80% of Tennessee is white, 65% of Nasvhille is white. So does that make this is 'racial' story? Of course not, but let's examine the numbers and ponder why this story hasn't been covered with such veracity as Katrina. Are they on the same scale? Of course not. But the reaction to the devastation by those effected, by the media and by politicians foretell a different character make-up between the two.
500...number of years experts are saying its been since the last flood of this magnitude in Nasvhille. 52...the number of counties out of 96 considered 'disaster areas'. 51...the number in feet at which the Cumberland river crested. 18...the number in inches of rain that fell over a 36-hour period. 17...at least the number of times an obituary has been written about someone who died from the flooding in the state. 13...the number of days ago that the rains started. 1...the number of stories thus far that touched me personally of someone I know who's house was destroyed from the flooding but said she was 'thanking God' that her family was safe. AND ironically One is also the number of times President Obama has played golf since flooding began and Tennesseans lost lives in the flooding. Lastly, 0 (yep zero)...the number of times Obama has visited Tennessee (it's a pretty good size state) since the rains began to fall and over $1 billion in damages has occurred.
If this were downtown Detroit, DC, New Orleans, or Philly would the president be so silent? And would there have existed such absent pleas of 'how the government is responsible and must help' the victims of such a tragedy? Notice the people of Nashville, like so many other flooded parts of middle America over the past few years, never cried out for government assistance, haven't made this a 'race' issue, and hasn't demanded that they be taken care of in any way. The good citizens, of all colors and creed, in Tennessee banded together to form one community in being benevolent to help one another. This is what America is...it's people, it's community, it's character. So no, Obama doesn't hate white people just like Bush didn't hate black people or allow a delayed response due to the color of the skin of those the media's camera lenses seemed to only find in the 5th ward. But what gets more media coverage...disaster that strikes predominantly white areas or disaster that strikes predominantly black areas (i.e. New Orleans - Katrina, Haiti - Earthquake)? It's about victimization and media race baiting that propels stories of woe in black communities to the top of the headlines. It's then that the democratic politicians flock to the coverage and begin their dialogue of how to 'help', or who is to 'blame' and why the 'government should be involved' in responding. Yes, 'race' to them helps explain why something happened or someone is to blame.
To all those in Nasvhille, from all walks of life, who have been affected by this horrific natural disaster, my thoughts and prayers are with you. May God's reason for this event play out in your lives, in your communities and in your hearts. God's compassion, for those who question His allowing this to happen, is that the rains stopped, the river receded and the wounds are slowly healing. God doesn't hate black, white, yellow, brown or green skin. This tragedy didn't target one race...its unintentional target was simply a population from every walk of life.
Leadership is chosen by its people. In New Orleans, the preponderance of its people chose to follow its leadership in Washington to help them out of their plight since they are committed to govt assistance. In Tennessee, its people chose to follow each others good will in helping their neighbor and believe that God will lead them through the crisis. Who would you rather follow? God or a politician?
And in closing, it's kind of difficult for Obama to be truly racist against white people in his heart. Because his DNA makes it genetically difficult, for the fact is, he is half-white! Where is Kanye on this tragedy when you need a buffoon to stick his foot in his mouth? Wait, we already have a buffoon who chooses not to speak about the tragedy to the "Volunteer State." Unfortunately, that buffoon happens to be the president of the United States of America, of which, Tennessee was one of its first. Godspeed Tennessee!
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