I don’t know who reads the things I post, or who watches the news. There isn’t much news coverage on these anyways, the media is more worried about the recent election than current disasters ravaging on in one of our countries beautiful states.
For the past few days wild fires have been spreading across the Smokey Mountains. Specifically close to home for me personally. They are raging through a town called Gatlinburg Tn. Not just any town mind you, this is a tourist attraction, and neighboring it is Pigeon Forge, the birth place of Dolly Parton, home to her famous amusement park Dollywood.
Most of the fires are contained for now, the good Lord sent us the rain we’ve all been hoping and praying for, but there is still alot of work to do. As far as I know there are 4 casualties so far. Everyone had to evacuate, people lost homes, buisnesses, pets. It’s devastating.
I’ve seen some ugly tweets and posts being passed around making fun of east TN’s current situation. I don’t know who these people are that are making them, I don’t know where they are from, I don’t know their backgrounds. The posts are mean-spirited stereotypes of the people in our region and the hopes that we continue to suffer. I don’t know – nor understand – the evil hearts behind the motivation to say those things.
But I can tell you this – this is what you won’t see coming from our area…. You won’t see mass hysteria and uncontrollable chaos. You won’t see the national media in our midst stirring up fear and dissension among our citizens. You won’t see blame being put on anyone except the arsonists. You won’t see looting. You won’t see unnecessary violence. You won’t see rioting. You won’t see us on national TV acting like a bunch of crazed idiots.
What you will see is a community banding together, pulling ourselves up by our bootstraps. You will see (and already see) a mass outpouring of generosity to the emergency workers and to the 2000 people in temporary shelters. You will see churches and community groups do everything in our power to help wherever needed. You will see families mourn and grieve. You will see us supporting one another and working together. You will see restoration. You will see us rebuild our beautiful region. You will see us take this ‘punch in the gut’ like a champion…
…and then we’ll carry on.
So let the haters hate.
Let the national news media stay far, far away.
And let the Volunteer State do what it does best.
I don’t know what you believe in, but my home, my fellow Tennessean ‘ s, my beautiful Great Smokey Mountains could use all the prayers, thoughts, good vibes you can send.
SouthernLove 