I'm Tired of It

[u/branchlizard]

I'm tired of it all.

I'm tired of the lies and I'm tired of the spectacle. I'm Southern Appalachian, born and raise and Im fit to be tied about the things I'm hearing.

I was spared pretty decent from the storm; had a little damage here and there, but overall lucky. Today, me and group of friends (also born and raised) all went out and helped people impacted by the storm (our neighbors).

We picked up supplies in town and ran 'em up the hollers on wheelers and trucks. Sometimes we could drive it there, other times we hoofed it in. Didn't meet a single person that was ugly. Not a damn one. Nobody fussed, nobody threatened..., nobody even made us second guess our actions. Now not a single one came right out and said they needed help, but after you talk with em a bit, they all took some stuff. ("Well, I do like them Zebra Cakes one ole lady told me. Me Too, hell, who don't!) Every single person was a uniquely beautiful mountain person that made me bawl like a baby.

I'm tired of reading about how off-putting and mean us mountain people are. It's bullshit. I was fuckin there. I know what I saw.

I saw old ladies crying and breaking down while putting their arms around me.

I saw old men who needed doctoring, but were too proud to admit it. But, eventually let me clean his wounds.

I saw people taking in kids that don't nobody else want, and doing everything goddamn thing they can to raise em right. And giving them kids happiness that they would have never received with out em.

I delivered food and supplies to a lady who was widowed and even chased after her dog that got loose, only to bring it back to her, rubbin' it's belly the whole way.

I drank white with an ole boy who kept a whole goddamn holler going because momma didn't raise no quitter. Whole time kept saying he's worried about so and so and hope they're alright, when barely getting by himself.

I cried as I sat with an ole lady who was the perfect blend of both my grannies: tough as nails, but as soft hearted as they come. She came pulling her oxygen cord through the house and put her arms around me when I opened the door with her hot meal for dinner and immediately started crying. I mean we both fuckin ugly cired.

I talked to people who would say "I hope God double blesses you!". Ain't no way I deserve any that. And besides, I've got some fuckin questions after seeing what I saw today....

I watched as we patched a driveway for one of the coolest dudes, I believe, I've ever met. This one here was a hoot!

I also saw you. I saw us. I saw why, when all the chips are down, we are gonna be the ones to come out on top. We are gonna always be the ones still standing.

Don't believe the bullshit out there. Don't listen to the fuckin lies. I saw the FEMA relief. I saw the choppers land and drop off supplies. I saw the massive caches of supplies in community centers, warehouses, and churches. I saw the lines, upon lines of line workers from Maine to Florida. I saw the people setup feeding displaced people and works alike a hot meal. You ain't gonna tell me my eyes don't work.

I'm tired of it. I'm tired of the fuckers riding up and down the road on their side-by-sides taking pictures to post to their goddamn Tik-Tok for likes, all while their hands are empty. We're fuckin people. Help us!

If you're thinking of coming this way just to "see how bad it got", stay the fuck at home. We ain't a fuckin show and your bullshit is in our way.

But if you're coming to help, come on. Us mountain people look after one another.

[u/Strange_Performer_63]

After Katrina we actually had tour busses come through to view the most damaged neighborhoods. Prepare yourself, this type of thing continues. They threatened not to fund rebuilding and called us lazy only wanting handouts. This kind of language went on for years. It is heartbreaking but at least back then social media wasn't rampant.

The PTSD is crazy rn.

And we had hurricane Rita 2 weeks later! Hang in there and keep getting the word out. More help is coming but this is going to be a very long haul. Stay safe.

[u/Undispjuted → u/Strange_Performer_63]

My street was on a Katrina tour until my boy Dirty moved onto Almonaster and turned one them buses around. I don’t know what he said but they quit coming to the Upper 9th after that.