Hurricane Central

So one of the big news stories of the year is the impacting Southeast Texas coastal cities by Hurricane Harvey https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurricane_Harvey. Lubbock http://www.fox34.com/story/36237396/lubbock-responds-to-hurricane-harvey-disaster-relief sent much help: police, sheriffs, firemen, individuals, agencies.

Governor Abbott  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greg_Abbott of Texas pre-declared a disaster, and President Trump almost immediately declared a national disaster, allowing FEMA https://www.fema.gov/ to start helping almost immediately.  Not only did the Governor deploy all of the 12,000Texas National Guard https://www.nationalguard.com/, Guards from other states helped.  The American Red Cross https://www.redcross.org/donate/hurricane-harvey?scode=RSG00000E017&utm_campaign=Harvey&gclid=Cj0KCQjw3MPNBRDjARIsAOYU6x9ZG5Lc6mUdm6waeS3kaQt3Lpfmf31VZdyJDkbOxDgHGjlSFo0xpy0aAqcJEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds&dclid=CIHajqG3lNYCFU8DgQod1gkPrQ, Catholic Charities https://www.catholiccharities.org/, the Salvation Army http://www.salvationarmy.org/ and the South Plains Food Bank https://www.spfb.org/ all deployed. 

Governor Abbot waived the hotel tax for all evacuees and rescuers.

Many hospital patients were evacuated, and while there was no mandatory evacuation of Houston, people were encouraged to consider it and at least prepare.  Shelters were opened and more shelters were opened.

Private individuals put their boats in the water, and made rescues.  The Louisiana Cajun Navy http://mashable.com/2017/08/29/Cajun-navy-houston-harvey-louisiana/#b4TfxR2mvOqF came to help.  

Corporate America helped.  HEB https://www.heb.com/ donated food and water to rescuers and evacuees.  WalMart https://www.walmart.com/ did a fundraiser.  Local businesses in Lubbock have done fundraisers. To name two:  Cantina Laredo https://www.google.com/search?q=cantina+laredo+lubbock&ie=&oe= and 

West Crust Pizza https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g56208-d2199840-Reviews-West_Crust_Artisan_Pizza-Lubbock_Texas.html.

MLB https://www.mlb.com/ and NFL https://www.nfl.com/ are doing fund raisers.

Congress passed emergency relief  http://www.cnn.com/2017/09/06/politics/house-votes-harvey-aid/index.html  http://dailycaller.com/2017/09/07/senate-passes-hurricane-harvey-relief-bill-raises-debt-ceiling/.

The five living ex-Presidents: President Carter, President Bush (41) and President Bush (43), President Clinton and President Obama  have come together to develop One America Appeal https://www.oneamericaappeal.org/ which was originally specific for Hurricane Harvey but is being broadened to help Hurricane Irma victims and survivors.

Major gasoline refineries were shut down, and gasoline prices have jumped, but the refineries are back on line https://www.cnbc.com/2017/09/05/oil-surges-as-refineries-restart-after-harvey-irma-is-trouble-for-gas.html.

And now, Hurricane Irma https://weather.com/storms/hurricane-central/irma-2017/AL112017  is wreaking havoc in the Caribbean Sea , on the Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, and many other Caribbean Islands https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Caribbean_islands Anguilla, Barbuda, and Turks and Caicos to name a few.

There are the same pre-hit disaster preparations and disaster declarations occurring for Irma as there were for Harvey. Puerto Rico evacuated people inland. Florida has some mandatory evacuations, and is well prepared for evacuations, including of the Florida Keys, but even so, gas is short, prices are skyrocketing and in reality, there is some price gouging occurring.  The Florida attorney general, Pam Bondi http://myfloridalegal.com/ has said that will not be tolerated.

There is another hurricane active more south: Katia http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/graphics_at3.shtml?cone and Jose https://weather.com/storms/hurricane/news/tropical-storm-hurricane-jose-forecast-atlantic is in the Caribbean, too.

Such an active hurricane season.  Pray for all in harms way.

9/11

Tomorrow is the 15th anniversary of 9/11.  Ten years ago, I convinced one of my book clubs at the time to read The Day the World Came to Town https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/148775.The_Day_the_World_Came_to_Town.  This is the story of the plane people who were diverted from New York City to Gander, Newfoundland, when the twin towers were demolished. If you have not read it, please do. It is a good story.

In Lubbock, flags are flown in Kastman Park http://www.kcbd.com/slideshow?widgetid188602 every year to commemorate those lost and the first responders who worked and lost their lives, too.

This year, we have been asked to do another commemoration:  To honor the first responders, and all military who serve to protect this country, an ex-Marine, Benny Guerrero is asking us to turn on our porch lights Saturday sunset to Monday morning as a show of support http://www.kcbd.com/story/33061984/turn-on-your-porch-light-to-honor-first-responders-this-weekend. 

I plan to do this. What are you going to do?

Memorial Day Ceremony, City of Lubbock Cemetery

I went to the Memorial Day Ceremony at the City of Lubbock Cemetery today http://www.everythinglubbock.com/news/local-news/memorial-day-service-at-the-historic-city-of-lubbock-cemetery-on-may-30-2016.  It was a simple ceremony, and very brief, about a half hour. The guest speaker,  Colonel Dave Lewis, United States Air Force (Retired), talked about everyone who puts their life on the line for their country, and that they pay for their service "in the currency of blood."  I thought that was a very interesting way to talk about the ultimate sacrifice that is made by many of our freedom fighters:  military, police, and other first responders.  It is an accurate description: because even if these freedom fighters do not become injured or die during service, they are putting their lives on the line every time they respond on behalf of our country. They risk their blood.  Every time. 

9-11

I did not intentionally do much to commemorate the 14th anniversary of the 9/11/2001 terrorist attacks. http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/on-sept-11-anniversary-appeals-to-remember-as-time-passes/ar-AAeap4l?li=AAa0dzB?ocid=ansmsnnews11  I started the day very conscious of the anniversary, and did put my flag out. At the football game the team's uniforms honored the living and dead first responders, veterans, and military members.  But that was it.

But I often think about how 9/11 changed us.  Our nation's citizens had rights curtailed by virtue of the Patriot Act https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patriot_Act which allowed The Department of Homeland Security http://www.dhs.gov/ and other government agencies extensive liberties in surveillance, wiretapping, data mining, and invasions of privacy in the name of looking for terrorists or terroristic activity.

Our language has change: 9/11; ground zero; first responders (which was used previous to that attack, but not as prevalently as after); Homeland Security, to mention a few.

Our way of looking at things has changed.  First responders are more recognized as heroes.  Or at least, people who put their life on the line.  The members of the military are honored, and it is not uncommon for someone to approach a person in uniform, and to say "Thank you for your service."

In my way of thinking, we as a country are more leery about immigrants and refugees. Yet, I think some people have gone out of their way to be more aware of diversity and learn about different cultures, countries, religions.   

I also wonder if some of the police on citizen violence does not hearken back to the changes caused by 9/11.  First responders were given more authority by virtue of the need to seek out terrorists.  But when someone is given more authority, it is easy to generalize that to any or every situation. And, minority profiling, whether intentional, by policy, or unintentional, does occur.  So it became easier for someone so inclined to abuse their authority in certain situations.  We know this has happened for years.  I don't know if it has become worse recently, or we are just more aware of it, attuned to it, and seeing more unbiased evidentiary reports about it.

Of course, security at airports and the borders, even with our neighbor to the north, Canada, and to the south, Mexico, has increased. 

I wonder what exactly Al Qaeda https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al-Qaeda hoped to accomplish by these attacks.  To bring the United States down, in some way, shape, or form.  To my thinking, these attacks made our country stronger.  It started with Flight 93, when people did what they could.  Instead of being helpless victims on a skyjacked plane, they fought back, realizing they might not live, anyway. I think in many ways even though we have a lot of divisiveness in the country, we as a citizenry will rally together against any outside attach.

I think the public response to the Boston Marathon bombers, Boston Strong https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boston_Strong, was a symbol of how the people of this country come together against outside attacks.

I personally am not sure how 9/11 changed me.  I have reflected that in the last few years, I am more conscious of thanking members of the military and first responders. I attend memorial services, and find myself tearing up when I hear patriotic music. I have passively accepted "security measures" while wondering if I should oppose the infringements on my rights. I feel stronger about wanting to defend my country. I feel stronger about wanting the wrongs in my country to be righted.

I fly very little, but do not find the impositions of searches and security measures that intrusive, partly, I think, because I work on a prison and search and investigation of personal effects is a regular experience. Except that the searches add so much time to the flight. But, I would rather drive so I can throw whatever into the car, even if I end up not needing it. Internet security is a problem, but it always was.

I think we have just settled into the "new normal" without realizing what we have lost or gained.   And that is the worst outcome of 9/11. Not being aware of what he have lost or gained.