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    tomder55's Avatar
    tomder55 Posts: 1,742, Reputation: 346
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    #1

    May 5, 2010, 04:58 AM
    Nashville
    There is a blood red circle
    On the cold dark ground
    And the rain is falling down
    The church door's thrown open
    I can hear the organ's song
    But the congregation's gone
    My city of ruins
    My city of ruins

    (Bruce Springsteen)

    There was a time when the event of a major American city flooding after an unusual 100+ year event ,and the death toll rising, devastating property loss ,and lives disrupted ,was the rage of this board and the national media . But the flooding in Nashville was hardly a blip on the national radar .Is it because the Goracle has moved on the Hollywierd ?

    Nashville is devastated. The cresting river came within inches of knocking out Metro Water Services, serving 600,000 thousand people. Unknown numbers of residents have lost everything because they didn’t have flood insurance because their homes weren’t considered to be in floodplains . The two major tourism sites, downtown and Opryland, are seriously damaged and no one can guess when and if they’ll be operating again.The US Naval Base at Millington under water.

    Where are the cries for Federal help by Geraldo ? Where is the Presidential visit ? Not even a flyover ? Where are the prayers for the vicitms ? Where is the national mobilization of the charitible foundations and the telethons ?Where are the $2000 debit cards ? Where are the pictures of wading residents carrying beer cases on their heads ?

    Maybe they were too busy sandbagging .The majority of rescues from submerged areas have been performed by everyday citizens.They put their boats in the water and went to work. They didn't ask for permission;they didn't wait to be told.They did not sit there complaining the Federal Government wasn't doing enough.

    I'm actually not blaming the President for his response. He and the Federal Government have acted appropriately in waiting for the Governor of the State to request assistance before a declaration of a disaster and unleashing FEMA. However the same approriate steps were taken in regards to another City, at another time, by another President... and his administration never recovered from the reaction.
    inthebox's Avatar
    inthebox Posts: 787, Reputation: 179
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    #2

    May 5, 2010, 05:31 AM

    Country Stars Ask for Help and Prayers as Nashville Floods - Dierks Bentley, Naomi Judd, Reba McEntire : People.com

    Here is one, but I was surfing for this issue on purpose.

    ARC is also a good standby.

    American Red Cross: Donate Now


    G&P
    J_9's Avatar
    J_9 Posts: 40,298, Reputation: 5646
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    #3

    May 5, 2010, 05:43 AM
    It's very sad here indeed. I live 12 miles from the Mid-South Naval Air Station in Millington. Every building on that base has been damaged. Where is the support for our military?

    My sons are in Nashville. My children were evacuated from their homes and I can't get to them due to the flooding.

    You all can quote the media, but you can't understand the magnitude of the destruction unless you live here.
    tomder55's Avatar
    tomder55 Posts: 1,742, Reputation: 346
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    #4

    May 5, 2010, 06:19 AM

    J_9
    I was hoping for someone with an eye witness testimonial .

    The press here has spent very little time on this and even less time on the 1.5 mile wide tornado that tore through almost 100 miles of ravaged Mississippi.
    J_9's Avatar
    J_9 Posts: 40,298, Reputation: 5646
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    #5

    May 5, 2010, 06:32 AM
    It's terrible Tom. Friends have lost everything. New homes, in excess of 1/2 million dollars, gone. Insurance won't cover because they did not have flood insurance, nor were the homes in flood zones.

    Over 5,000 evacuated from the Navy base with no place to go. Many were moved to the National Guard Armory, however much of our local Guard were sent to Iraq in February.

    Small local tributaries have turned into large raging rivers. I was one of the few lucky ones. I was only trapped in my home for 2 days with no way to get to work or to stores. We had no flooding, but our roads were closed and 15 bridges out in our county alone.

    We thought we had it bad on Saturday (tornadoes that night) until we woke on Sunday to see the devastation in our State Capitol. Nashville has turned into an ocean. Opryland Hotel is not taking any future reservations at the moment and we don't know when or if they will.

    The photos you see in the media don't do the damage justice.

    Oh, the tornadoes in Mississippi? Terrible, but the loss of life was more from flooding than the tornadoes.

    Now that the waters are receding in my county we are having to deal with the snakes. Many snake bites coming into the ER at the hospital where I work.

    In my county alone we had over 15 inches of rain in a 24 hour period. Mine is a farming community and the loss of crops is astronomical. The corn, soy, and cotton crops have already been planted... gone. The farmers have to plant again. Where will they get the money to do this? And, remember, the costs will trickle down to the consumer.
    tomder55's Avatar
    tomder55 Posts: 1,742, Reputation: 346
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    #6

    May 5, 2010, 06:49 AM

    Over 5,000 evacuated from the Navy base with no place to go.
    What ? No sports arenas to warehouse them ?
    Small local tributaries have turned into large raging rivers.
    Didn't the Army Corp of Engineers build the levies high enough ?

    Sorry ,couldn't help myself .This isn't funny.

    I understand why the media is fixated on the BP platform and the oil leak in the Gulf. But the people of Tennessee are just as worthy of a national response as the people of Lousiana .
    J_9's Avatar
    J_9 Posts: 40,298, Reputation: 5646
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    #7

    May 5, 2010, 06:55 AM
    The levies, well they were breeched as well. That's what caused the primary flooding on the base.

    Now the oil spill, we are looking at something catastrophic as well. Supposed to equal Valdez when it's all over.

    Don't bother coming to Memphis for some good 'ole southern seafood, if they can get it, it'll cost you an arm and a leg.
    excon's Avatar
    excon Posts: 21,482, Reputation: 2992
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    #8

    May 5, 2010, 07:39 AM
    Quote Originally Posted by J_9 View Post
    Now the oil spill, we are looking at something catastrophic as well. Supposed to equal Valdez when it's all over.
    Hello J:

    Equal? EQUAL?? I don't want to take anything away from your catastrophe, but we're talking about the difference between an oil TANKER emptying its contents, and an oil FIELD emptying its insides.

    Big difference.

    excon

    PS> Stay dry.
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    J_9 Posts: 40,298, Reputation: 5646
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    #9

    May 5, 2010, 07:46 AM
    You're right excon. I used the wrong word... rival maybe?
    speechlesstx's Avatar
    speechlesstx Posts: 1,111, Reputation: 284
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    #10

    May 5, 2010, 07:55 AM

    Yeah, an oil field spill that as reported today hasn't reached shore because it's been contained vs. a city of hundreds of thousands of real life people in real trouble.

    BIG difference.
    Catsmine's Avatar
    Catsmine Posts: 3,826, Reputation: 739
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    #11

    May 5, 2010, 08:35 AM

    Nashville being the capitol of a red red red state couldn't have anything to do with coverage, now could it?

    Of course, residents trying to pick themselves up instead of crying for FEMA might have something to do with it, too.
    tomder55's Avatar
    tomder55 Posts: 1,742, Reputation: 346
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    #12

    May 5, 2010, 08:43 AM

    Cats I wouldn't want to read too much into their intent or motives.

    It was an oversight... they meant to cover a disaster in one of our major cities ,but just didn't get around to it.. . yeah that's the ticket !
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    Catsmine Posts: 3,826, Reputation: 739
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    #13

    May 5, 2010, 08:52 AM
    Something I was reading the other day reminded me of an ABC cast from Katrina. There was this young kid helping people out of the rising water in the background of a shot of a lady bemoaning the lack of immediate Federal help. The reporter didn't even acknowledge the kid's existence as he got one out and turned around and went back into that nasty, dangerous, rising current to help somebody else.

    Call me a righty if you want to, I'll patronize media that (once in a while) points out a hero.

    I'll not attribute media bias to malice, but I'll dang sure notice it.
    J_9's Avatar
    J_9 Posts: 40,298, Reputation: 5646
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    #14

    May 5, 2010, 03:37 PM
    Here is an article you might find interesting

    We Are Nashville | Section 303
    inthebox's Avatar
    inthebox Posts: 787, Reputation: 179
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    #15

    May 6, 2010, 09:10 PM

    Nice link J9

    Just like western KY in the 09 ice storm. People helped each other out. They relied on self and family and friends first. They persevered and moved on.

    But to the msm, TN and KY are rural, fly over states with predominantly white Christians populations.




    G&P
    speechlesstx's Avatar
    speechlesstx Posts: 1,111, Reputation: 284
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    #16

    May 7, 2010, 07:05 AM
    Quote Originally Posted by J_9 View Post
    Here is an article you might find interesting

    We Are Nashville | Section 303
    And here's the video:

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    J_9 Posts: 40,298, Reputation: 5646
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    #17

    May 7, 2010, 07:11 AM
    Thank you so much for the video! Why don't we get news coverage? Simple... We are the VOLUNTEER STATE. We are all out volunteering to help our neighbors in crisis.

    You don't hear us expecting other states to help us out in our time of crisis, we are friends and family. We help each other out without anything expected in return.

    Oh, and guess what... More storms are coming this weekend!
    tomder55's Avatar
    tomder55 Posts: 1,742, Reputation: 346
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    #18

    May 7, 2010, 08:01 AM

    The President has been invited to come and visit the State. No word yet if he will .

    The press is beginning to wake up to the magnitude of the disaster .
    In Nashville, a way of life washed away - USATODAY.com
    speechlesstx's Avatar
    speechlesstx Posts: 1,111, Reputation: 284
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    #19

    May 7, 2010, 08:30 AM
    You are most welcome J_9.

    I concur with your sentiments. I've had family and friends in Tennessee since at least the early 70's and I've always loved the time spent there and the people I've met. I have a cousin in Nashville who escaped with only 15 inches of water in his basement... so far.

    You guys will be in our thoughts and prayers this weekend.
    tomder55's Avatar
    tomder55 Posts: 1,742, Reputation: 346
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    #20

    May 7, 2010, 11:19 AM

    At least we now know why the dinosaur media ignored Nashville.
    According to Snoozweek's Andrew Romano's criticism of the media coverage,the Nashville story was just too boring for them to bother with .
    the "narrative" simply wasn't as strong. Because it continually needs to fill the airwaves and the Internet with new content, 1,440 minutes a day, the media can only trade on a story's novelty for a few hours, tops. It is new angles, new characters, and new chapters that keep a story alive for longer. The problem for Nashville was that both the gulf oil spill and the Times Square terror attempt are like the Russian novels of this 24/7 media culture, with all the plot twists and larger themes (energy, environment, terrorism, etc.) required to fuel the blogs and cable shows for weeks on end. What's more, both stories have political hooks, which provide our increasingly politicized press (MSNBC, FOX News, blogs) with grist for the kind of arguments that further extend a story's lifespan (Did Obama respond too slowly? Should we Mirandize terrorists?). The Nashville narrative wasn't compelling enough to break the cycle, so the MSM just continued to blather on about BP and Shahzad.

    If I sound like I'm condoning the media's inattention here, I'm not. My explanation is meant as a criticism. Given audience demands—especially at a time when traditional media companies aren't doing so well—it's impossible to avoid the stories with the most buzz and the strongest narratives. Nor should we. But urgency should be at least as important. In this case, the most urgent aspects of the oil spill and the Times Square attack had already been covered to death; the culprit was already caught, the containment was already underway. And yet we still kept rehashing each of those stories—and fighting about politics—while thousands of homes and business were destroyed and dozens of people died. That matters. Media silence means public ignorance, and public ignorance means fewer charitable donations, slower aid, and less political pressure. If that's not reason enough to cover the flood--to do our jobs--I don't know what is.
    Why the Media Ignored the Nashville Flood - The Gaggle Blog - Newsweek.com

    And they wonder why they are a dying breed .

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