General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsCamp Mystic and some Christians:
Let's be clear. There are many good Christians who have actually read the Bible and embrace the tenets of Jesus. Unfortunately, none of them are in the Republican Party or the current Trump regime.
— Shelby Kent-Stewart (@shelbykstewart.bsky.social) 2025-07-14T20:29:45.276Z
But this? This is about putting greed over the lives of children in their care. ðDeplorable.

msongs
(71,790 posts)BOSSHOG
(43,225 posts)And Christians in Texas have failed him.
33taw
(3,202 posts)from destroying the camp?
Skittles
(165,953 posts)only money talks with these greedy assholes
applegrove
(126,770 posts)questionseverything
(11,057 posts)And in 75 years the river had never risen with in 20 feet ,well with this flood it cleared the bluff and was another 5 feet inside his house ,they just couldnt imagine this much water
applegrove
(126,770 posts)didn't die.
questionseverything
(11,057 posts)The floods will be higher and more often with climate change.
applegrove
(126,770 posts)unload, and do it over one area, you see a 27 foot flash flood.
Skittles
(165,953 posts)imagine that
RedWhiteBlueIsRacist
(838 posts)FullySupportDems
(357 posts)Do you ever wonder how these people live with themselves? When I was younger I didn't believe money was the root of all evil, but now I can't help but believe it. This is one more example.
kerry-is-my-prez
(10,074 posts)A adult counselor said she didnt know there was even a flood until much later.
FullySupportDems
(357 posts)With the irresponsible adults that made who knows how many bad decisions that made the tragedy inevitable. I know the counselors did everything they could to save the children. Such a horrible ordeal for them all.
vanlassie
(6,031 posts)warning sirens and proper communication equipment. Maybe even a bus or two.
NoMoreRepugs
(11,479 posts)CuriousSavage
(27 posts)I am about to share an unpleasant fact. DU, please do not judge me or impugn my character.
I work in the architectural field and have personally filed for FEMA Letter of Map Amendment (LOMA) on several of my projects. FEMA establishes hazard maps throughout the country based on historical flood risk data. Being in or outside of a flood zone can translate to tens of thousands of dollars of additional insurance. You (not "you", Applegrove) would be lying to yourself if you say that you'd voluntarily pay that year after year if it could legally be avoided.
It's all about the elevations... With the assistance of a surveyor, you determine if the grades around your building are above the flood hazard elevation designated for your specific area. If you can establish that, with licensed professionals vouching for the calculations, then FEMA will grant you a spot variance for your building. This could save you considerable money on insurance, allow you to have cellars or avoid costly raising of your structure. These rules have been around for decades, through many administrations.
I think we'd have to look beyond the insurance issue for the true source of this tragedy. Every new detail that comes out seems to be worse than the last. These are just off the top of my head (please correct me or add):
-There were calls to FEMA not being answered. Call center staff were let go.
-Key members of FEMA staff in charge of alerts were laid off or took early retirements.
-Local officials did not install alarm sirens in the region.
-The Biden administration offered the county money to implement such alarms and warning systems. Residents refused the money with venom and distain.
-A local firefighter's desperate calls to superiors was ignored.
-Camp administration knew for approximately an hour that the river was expected to rise dramatically and did NOTHING.
-The camp had a restriction on counselor and camper cell phone access but FFS, there must have been safety protocols. There probably was a hundred walkie talkies there... It happened fast but many. if not all, of the children could have been saved.
The loss of life horrifies me as a parent. The fact that it appears to have been avoidable enrages me, especially since I am a Scout leader and my primary obligation is to safeguard children while camping. There is plenty of fault and negligence. People must be held accountable. I'm just saying that this one detail was not the primary factor that endangered everyone.
applegrove
(126,770 posts)seeing as how with climate change the skies hold onto more water and then dump it all at once at the mountains in this part of Texas that are all stone so nothing gets absorbed and it all runs down to the river?
Would you do it again?
Maybe the partial point of high insurance is to encourage the market not to build there.
CuriousSavage
(27 posts)however, think of every city, town and village that has experienced a major deadly or costly weather event. These areas are not turned into nature preserves. People have to live somewhere. Everyone certainly has the choice to move elsewhere but not everyone can actually do it. It might be family, tradition, economic circumstances, age or many other factors. These flood prone areas are likely to be rebuilt but hopefully to higher building code standards.
I work in NYC. After Hurricane Sandy several communities were devastated. You'd think that residents of the hardest hit areas would never come back. Instead, they built it back and it's as populated as ever.... except that many of the houses are raised on higher foundations. Life finds a way of going on, hopefully a little smarter with hard lessons learned.
California has drought, fires, earthquakes. Hawaii has volcanoes. Southwest... >115 degree weather. Midwest.. Tornadoes. Buffalo- Snowfall measured in feet almost daily. Cancer Alley in Louisiana.... Florida- don't get me started. There is an element of danger almost everywhere and there are some places that make no sense whatsoever, yet people will live there.
JustAnotherGen
(35,622 posts)On limited development, expansion of sewer/drainage, updating waterlines, paving and oh yeah . . .
Limited development.
Permeability in a 1.17 square mile borough in a valley - dictates we not become a concrete jungle.
Skittles
(165,953 posts)the amount of disregard for what could happen was staggering
Texans are well-known for thinking they can go it alone. UGH.