The Apocalypse in Joplin
Timothy Birdnow
Let us all pray for the city of Joplin, Missouri, which was recently destroyed by a terrible twister.
http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2011/05/23/liveblog-tornado-destroys-most-of-joplin-missouri/
The tornado, which may be as strong as a category 5, touched down directly on top of Joplin, for those who are not aware.
I cannot imagine the horror of such a thing. I am sorely tempted to go there to see it, but then the best thing I can do for them is to NOT go and gawk; they need clear roads and routes for the supplies.
President Obama is going to give a speech there on Sunday http://m.ibtimes.com/joplin-tornado-obama-to-visit-missouri-151399.html, from what I am given to understand, and the surviving residents aren't pleased; he could have given them comfort right away, but now he is going to come in with a huge staff and lots of security, tying up the facilities these people need to survive, solely to make a political statement. And people complained about the slow response of George W. Bush to Katrina...
My friend 7lb Dave lived in Joplin for several years, and I've been there a few times. It's a city, not just a town, and there was an older downtown area that was ripe for destruction; old buildings not especially well maintained. It was kind of a shabby place, really, although the southern outskirts was full of well-to-do residents with nice homes. Had the feel of a college town in those parts because of Missouri Southern State University, I guess (a small college, but a college).
It really is an astonishingly awful thing. There is a lot of concern here and throughout the state, so I suspect it's not going to resemble Katrina and New Orleans, but with Obama putting his grubby hands in it you never know. The town is fairly well served in terms of roads and does not have the problems New Orleans had with levees and the like. As long as the roads remain clear help will get through.
Which brings up an interesting tidbit; yesterday on our local conservative radio they were interviewing a guy who runs a tree service (Jeff Hansen, of Hansen's Tree Service) who wanted to bring heavy equipment down to Joplin to help dig out. These big digging machines are used to remove whole trees, the big ones, but they cannot be moved on roads without a special permit. The permit office closes on Friday afternoon and reopens Monday morning - so they had to wait until the wheels of bureaucracy began to turn to send rescue equipment. Just more proof that the government acts to restrain the enterprise of the people.
At any rate, the official death toll is 116, although radio reports have it as high as 300, with as many as 1500 missing. http://gatewaypundit.rightnetwork.com/2011/05/breaking-8-year-old-child-found-alive-in-joplin-wreckage-shingles-wedged-in-his-abdomen/ That Reverend Camping fellow may have been dead wrong about the end of the world, but it sure looks like he was spot in Joplin; the city is decimated. As Dana Mathewson so plaintively asks, what could they possibly have done to deserve that? It is horrible.
Donations can be made to the Salvation Army www.salvationarmy.org, the American Red Cross www.redcross.org, or any other worthy organization. The residents will need money, food, water, clothing, just about everything. Please be generous; these people have lost it all.
And prayers; these will be a most precious relief that can be given. The poorest among us can at least make THAT donation. Nonbelievers can pray by discussing this with others, asking them to help.
Such disasters make us understand the fragility of this proud civilization we have built.
Let us all pray for the city of Joplin, Missouri, which was recently destroyed by a terrible twister.
http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2011/05/23/liveblog-tornado-destroys-most-of-joplin-missouri/
The tornado, which may be as strong as a category 5, touched down directly on top of Joplin, for those who are not aware.
I cannot imagine the horror of such a thing. I am sorely tempted to go there to see it, but then the best thing I can do for them is to NOT go and gawk; they need clear roads and routes for the supplies.
President Obama is going to give a speech there on Sunday http://m.ibtimes.com/joplin-tornado-obama-to-visit-missouri-151399.html, from what I am given to understand, and the surviving residents aren't pleased; he could have given them comfort right away, but now he is going to come in with a huge staff and lots of security, tying up the facilities these people need to survive, solely to make a political statement. And people complained about the slow response of George W. Bush to Katrina...
My friend 7lb Dave lived in Joplin for several years, and I've been there a few times. It's a city, not just a town, and there was an older downtown area that was ripe for destruction; old buildings not especially well maintained. It was kind of a shabby place, really, although the southern outskirts was full of well-to-do residents with nice homes. Had the feel of a college town in those parts because of Missouri Southern State University, I guess (a small college, but a college).
It really is an astonishingly awful thing. There is a lot of concern here and throughout the state, so I suspect it's not going to resemble Katrina and New Orleans, but with Obama putting his grubby hands in it you never know. The town is fairly well served in terms of roads and does not have the problems New Orleans had with levees and the like. As long as the roads remain clear help will get through.
Which brings up an interesting tidbit; yesterday on our local conservative radio they were interviewing a guy who runs a tree service (Jeff Hansen, of Hansen's Tree Service) who wanted to bring heavy equipment down to Joplin to help dig out. These big digging machines are used to remove whole trees, the big ones, but they cannot be moved on roads without a special permit. The permit office closes on Friday afternoon and reopens Monday morning - so they had to wait until the wheels of bureaucracy began to turn to send rescue equipment. Just more proof that the government acts to restrain the enterprise of the people.
At any rate, the official death toll is 116, although radio reports have it as high as 300, with as many as 1500 missing. http://gatewaypundit.rightnetwork.com/2011/05/breaking-8-year-old-child-found-alive-in-joplin-wreckage-shingles-wedged-in-his-abdomen/ That Reverend Camping fellow may have been dead wrong about the end of the world, but it sure looks like he was spot in Joplin; the city is decimated. As Dana Mathewson so plaintively asks, what could they possibly have done to deserve that? It is horrible.
Donations can be made to the Salvation Army www.salvationarmy.org, the American Red Cross www.redcross.org, or any other worthy organization. The residents will need money, food, water, clothing, just about everything. Please be generous; these people have lost it all.
And prayers; these will be a most precious relief that can be given. The poorest among us can at least make THAT donation. Nonbelievers can pray by discussing this with others, asking them to help.
Such disasters make us understand the fragility of this proud civilization we have built.
posted by Timothy Birdnow | 5:10 AM
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