TX Flood - Firsthand Stories - No Politics/Blame

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Out of curiosity, why would you want to read about other's misfortunes? Especially of people you don't know.

The person who wrote this account wants you to read it and to know their story. But sure, you go ahead and keep telling yourself that turning away makes you a superior person. Thanks for sharing this, OP.

But why? And why so soon after? Questions to ask.

Because he’s a journalist, and bearing witness is what they do.

And making money for their bosses. #1 priority. "If it bleeds, it leads." "If it isn't bleeding, make it bleed." Common slogans.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Did anyone else feel like Clay's death was kind of glossed over?

Yes. I agree it was well written and conveyed the horror and reality of the flood. I thought it glossed over that with four adult men present it was the lone woman/mom who was left trying to protect BOTH kids and to keep all three of them alive. I thought it glossed over that while it was beginning she was trying to keep the kids on the counter, the dad/husband was holding the sliding door, and the author and his husband were doing what? Why didn’t one of them help protect the kids?

I had this thought too and I definitely got the impression that the writer is hanging onto some guilt over it. I just don’t think any of them understood what was really going to happen.

Anyway, that was a completely gut wrenching read as a parent. And it prompted me to talk to my husband about an emergency plan where we are each responsible for one kid.

Exactly. Nobody had any idea what would happen.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Out of curiosity, why would you want to read about other's misfortunes? Especially of people you don't know.

The person who wrote this account wants you to read it and to know their story. But sure, you go ahead and keep telling yourself that turning away makes you a superior person. Thanks for sharing this, OP.

But why? And why so soon after? Questions to ask.

It reminded me exactly of what I did after 9/11. Was probably even that evening. I wrote everything down that I could remember happened that day in DC, evacuating to Alexandria, etc. Same sort of play by play to not forget. Plus he is a writer and asked them to publish it. I am sure he was still in shock too.

[Anonymous]

You sound controlling OP telling other people how to respond. Politics is part of the story. Stop trying to brush it under the carpet.

[Anonymous]

The article in WaPo made me so sad. I hope they find all of the campers soon.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Out of curiosity, why would you want to read about other's misfortunes? Especially of people you don't know.

The person who wrote this account wants you to read it and to know their story. But sure, you go ahead and keep telling yourself that turning away makes you a superior person. Thanks for sharing this, OP.

But why? And why so soon after? Questions to ask.

Because he’s a journalist, and bearing witness is what they do.

Agree. He wrote it for his niece. It's pretty obvious. She probably will always wonder why she made it and her brother didn't. The story explains it.

Better to write it down right away. Memories fade.

He shared it because that's what he knows how to do. And lots of people are mourning. This is part of the mourning.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Out of curiosity, why would you want to read about other's misfortunes? Especially of people you don't know.

The person who wrote this account wants you to read it and to know their story. But sure, you go ahead and keep telling yourself that turning away makes you a superior person. Thanks for sharing this, OP.

But why? And why so soon after? Questions to ask.

Because he’s a journalist, and bearing witness is what they do.

And making money for their bosses. #1 priority. "If it bleeds, it leads." "If it isn't bleeding, make it bleed." Common slogans.

Are you familiar with Texas Monthly, which hemorrhages money?

I’m a Washingtonian, not a Texan, but I still read it regularly because they have amazing writing and investigations.

In this particular instance, the cynicism is misplaced.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Out of curiosity, why would you want to read about other's misfortunes? Especially of people you don't know.

Trauma porn

[Anonymous]

The Washington Post article about the counselor that led 16 young campers out of danger was powerful.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The Washington Post article about the counselor that led 16 young campers out of danger was powerful.

Agree. John Woodrow Cox is an incredible reporter. If interested, recommend reading his work on gun safety.

[Anonymous]

Unless the timeline of events in this article is hazy, something’s not right.

Alissa, the mom said over and over “He can’t swim. He’s a baby.”

Not one single person in that house thought to immediately put life jackets on the kids?

You build a house on stilts in the same location that flooded many years prior, that killed 14 or so kids. Yet, there weren’t kid and adult life jackets located in high cabinets of every room?

To continue predicting what would obviously happen next as water was already at 20 feet and crashing thru floors and glass doors?

To think for a split second that mom would not let go of those kids and grab one of them?

The men find the two women and one child in trees and Patrick goes looking for grandfather before helping Lance rescue them?

Gives me Uvalde vibes. Reminds of the mom who broke thru the police barrier and then broke a classroom window to save her kids and others. The little girl that was able to remain calm while giving a more detailed account to the dispatcher than the hundreds of fat cops doing nothing.

Once again, women are heartier and braver than men. Mystic counselors were teen girls and managed to get campers to safety.

Heartbreaking for sure in spite of this article.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The Washington Post article about the counselor that led 16 young campers out of danger was powerful.

Could somebody please provide a gift link to this article? (I'm not in the DC area, thus not a subscriber).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Did anyone else feel like Clay's death was kind of glossed over?

Yes. I agree it was well written and conveyed the horror and reality of the flood. I thought it glossed over that with four adult men present it was the lone woman/mom who was left trying to protect BOTH kids and to keep all three of them alive. I thought it glossed over that while it was beginning she was trying to keep the kids on the counter, the dad/husband was holding the sliding door, and the author and his husband were doing what? Why didn’t one of them help protect the kids?

The men were trying to formulate a plan. Nobody knew that the house was going to disintegrate. You should be ashamed of yourself for writing such ignorant and bigoted words.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Out of curiosity, why would you want to read about other's misfortunes? Especially of people you don't know.

The person who wrote this account wants you to read it and to know their story. But sure, you go ahead and keep telling yourself that turning away makes you a superior person. Thanks for sharing this, OP.

But why? And why so soon after? Questions to ask.

Because he’s a journalist, and bearing witness is what they do.

And making money for their bosses. #1 priority. "If it bleeds, it leads." "If it isn't bleeding, make it bleed." Common slogans.

You're aware that Texas Monthly is a nonprofit?

Something terrible happened that affects the community and without assigning political blame, it's important for people to know and hear about what's happened to other members of the community and hopefully help make sure it doesn't happen again. What's wrong with that?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Did anyone else feel like Clay's death was kind of glossed over?

Yes. I agree it was well written and conveyed the horror and reality of the flood. I thought it glossed over that with four adult men present it was the lone woman/mom who was left trying to protect BOTH kids and to keep all three of them alive. I thought it glossed over that while it was beginning she was trying to keep the kids on the counter, the dad/husband was holding the sliding door, and the author and his husband were doing what? Why didn’t one of them help protect the kids?

The men were trying to formulate a plan. Nobody knew that the house was going to disintegrate. You should be ashamed of yourself for writing such ignorant and bigoted words.

+1
Remember that everything happened so quickly. I would think that the men's first instincts would be to try to prevent the water from crashing into the house so holding up the glass door does make sense ... until it didn't and by then it all devolved in mere seconds.