Tuesday, June 28, 2011

"The Joplin Tornado" is really "THE Tornado", to our neighbors.

17th and Rangeline - I took this early on May 23rd


After Hurricane Katrina, in 2005, news reports spoke of people who had been forgotten by their Government and how they were isolated.  Later, we all learned these reports were exaggerated and generally misreported, but the memory etched into our minds illustrates the power of media.

I would like to tell a story about the absence of media and what it means to our neighbors.  This is going to seem strange, but this story is about the “Joplin Tornado of May 22, 2011”.  I know you are thinking to yourself….Steve is crazy, because there was no absence of media – everyone in the World knows about the “Joplin Tornado”.  Well, you are correct and you are also sadly mistaken.  What?

You see, the World does know about the “Joplin” Tornado, but what has been forgotten is OUR neighbors.  Nearly 200 Newton County residents have sought disaster assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.  Two Hundred Families!  In a “normal” disaster that would be a significant number; however, this disaster was not in any way “normal”.

As I write this Editorial, it has been nearly 5 weeks since the most deadly American Tornado in 60 years and one of the most widely reported by our technologically overloaded society.  However, today I was speaking to a friend, Sherry Dodson.  Sherry used to be a police officer with me in Neosho and at one time she lived on Marten Road, in rural Diamond, Mo. Today, Sherry lives in Sedalia, Mo.  

For those of you familiar with the area, Sherry lived in the nice quaint house immediately north of the KAMO Power substation.  Sherry asked how things were in the area and how the recovery was going.  I told her how lucky the new occupants of her old home were and she was confused.  She asked what I meant.  I explained the tornado barely missed her old house.  She thought I was crazy and then I realized, she did not know how bad it really was.  No one knows.  This is the story of the people forgotten in all of the World wide media coverage.

In no way do I minimize the loss of life in Joplin, I lived it first hand.  I personally lost a friend and several acquaintances, shy of losing my home or my family – I know the real pain of the Tornado and what it did, better than most anyone. 

However, it is unfortunate it’s being called The “Joplin” Tornado.  Why?  Because, it went for miles across Newton County emotionally chewing up people’s life long possessions and their homes.   Places where Newton Countians had lived for generations were destroyed, as if the Big Bad Wolf had come calling and their homes were made from straw.

Take a drive from the area of Highway FF and Jaguar Road, across the lesser known meandering terrain conquered by this beast and you will discover addresses ranging along Jaguar, Aspen, Kodiak, Marten, Beech, and Lark Roads – then continuing across Missouri Highway 59 Just North of Diamond to Pelican, Cherry, Quail, and Raven Roads.  This was not the “Joplin” tornado to the people along these roads, this was “THE” tornado.  It affected our neighbors as horrifically as the better reported and much better known start of the storm. 

Newton County residents lost their homes and all their belongings, just like so many unfortunate souls a few miles to the North, along an imaginary line making the difference between two counties. 

As your prepare to volunteer or send money for the worthy relief efforts, which will be ongoing for months and most likely years, please don’t forget the unknown victims of this tragedy.  If you are able, drive some of the roads, I have mentioned, and stop to ask if the farmers or homeowners need help cleaning up their lives – ask what we can do to make them whole again.  They need us, every bit as much as the others affected need us, so please join with me in lending a hand and showing the victims of “THE Tornado” our Love and Support.

***Columnist’s Note: a detailed map of the damage area in Newton County from this storm and a secondary storm affecting the Wentworth Area, maybe found by visiting the following web site sponsored by the National Weather Service:   http://www.crh.noaa.gov/sgf/?n=event_2011may22_summary


10 comments:

  1. Many People near Wentworth called FEMA to report their damage and were originaly told that they were not in the tornado area. They had to "Prove" it and wait for varification before recieving help. Many of the free/ discounted things being offered require a Joplin address, such as the beds and CDC tickets. They need our help. Groups are not going out that way to help and no one is feeding them free lunch every day.

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  2. You are so correct on this one. I'm from Oklahoma but had stayed in your area the week before the tornado for a work conference. It breaks my heart to know of all the devastation and loss of life from this storm. I continue to pray for all souls affected.

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  3. I live in Newton County and my address is a Joplin Address...... Joplin isnt just Jasper County its Newton County too. Just because its not IN Joplin doesnt mean its not "Joplin" Usually when people say "I live in Joplin," nobody expects them to say " I live in the Jasper County part of Joplin" To me if you have mail that says Joplin Missouri then you live in Joplin no matter what county you live in. What Im trying to say is I dont think they meant anything bad by it. People just hear "Joplin" and assume that they were apart of it because even though there are differant counties there is only one Joplin. If you are trying to say that they are leaving Newton County out then they would of called the tornado "Jasper County Tornado". My condolences go to you though. I have lived in Joplin for half of my life and it is hard to see the way things are now opposed to what I was so used to seeing before. On the other hand the media has left some things in the dark. After the tornado hit Dequense (maybe Im not spelling that correct) wasnt even on the news for like a week and I believe they said that about 70% of that little town was destroyed. But Im sure that with all the help that Joplin is getting and Dequense pretty much being apart of Joplin as well Im sure they are getting things cleaned up there also.

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  4. Thank you Steve. I too know people in the area you spoke of and until I spoke to them, I had no idea they too were hit. I will pass this on as I hope everyone who see it.

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  5. To the second Anonymous poster, thank you for taking the time to read my Editorial and leave your comments. Just for clarification, I am simply saying that people in the more rural areas of this terrible disaster are not getting the same attention and services as those in the "better known" areas, such as Main Street and Rangeline Road. I know no one meant anything bad at all, this is not intentional, it's simply the way our Media and Society work.

    I am trying to bring attention to those in need and get them services and help.

    Thank you to everyone who has taken the time out of their day to remark on my opinion. May God Bless each and every one of you and may we all look forward to a much better tomorrow, for those in SW Missouri and Across America, who have been hit by Disaster!

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  6. oh and let's not forget duquesne, is that or is that not joplin?

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  7. Duquesne is a separate city from Joplin with its own mayor, city council and police department.

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  8. Thank you so much for writing this! Not to take away from what in happened in Joplin, like you said it didn't stop there and so many people didn't realize this! Once again thank you, so many people in the Diamond area received much damage and nothing was said and no help was offered!

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  9. Thank you for writing this!!! People had no
    Idea that "the tornado " didn't stop at Flying J. People in the Diamond area had a lot of damage and several people even lost there homes but we never heard a thing about any of this! I don't want to take away the horrid thing that happened in Joplin and Duquesene but it didn't stop there, and these people were not included in any of the help. This also as you said clear to Wentworth. Once again thank for writing this!

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  10. I was shocked when I drove through Wentworth, the Friday after the tornado and realized they were hit hard. I hope everyone can get the help they need.

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