The Hurricane Season of 2017

The Hurricane Harvey is a historic storm. It has harmed the lives of millions of people in
the Gulf Coast region of Texas. It is the worst natural disaster in American history. It has
displaced about 1 million human beings in America. Chemical and refinery plants have been
burned in various fires. AccuWeather is estimating that the overall cost of the storm could
rise to $190 billion, or the equivalent of one percent of the total value of all goods and
services produced in the United States in an entire year. This is nearly as much as
Hurricane Katrina (2005) and Hurricane Sandy (2012) combined. The Gulf Coast region is a
region where strong ports and great people live at. Now, the human beings in that location
are fighting for their lives and many heroic individuals have saved human lives and animals
during this tragedy. This natural disaster has both shown the brutality of a hurricane and
the massive compassionate spirits found among humanity. We have to deal with honesty.
This Hurricane has caused the worst natural disaster in America involving a hurricane since
2005's Hurricane Katrina without question. Many people have been saved by boats and the
Coast Guard. Homes are flooded even above 50 feet. Many people have been struggling to
get food, clothing, and adequate forms of shelter. Thousands of National Guard troops,
Navy people, Air Force individuals, and Army troops were in Texas weeks ago in assisting
those who are suffering mightily.

By August 17, Harvey was a Tropical storm in the Miami/Caribbean region. By Wednesday
on August 23, 2017, Harvey developed more because of the warm waters of the Gulf Coast.
By Thursday, it transformed into a Hurricane. On August 25, 2017, the Hurricane made
landfall in Port Aransas and Port O'Connor (near Corpus Christi, Texas). Catastrophic
flooding continued in Victoria, Rockport, the rest of Southeast Texas, and Houston. By
Monday (on August 28, 2017) and federal, state, and local government services were in the
region to try to literally save human lives. There have been debates about the evacuation
order (if it was sent out too late). Thousands of 911 phone calls have came into Houston
(which was created from the 19th century) alone. Houston has 2.3 million people and its city
is made up of 667 square miles. Houston's metropolitan area has over 6 million people. Also,
scientists warned that if a powerful drainage system was not instituted, then massive
flooding would commence. Not to mention that climate change can accelerate
unfortunately the negative impact of such storms. The huge rains overwhelmed the bayous
of Houston.

Many people were stranded, because of the flooding and some people didn't have the money
to leave or evacuate. Most of the victims of this natural disaster are working class people.
We all send support and solidarity with the people of Texas. The compassion shown by the
people of Texas outlines a great lesson that human sacrifice (to help humanity) is glorious
and it is our duty to do altruism not selfishness. It is critically important for investments to
be made to rebuild the region and to upgrade our infrastructure (part of this is the
construction of floodgates in Houston and other places), so poor, middle class, and all
Americans can achieve their own dreams and aspirations. Mexico has send resources to help
Texas and the Dreamers have saved lives too. This documents how the proposed wall is
unjust and the Dreamers deserve to remain to live in the United States of America.

This storm is totally horrific and laws certainly must be made to assist those who struggle to
find insurance and to develop affordable, quality housing. It is also important to give great
credit to the unsung heroes (many of which are not shown by the mainstream media) for
saving families, for giving water to people, and for assisting folks into transportation in
order for them to go into safe locations. Charitable organizations have done excellent work
in sending legitimate supplies and comfort. Like always, we are always obligated to help our
neighbor, especially during times of tragedy. Like always, we believe in charity and prayers
sent to those in Texas.
 The image to the right shows Terranysha Ferguson holds her son, Christian Phillips, as she
sits with the rest of her family at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston on
Sunday, Aug. 27, 2017. The image to the right comes from the Associated Press (from
Elizabeth Conley).

The Aftermath

The aftermath of the storm dealt with many people suffering turmoil. On August 29, 2017,
Donald Trump visited Corpus Christi and other locations of Texas. Also, the storm reached
landfall again in Louisiana on August 30, 2017. This tragic situation proves that trickled
down economics or laissez faire capitalism doesn't work. We witnessed a historic emergency
and the solution requires intervention from public and private resources. Many heroes are
continuously giving food, water, shelter, and other supplies to the victims of Harvey. Many
people have used boats, jet skis, canoes, and other types of transportation to rescue those
stranded in the southeast Texas region. At least 2 reservoir dams in Texas overflowed.
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Administrator William Brock Long
proclaimed that the disaster was impossible to foresee or prepare for. How can I put this
without using certain words? Long is totally wrong.

Scientists and other scholars for years and years have talked about how a massive flood risk
existing in Houston and neighboring locations. An investigative report published by The
Texas Tribune and Pro Publica (from December of 2016) mentioned that late last year ---
the County's 18-year flood manager aggressively dismissed those warnings for years and
marginalized the scientists repeatedly offering them. Robert Bea, an emeritus civil
engineering professor at UC Berkeley and expert on hurricane risks on the Gulf Coast, told
the Los Angeles Times that the official claim that Houstons flood control system could
protect the population from a 100-year storm was a 100-year lie. Many city planners knew
specifically that certain areas of Houston were flood prone, but some of them still
eliminated natural prairies (which mitigated much of the flooding) and built structures for
the sake of profit. The victims of this tragedy have also been the victims of bad building
policy from the oligarchy.

The entire Texas National Guard has been deployed into the area as well. Including
National Guard troops, there are about 3,000 total troops. The Coast Guard has made an
estimated 4,000 rescues. 85% of Houston residents don't have flood insurance. That is why
infrastructure development is necessary and it involved modernizing and strengthening
anti-flood systems like flood gates. Many of the victims are poor and working class including
some rich. They include young and old. They include people of many backgrounds. Many
volunteers should always be acknowledged for saving thousands of lives. At least 30 people
have passed away. The George R. Brown Convention Center is housing at least 10,000
people and many of the victims are traveling into Dallas for relief. The megachurch pastor
Joel Osteen opened his church to those suffering after some accused him of closing his
church to victims (and after controversy and criticism from sincere people wanting help.
Joel claimed that his church was inaccessible at first. You have to make up your mind on
whether you believe Osteen or not. My view is that flood or not, no church should hesitate
in giving refuge to victims of a storm. For Joel to say that he waited until the government to
give the green light to aid victims of a Hurricane is totally wrong. I don't agree with the
Prosperity Gospel either because of many reasons).

Texas Secretary of State Rolando Pablos reportedly turned down help from our friends in
Canada is beyond troubling. According to Pathos, Quebec Minister of International
Relations Christine St-Pierre called Pablos to offer blankets, beds, pillows, hygienic
products and electricians, which were also given to the U.S. during Hurricane Katrina, and
the Texas Secretary of State turned down help that the people of Texas actually needed and
instead asked only for prayers. There is nothing wrong with prayers, but people need
supplies too. The Texas Secretary of State is completely wrong. About 436,000 households
are asking FEMA for help. FEMA has given assistance to about 161,000 people. The White
House desires to send $7.8 billion in emergency aid so far.

There are thousands of people in the Texas region being rescued. Weeks ago, rescue workers
had executed door to door searches in Houston to see if people are alive or not (using GPS).
The recovery will take years. Many communities have worked together in Texas. I send
much credit to many reporters allowing families to speak their minds and send messages
about missing people. Now, Beaumont once had no running water and gas shortages have
existed in many places of America. The water remaining has toxic chemicals in many cases
causing environmental issues. Heroes, who saved lives, ought to be praised too. Millions of
dollars have been raised to help humanity. Prayers and solidarity are certainly sent to the
people of Houston and the southeastern Texas area.

Many charities that donations are needed include: The Black Womens Defense League,
RAICES, Inca Relief, BlackAmericaWeb.com Relief Fund, Living Hope Wheelchair
Association, South Texas Human Rights Center, SHAPE Community Center, The
Hurricane Harvey Relief Fund, The American Red Cross, Houston Food Bank, Food Bank
of Corpus Christi, Houston Humane Society, Texas Diaper Bank , The Salvation Army, San
Antonio Humane Society, GlobalGivings Hurricane Harvey Relief Fund, the United Way,
and so many other charitable organizations.

We congratulate heroes doing real life saving work and we are all in solidarity with Texas
and other regions affected from Harvey.

Hurricane Irma and the U.S. Virgin Islands

We haven't forgotten about Irma too. The U.S. Virgin Islands have received huge damage.
That is why U.S. Army, the Coast Guard, and U.S. Marines forces are coming into the area
in order to rebuild and help people. Many Caribbean islands have been 90 percent
destroyed by the Hurricane Irma. People are struggling in St. Croix, St. Thomas, Cuba, and
other locations including Puerto Rico. The Florida Keys area has been hit hard and Florida
has massive power outages (in the millions). These events show how important human
compassion and investments are in our world. We all pray for the people in the regions of
the Caribbean, Florida, and Texas. Also, we recognize those suffering in Florida, in Texas,
the Caribbean, in Africa (with massive flooding killing people), and in Asia too. Irma has
devastated many regions of North America. It has destroyed Caribbean Islands from the
U.S. Virgin Islands to Cuba. It has spread into Florida and massively flooded the Florida
Keys including Jacksonville. Also, Miami has been damaged by the historic, terrible storm of
Irma. About 7 million people were without power in Florida. Thousands of people were in
shelters from Tampa Bay to St. Petersburg. The Miami police enforced the reactionary
Baker Act. That act allows cops to detain anyone who is posed "a danger." Many homeless
people have been detained too. More than half of the homeowners in Hurricane Irmas
direct path lack flood insurance, according to a recent study by the Associated Press. The
Hand in Hand telethon on September 12, 2017 raised over 14 million dollars. It raised money
for Hurricane Irma and Hurricane Harvey disaster relief. This tragedy of a storm is
certainly related to climate change, which is real. This event recognizes once again about
how infrastructure should be invested in America and many heroes have used charities and
other methods to help the victims of such destructive hurricanes.

Irma is truly a brutal storm. The U.S. Virgin Islands have received huge damage. That is
why U.S. Army, the Coast Guard, and U.S. Marines forces are coming into the area in order
to rebuild and help people. Many Caribbean islands have been 90 percent destroyed by the
Hurricane. People are struggling in St. Croix, St. Thomas, Cuba, and other locations
including Puerto Rico. The Florida Keys area has been hit hard and Florida had massive
power outages (in the millions). These events show how important human compassion and
investments are in our world. We all pray for the people in the regions of the Caribbean,
Florida, and Texas.

Puerto Rico

We are in solidarity with the people of Puerto Rico too. Trump made a disgusting comment
again that the debt in Puerto Rico is responsible in part to the disaster of the Hurricane. It
is obvious that not enough has been done to save people in Puerto Rico as people are dying
literally. Puerto Rico's residents are American citizens and we know how thousands of
containers have been left (at the San Juan port) which could have been used to help people
in the location. The mayor of San Juan has shown great leadership on speaking truth to
power about the situation. What is happening in Puerto Rico is not some good news. This is
a total humanitarian crisis. The majority of the island of Puerto Rico has no massive
electricity. Many roads are destroyed and people are suffering many medical ailments. Right
now, people need resources, infrastructure, and other services ASAP. Also, we send kudos
to real heroes who are helping others via charities, activism, and other positive actions. We
have to care for our neighbors as we are our Brothers and Sisters Keepers.

On the residents of Puerto Rico, they are American citizens, but they have no
Congressional representation as in votes in Congress and they have no electoral votes in
determining who is President (which is a disgraceful paradox). Trump has made a
disgraceful response involving Maria's destruction by saying that Puerto Rico must pay its
debt to Wall Street when the Puerto Rican people aren't responsible for the $72 billion+
debt, but Wall Street and other entities themselves are responsible. For a long time, U.S.
imperialists conquered Puerto Rico after Spanish imperialists oppressed the Puerto Rican
people (after the 1898 Spanish-American war). 3.5 million of the population of the Puerto
Rican location are experiencing a total humanitarian disaster. A lot of the electrical grid has
been destroyed as a product of the hurricane mixed with 90 degree weather during
September. Many people with oxygen tanks are suffering and people are experiencing
unimaginable pain. Food is lacking and about 60 percent of the population doesn't have
clean drinking water.

80 percent of its agricultural crops are destroyed. For Trump to say that Florida and Texas
are doing great is the height of absurdity and the anti-intellectualism that encompasses the
thinking of the White House. Trump said that the Puerto Rico location is surrounded by a
large ocean, so a delay in response is inevitable, which is totally ludicrous. The US-
appointed Fiscal Supervisory Board (JSF) has used austerity measures for years, which has
harmed the lives of the people of Puerto Rico. These disasters prove once again that the
poor, working class, and anybody else deserve adequate housing, education, health care, a
powerful infrastructure, living wages, and other resources in order for human beings to live
a life filled with egalitarianism. Puerto Rico is certainly owed much more respect than what
Trump has said. Puerto Rico certainly deserves massive federal funding in rebuilding its
communities.

So, we haven't forgotten about Puerto Rico. Many Puerto Rican people want food, other
supplies, and FEMA Aid. Hurricane Maria is one of the most vicious storms of our lifetimes.
It has totally devastated Puerto Rico. Many people have been killed. Puerto Rico's entire
electrical grid has been destroyed and many estimates say that it will take months before the
land of Puerto Rico will receive total power. 3.4 million people live in the area. Small towns,
cities, and the capital of San Juan has witnessed record total destruction as a product of the
storm of Maria. Maria has traveled from Dominica, into Puerto Rico, and into the
Dominican Republic (causing flooding there). In the city of Guaynabo south of San Juan,
people were terrified to witness the chaos caused by the storm. Many people have problems
in trying to contact their loved ones. The towns of Algarrobo, Puerto Nuevo, and Cabo
Caribe experienced roofs destroyed, medical supplies damaged, and other resources.
Rescuers include local Puerto Rico human beings, the Coast Guard (and other members of
the U.S. Armed Forces), other volunteers, etc. Puerto Rico for a number of years has been a
victim of austerity and their resources stripped by hedge funds folks and other wealthy
bond traders. The storm of Maria has further exacerbated its economic crisis (which was
caused by depressions, reduction of federal subsidies, the triple tax exemption, etc.).

The publicly owned Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority has been targeted for
privatization for years because of austerity measures. Austerity causes reduced revenues and
other economic problems. The federal agencies plan to invest about $1 billion initially, but
much more money is needed to rebuild Puerto Rico. This terrible incident proves that the
free market is not infallible and you need real investments to help human lives. So, we are in
solidarity with the people of Puerto Rico, Texas, Florida, and the rest of the Caribbean. We
certainly send prayers to all the victims of the hurricanes during this season.

By Timothy