From the Gauntlet, With Love

The struggle on the East Coast after two major hurricanes is not an unfamiliar feeling on the Gulf Coast

Photo by The Tampa Bay Estuary Program on Unsplash

Lately, a lot has been discussed regarding the widespread misinformation about Hurricane Helene and now Hurricane Milton. What is clear to those of us who have endured such disasters at that scale is that most of the people spreading lies have never had to deal with any of it. Sure, they’ve probably donated money here and there but what do they really know?

Did they suddenly forget about all the previous hurricanes a third of the country has contended with over the last three decades? Are they new to this planet?

No question that bots amplified much of the misinformation but when it comes from loudmouths like former president Donald Trump, his cronies, and influencers with millions of followers who are thousands of miles away in their comfy La-Z-Boys, bots are the least of our worries. The idea that so many people can be so easily duped – as if a slow federal government response is something new – while ignoring the people suffering is a huge problem in this country.

We all point to the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and the obvious racial motivations behind the horridly slow reaction, with good reason. As a former Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) contractor with dozens of crews working in it, we couldn't ignore it. Everyone on the ground, from contractors to city officials to National Guardsmen saw it. The catalyst behind the lousy response to Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico wasn't much different from Katrina, as many have noted. 

Yet, even if you take Katrina and Maria out of the equation and look at storms from Hurricanes Ian in Florida (2022) and Sandy in New York and New Jersey (2012) to Hurricanes Harvey in Houston (2017) and Andrew (1992) in Florida, the FEMA response is always slow. Neighbors, civilians, and local governments do the brunt of the work of rescuing people and providing shelter and food. Along the Gulf Coast, we have been through many of these.

Yes, the federal government is problematic.

The first thing FEMA does is provide those affected with some cash (most recently it’s been $750) to allow people to buy needed clothes, food, or shelter. No, it’s never enough largely because of price gouging which is always an issue during these events. But it’s better than nothing, that’s for sure. For those struggling the most, it’s a huge difference-maker.

Those who have been through this also know how devastating hurricanes can be hundreds of miles inland. Despite news media focusing on the most devastated areas – that show debris, flattened homes, and trees all over the place – many people think that a hurricane immediately dies off once it makes landfall. But the truth is that hurricanes are as much about rain as they are about wind. The devastation from Helene is the latest proof of that.

When looking at Asheville, NC, the biggest hangup for the people suffering is access. Flooding, mudslides, and roads washed out are all things we see along the Gulf Coast. However, we don’t have mountain ranges to contend with. Getting equipment in to clear and rebuild roads will be a top priority for FEMA. This will make it seem as though they are misguided about restoration and recovery for communities in the region.

It will feel like the government is failing you most days. That’s a normal feeling given the circumstances. But the reality of how things are done is often overlooked and George Bush placing FEMA under the purview of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is one of the biggest reasons. It’s an unnecessary extra layer of bureaucracy that I’m sure the Bush administration justified in some weird way. But it was then that things slowed to crawl.

Republican lawmakers attempting to cripple FEMA have made matters much worse. From Trump reallocating FEMA funds ($271 million) and using them for immigration enforcement to recent actions by Republicans in both chambers of Congress refusing to adequately fund the agency, all of this should be noted by anyone serious about addressing FEMA’s insufficient response to disasters.

Even now, while people all over the East Coast suffer, House Speaker Mike Johnson refuses to call Congress back into session to pass emergency supplemental funding for the agency.

Everyone along the Gulf Coast–regardless of political affiliation–knows that Republican actions are unacceptable. Despite all the misinformation, anyone who’s been through these disasters or is going through them knows that taxpayers in the Southeast desperately need all the assistance they can get. The shoulder-shrugging by so many lawmakers should be noted.

The only way Republicans can counter it is by spreading misinformation that has duped even the most well-meaning content creators and influencers on social media.

That’s why so many Republicans are repeating the lies. They want the attention off of them. Let’s hope that people see them for what they are. Because like most politicians, they’re more worried about scoring points and staying in office than they are about people. No, I’m not being partisan. While I’m admonishing Republicans, and rightfully so, I call out Democrats often too.

As someone who lives in The Gauntlet (Hurricane Alley) and whose work revolves around human rights above all else, I think I speak for everyone between Florida and Texas when I say, we see you, we feel you, and we’ll fight for you – just as we hope you’d fight for us when it happens in our neck of the woods. Because we all know it’s only a matter of time before it does.

From The Gauntlet, with love.

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I’m a freelance journalist for The Antagonist Magazine and Unicorn Riot. Find me on TikTok, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Mastodon, and Threads. To support my work become a paid subscriber or donate on Venmo, PayPal, or CashApp