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Hurricane Harvey is causing unprecedented levels of both property damage and human fatalities through south-eastern Texas. So far there have been 39 deaths and 30,000 people have been displaced from their homes. The hurricane is estimated to cause nearly $50 billion in total damages.

The focus of the media and the country at large should be on helping the people affected, some of whom have lost everything and just have the clothes on their back. Many Americans are donating both money and goods and those in the state of Texas have been volunteering both their labour and resources to the relief effort.

The mainstream media of course cannot let a tragedy like this to go to waste without criticising President Trump for his supposed mismanagement of the hurricane. The media has published endless commentary claiming that Trump has not responded to the hurricane in their approved manner. Apparently, he should be spending more time consoling and hugging hurricane victims telling them it will be okay. They appear to believe that symbolic gestures equal real action.

It should be noted that the relief effort itself from federal authorities such as the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has not been criticized for being inadequate as was the case after Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans in 2005. You can tell the media don’t have any real criticisms of the Trump Administration’s response in itself so they are focusing these superficial issues.

Nevermind that Trump has already been to Texas to survey the damage. Even though he was in Texas he was criticized for wearing his USA 45 hat which the media interpreted as him exploiting a tragedy to promote his line of hats. This is certainly a long bow to draw, Trump wears his hat at almost any outdoor appearance. Why is it an issue now? Let’s not forget that they even picked at Melania Trump wearing high heels, how would her wearing different shoes help the relief effort?

His reasons for not meeting the victims could have been well intentioned. It was suggested by YouTuber Mark Dice that maybe the Trump Administration thought the last thing victims would want was having a large secret service presence disrupt their recovery just so the President could get a good photo-op in? Maybe they also thought having the President too close to these disaster areas might hinder the rescue operations? If Trump had done all these media approved things I’m sure they would have found something else to pick it.

They have also criticized him for not talking about Hurricane Harvey all the time in his media appearances. Nevermind the fact that the governing of the nation and his legislative agenda must go on. Let’s not forget he also has to deal with a nuclear capable North Korea which has the potential to devastate far more people than has occurred with Hurricane Harvey.

His critics not that they need to be satisfied should respect that Trump rather than just spend taxpayers’ money at the relief effort has now also pledged $1 million of his own person money to help the victims as was confirmed by his Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders. But you probably won’t see this on the front page of CNN or any other mainstream website. Let us not forget that Trump is not accepting his Presidential paycheck instead giving it to a government entity each quarter.

When the media are picking at hats and shoes and claiming there aren’t enough hugs you know they are desperate for criticism. Let’s not forget the media’s own exploitation of the tragedy with CNN’s Anderson Cooper doing segments for his show with the hurricane rescue operation in action. CNN was lashed at by a hurricane victim for her persistent questioning of her.

The Trump Administration’s response along with Trump’s personal contribution speaks volumes about Trump’s leadership much more any photo-op could. Trump Derangement Syndrome is already tiresome to witness, but in the middle of natural disaster relief operation it is totally despicable. Let us put politics aside and just focus on helping the victims and honoring those making a contribution to the relief effort.

 

 

Author Details
Tim Wilms is the Founder and Editor in Chief of https://theunshackled.net. the Host of Tim’s News Explosion, the WilmsFront interview program and The Theorists with Andy Nolch. He based in Melbourne, Australia where he also conducts field reports.
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Tim Wilms is the Founder and Editor in Chief of https://theunshackled.net. the Host of Tim’s News Explosion, the WilmsFront interview program and The Theorists with Andy Nolch. He based in Melbourne, Australia where he also conducts field reports.