I was born and raised in small town east Texas, and after I graduated high school I moved to Shreveport, Louisiana to earn my college education. We Texans are so proud of our state, with good reason, but these past few weeks Louisiana has earned so much respect from me.
You haven't seen it all over national news since the beginning because our country likes to think that Ryan Lochte losing sponsors and J Biebs deleting his Instagram are more important than a major disaster occurring in one of the most culturally rich and diverse states in our nation.
It's embarrassing, honestly. America, why did you not acknowledge us quicker? I say us because though I'm from Texas, Louisiana has been my home for the past two years and some of my closest friends are from the areas that have been hit the hardest.
Why did it take so long to send any help or even a news reporter to south Louisiana? Was it not covered as much because it's not rioting that's going on? Because all races and ethnicities are coming together and helping their neighbors? After all of the craziness and controversy surrounding Baton Rouge not too much earlier, were these displays of compassion not what the rest of the country really cared about? Was the amazing story of the Cajun Navy not compelling enough to the viewers? The amount of people with that came together and helped out from all over the south is probably the greatest thing I've ever seen in my life. They have increased my pride in being from easily the friendliest part of the United States. Regular (but amazing) civilians organized an effort that was basically ignored by major media and individuals in government. They didn't do it for recognition, of course, which is good because they didn't get much from people that aren't from around here.
An unfathomable amount of homes were damaged or lost, and completely unexpected weather took the lives of over a dozen Louisiana residents. As someone who witnessed a friend lose her house in the flood part one in North Louisiana, I can only imagine just how devastating it was for an entire area of a state to lose the places that they called home.
Straying from the anger of how the rest of our nation treated "the boot," I'd like to say just how proud I am to be a transplant Louisianan. The amount of support that this state has given its people is so unlike what has happened in the weeks prior, and I am so impressed. Neighbor helped neighbor, regardless of what they looked like or what they'd done in the past.
Louisiana, I respect you so much. Replace any remaining anger with compassion and love for one another. You will rebuild and come back even stronger.
Union. Justice. Confidence.
