The Worst Disaster Since the Civil War But Not as News Worthy as an Oil Spill

How come no more coverage than 15 min. in the media? The worst flood to hit the area in 500 years, 30+ dead, over 1 Billion dollars in damage to Nashville alone not to mention several surrounding counties and still not a peep in days.

As a former resident of Nashville I find the lack of concern mind boggling.

Even though, there have been some posters here trying to bring awareness to the devastation in Tennessee, there are still those not aware a flood even took place.

The media had a chance to do something decent for a change and yet they failed once again!!

This city needs help from a lot of people and how is that going to happen when no one is even talking about it?

Here is an article that depicts what I am saying.

While Katie Couric and Michael Bloomberg were surmising that Tea Party Patriots were behind the failed New York bombing, Nashville was waking up to the aftermath of the area’s largest rainfall in 500 years.

The damage is devastating, the cost is in the billions; thousands have lost everything, but is it news worthy? Not really, not to the extent it deserves.

Some are asking why, but some of us believe the answer is obvious. In an excellent article by Nashville native, Patten Fuqua, entitled “We Are Nashville” Fuqua abandons his usual topic of hockey and ponders the same question. Why so little media coverage?

www.newsrealblog.com...

Here are just a couple of excerpts from Fuqua's article.

Fuqua writes:

"If you live outside of Nashville, you may not be aware, but our city was hit by a 500-year flood over the last few days. The national news coverage gave us 15 minutes, but went back to focusing on a failed car bomb and an oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. While both are clearly important stories, was that any reason to ignore our story?"

"It seems bizarre that no one seems to be aware that we just experienced what is quite probably the costliest non-hurricane disaster in American history. The funds to rebuild will have to come from somewhere, which is why people need to know. It’s hard to believe that we will receive much relief if there isn’t a perception that we need it."

So I ask all of you, what is the real reason this is being ignored by the media?

Thanks,

Pax

'Cause people can't be bothered by other peoples problems now days...

I'd add more, but, I can't be bothered by this now...the Stock Market might blow up soon...or Aliens might kidnap Russian Diplomats...

There are so many BIG THINGS happening that these events are fighting for facetime. The TimesSquare event was a misdirection move to srcub Oilgeddon from the populations brains. Nashville 500 year flood happened so fast. No build up. No drama. We live in exponential times.

I agree OP... I can't believe how this has been neglected.

It's sort of like how video of a bird covered in oil gets talked about over and over by multiple news channels but I still haven't heard much of ANYTHING about the 11 guys that went down with that rig.

It's been all over our local news in North Carolina. The weather Channel was reporting on it non-stop. The major networks though? I saw a brief and I mean brief blurp about it on CNN. I think they had to get back to ShowBiz Tonight or something.

I just started a thread asking the same thing - There are two other linked ATS threads within mine. Perhaps if we link them all together, somehow, it will get the attention it deserves. One can hope.

www.abovetopsecret.com...

reply to post by Hx3_1963


Hx, OMG!! Guess some of us just need a full dose of REALITY!! LOl! I mean seriously!! While I get that people are losing money hand over fist that does not excuse the biased MSM from doing their so called job?

Now Go and Save the world!

Night!

Pax

reply to post by paxnatus


I've thought on this a bit and here are a jumble of possible reasons.

-It wasn't dramatic enough. Under 50 deaths, little fire or looting.

-The Gatekeepers believe that their advertising demographic mostly doesn't care about fly over areas such as Middle TN. They may change the channel.

-It happened too slowly, over the weekend. Didn't fit in any tidy spot where they needed disaster news. MM already had the Southern Disaster headline with the Oil Spill. Monday morning requires cheerful news with urgent agenda setting for the week ahead. With only enough attention span to push 3 top stories, one has to be the war on terrorism. Or, is it tourism?

-Nashville is not "real" to upwardly mobile, tech savvy, urban, early adopters. They might come and snap a shot on Lower Broad, or peruse Shopryland, but it is all kind of precious and quaint to be in a 'Red' state. 'The Slocals are so funny with their dumb accents. They probably don't even believe Obama was born in the States. Oh, look they got flooded. They are probably used to that by now. Anyhow, everyone knows country music sucks (That's that crap W liked.)'

-TPB could care less, or may even revel in watching gun-totin, tea-baggin, anti-tax nuts get their due.

-It wasn't on Drudge report. Or was it? (Monday does not count, because our goose was cooked by Saturday afternoon. If the calvary had arrived Sunday evening, I would have been impressed. Monday I expected. Tuesday was too late, and they still didn't come till Wednesday.)

Maybe some more than others, or a combo. What other reasons might there be do y'all think? Actually it occurs to me that ATS has not been very interested in our little disaster either, The thread created during the flooding was placed in the SCIENCE forum inexplicably, and never featured.


[edit on 7-5-2010 by Leroy]

Hi Leroy,

Here are a few more reasons the media chose to ignore the disastrous flood that took place in Middle Tennessee.

Not enough wild looting, shoot your neighbor mentality, or raping and pillaging going on.

There were not enough deaths! Who cares if 30+ people drowned in their own front yards just trying to make it out of their driveways!

The building that floated down I-24 wasn't well known or large enough. Just some nasty old trailer, a makeshift Christian school.

Damages were not costly enough! What's a few more Billion? It's just monopoly money anyway!

The bodies recovered were not drenched in oil!!

Enough with the sarcasm.

While people were fighting for their lives, the media made a conscious decision to focus on blaming a tea party member as the non bomber in NY
and then spent the next few several hundred hours lamenting the fact that the suspect was Pakistani!

Forget the heroics of the unknowns that took place in those 2 days. Trust me there were plenty of them. But you' won't hear about them!

The media's priorities are so skewed, they chose to focus on ratings rather than human lives at stake, and the fact that thousands lost everything!

Bottom Line: Not Enough "Bad News" to leave people salivating!

Kudos to ESPN who took 5 minutes to tell us the Titan's locker room didn't sustain much damage! As long as you have your football, what else could you possible need?

The truth is the people of Middle Tennessee need anything we can spare!!

Please help make people aware of the magnitude of this event!

Thanks guys,

Pax


[edit on 7-5-2010 by paxnatus]

reply to post by paxnatus


I have family up in the Clarksville/Hopkinsville region and they said it was really bad up there.

I saw it on the news today on Morning Joe(MSNBC). They were saying how the people were looking out for each other since the government has failed to act. It's terrible when such a horrible disaster happens and no one even talks about it, like it's not important. Atleast Joe, Mika, Dylan, Pat and another lady were talking about it.

[edit on 5/7/10 by Misoir]

Well, What has Obama done to fix this? Anything>?

NOOOOO.

And after all that talk about Bush not responding in time to Katrina, what a shame!

OUR GOVT IS WORTHLESS NOW A DAYS.

And the reason why it is getting no coverage.....
Theres no money to be made off of it.

-Side Note- I myself was totally unaware that this took place. (Not even a peep on here about it from what I have seen). I dont get my news from T.V anymore...I come here to get it. Weird this is the first I have heard about it.

May they recieve ANY and ALL the help they need.

My condolences to those that have lost anyone in all of this.

reply to post by Common Good


who cares about this, there was also a tornado that killed a dozen in china.

the oil spill is the biggest concern at this moment!

Originally posted by RizeorDie
reply to post by Common Good

 

who cares about this, there was also a tornado that killed a dozen in china.

the oil spill is the biggest concern at this moment!

Obviously You Dont.

Oil Spill, Oil Spill. Yea, its important, no doubt about that.

And I wasnt aware that we could only handle one problem at one time.
Oh no wait, this is Obama, best that he does only One thing at a time anyways. We dont want his brain to explode from too much pressure.

Im glad you dont care about a state that had over a billion in damages, 30 + lives lost, and the people losing everything they ever knew.

But no, lets care about some propane tanks, fireworks, and the latest sex scandals.

Yea, way to look after your own people there bud.

Originally posted by RizeorDie
reply to post by Common Good

 

who cares about this, there was also a tornado that killed a dozen in china.

the oil spill is the biggest concern at this moment!

Are you serious? Really the oil spill? How is that affecting your pocketbook?

You can't imagine what this is like for the people that live there. As evidenced
by your post, you lack compassion!!

I am sorry for the loss China, as well as INDIA has experienced, but should that negate the levity of the flood and loss in Nashville?

What is your point with that comment?


Pax

[edit on 7-5-2010 by paxnatus]

Tenn. Floods Leave Behind Rivers of Sewage
www.cbsnews.com...

(AP) Dumpsters dot the Cottonwood subdivision with ductwork, insulation, mattresses and kitchen sinks piled in front of houses. The sound of hammers ripping up sodden floors and fans set at high hum through the air.

Yet the fetid smell filling the neighborhood hits the hardest.

Nashville, where the Grand Ole Opry flooded along with parts of the downtown, has been the focus since weekend storms killed at least 30 people in three states, 20 of them in Tennessee. But the record-shattering torrential rains that pushed the Cumberland River out of its banks to flood the tourist spots also pushed the rivers and creeks throughout Middle and West Tennessee to levels not seen in decades, if ever.

Adam Johnston has bags of lime stacked up to use to dull the smell once he cleans out the 4 inches of sewage and sludge under his house, where volunteers wore masks as they worked to clean up the devastation left when the Harpeth River rushed out of its banks and through this neighborhood.

"Whatever gets rid of the smell," Johnston said.

Looks like that dog has wagged more than once.

reply to post by Hx3_1963


Thank you Hx!! You get it!! Can you imagine having to deal with this?

These are the ugly details that people need to know about!!

Where the Hell is the village idiot Obama?? I think someone has a job he is perfectly suited for!!

On second thought, he is not very good at cleaning up crap!! Just look at the country!! LOL!


Pax

Worst disaster since Civil War?..

Com'n now.

reply to post by Z.S.P.V.G.


Couldn't agree more ,there wasn't that lure of drama for days ,to suck you in the media vortex

double post, sorry.

top of the next page.

[edit on 7-5-2010 by spookfish]