars from here and some dollars from there, but they will not wait for those token donations to move on with their lives. Because although Iowans may argue passionately among themselves about the Hawkeyes and Cyclones and Panthers and Bulldogs—in times of tragedy, trouble, devastation, and destruction every Iowan readily stretches forth his hands to assist and support his neighbors

'Is this Heaven? No this is Iowa.' Ray Kinsella (Kevin Costner) in"Field of Dreams."

It's a bit melodramatic, but entirely on point. That Katrina crap was soooooo freaking overblown and it really, really, really irks me that my tax dollars are STILL paying for people to live in trailers and hotels and not support themselves.


... and I like to call them Iowegians; it's more fun to say

Hopefully Imus will comment on it, and call the people who are suffering nappy headed rednecks, so that way it will get massive media attention. I did hear Micheal Moore was going to send some food there way but it didn't make it past his big fat mouth.

Jesse Jackson was going to help out too, but he has to much work going on in Himeytown.

Agree with what Ppl said.

I was hearing "America" in the background while I read it.

While I might agree on a few points. Part of the lack of complaints is that FEMA was alot more on the ball this time. All that sand and sand bags don't just magically appear. From what I understand Fema is already there handing out checks.

Why don't you hear about it? Cause it's alot better "news" to talk about it when it fails that when they get it right.

"...All that sand and sand bags don't just magically appear. From what I understand Fema is already there handing out checks."

Are you kidding me? You think FEMA filled those sandbags?? Community action filled the sandbags...FEMA???

FEMA helps pick up pieces not save the property.

Exactly. Fema had nothing to do with this, OR New Orleans.

These people saved themselves when they could, and they left the area when they couldn't. AND, they helped their neighbors as opposed to robbing them.

Plus, I don't hear any midwesterners griping about how the fed. gov't. left them hanging. No gunshots. Just work.

The hollywood celebs? No way they show up.

I said the exact same thing a few months ago when wildfires ravaged through San Diego county and half a million people had to evacuate their homes.

There was no looting, there were no outcries from celebrities, etc ...

Heck, the state sent their help a day after the fact, and FEMA showed up several days later, but nobody noticed or cared ... because the local government actually had it's "stuff" together and didn't really need the state or federal government to bail them out.

Iowa, Bunch of right wing radicals. Don't even know they are victims.