I, like every Texan and presumably every American, am absolutely shattered by the flooding in the Hill Country over the Fourth of July weekend and the loss of so many lives. The tragedy at Camp Mystic is especially difficult to comprehend; particularly if you are a parent, particularly if you are a parent who has sent your child to summer camp, particularly if you are a parent who has sent your child to summer camp in the Texas Hill Country.
I agree that climate change was a contributing factor in this tragedy. I also agree that the cuts to NOAA and the NWS will only compound our problems and add more catastrophes in our future. I’m sure there were communication problems, I’m sure that our alert and alarm systems could be better designed, I’m sure there are a thousand little ways things could have been done differently to save lives that are so very easy to see in hindsight.
But I also feel like all of the finger-pointing and the “why didn’t they …” and the “why did they …” and the impossibly loud political din that is happening around this awful event are nothing more than smug ways to inoculate ourselves from the existential dread of it all; a way to fend off the morbid whisper slipping around in our heads, reminding us that we or our children could have just as easily been swept away in that river had we been camping there enjoying the long holiday weekend.
I’m not saying that political action isn’t necessary or that it is “too soon” to talk about it or that one side isn’t more responsible for getting us here. I believe this was a nightmarish wake-up call, just like Uvalde was, and I hope to God that we answer this one, instead of once again ignoring the deaths of dozens of children and innocent people.
But I also am begging people on my side of the political spectrum to calm down, to find their humanity, and stop attacking the victims by treating this as some sort of a political gotcha or worse, karmic justice. I hope those people who are so eager to judge Texas and are about to post something about this being what we voted for take a moment to think of the one mother who lost her husband in April, her brother two weeks ago, and now her daughter in this flood. Or of the parents whose two daughters were found with their “hands locked together.” These are people going through the worst imaginable pain in the world — pain that I can not imagine surviving — and to have legions of people dunking on them and our state from all around the world with their self-satisfied political takes (political takes that are particularly gross and wrong-headed when you consider that more people voted for her in Texas than in any other state besides California), it’s just too much. It’s cruel. It’s inhumane.
Instead, I hope that they channel those feelings into doing something to help instead of hurting people and a community that has lost so very much. Here are some ways those of us who want to make the situation better for the victims can do so:
GoFundMe has a list of verified fundraisers for victims, both of this event and the San Antonio flooding that took 13 lives last month.
The Kerr County Flood Relief Fund was launched by The Community Foundation of the Texas Hill Country. All donations go to vetted organizations that provide relief, rescue, recovery efforts, and flood assistance.
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“TEXSAR, an Austin-based nonprofit specializing in emergency response, has deployed swiftwater rescue teams, boats, drones and search dogs to aid in the search for the missing.” They are seeking donations, which you can make here.
World Central Kitchen is on the ground feeding families and first responders. You can donate here.
H-E-B is also on the ground helping provide essential aid, and you can assist their efforts here or in your local store.
You can help area pets by donating to Austin Pets Alive! as they take in animals from the area, both rescued and displaced by the flood.
And if you’re unsure about a charity, be sure to use Charity Navigator or Guide Star to confirm your help is going where you want it to.
May all the affected find comfort and peace, and may we all find our humanity.