When Chris Myers was filling in for Dan Patrick on arguably the most-listened-to sports radio show in the land on Monday, he got to the “Best and Worst of the Weekend” portion of the nationwide broadcast and promptly startled his listeners.
He picked as “best” the people of Tennessee. Instead of a sports team or the Preakness winner, Chris veered from the norm by saying how thrilled he was by a huge benefit concert the country music performers had just held for the state’s flood victims. Better than that, praised the common folk who “were not standing on a rooftop trying to blame the government, okay? Instead, they helped each other out through this.”
He said, “Middle Tennessee is where a lot of hard-working, tax-paying, legal American citizens have been affected by the floods and are trying to rebuild their lives and they are helping out each other.” This, he added, “without making a big deal out of it and I think that’s a good thing.”
Well, by mid-afternoon Chris was being decried as a racist for his obvious comparison to the victims of Hurricane Katrina and illegal Mexican immigrants, but his point was well-made. All around the country media types, from Anderson Cooper to the rest, are realizing one reason that “the most devastating non-hurricane event in American history” was overlooked is because of Tennesseans reaction to it.
Now let me introduce you to another guy, Brent High. He is an assistant athletic director at Nashville’s Lipscomb University and has written a fabulous essay on the May Day disaster. It is entitled “We Are Tennessee.” It is deeply moving and, if I may be so bold, in a very prideful way there are parts of it every man, woman and child should read.
He opens, of course, with the fact that over 17 inches of rain fell between May 1 and May 2, causing the Cumberland River to crest at 51 feet. He points out people lost their lives, that damage has exceeded $1 billion, but that, by golly, ‘This is Tennessee.’
From this point on allow me to concede to Mr. High:
“It’s Monday, May 3rd. The rain has stopped, finally. What happens next shouldn’t come as a surprise. Almost instinctively, after a long night of restlessness, volunteers spring into action. It’s in their blood. They’ve been trained to do so by their parents and grandparents. From Waverly to Cookeville, Winchester to Cross Plains and in the capital city of Nashville the sights and sounds are the same.
“Without being asked, fishermen launch their boats into the muddy soup, joining the rescue efforts. Business owners and supervisors tell their employees to take the day off and jump in and help wherever they can. Neighbors, many of whom helped empty entire houses in brigade fashion the night before, transition into cleanup mode.
“Sump pumps and generators whirl. Drywall, carpet and ruined floors are ripped out. Elderly ladies gather at the church to make lunches for workers. Teenagers distribute bottled water. Pickup trucks, trailers and storage units are loaded with what could be salvaged.
“Photos and documents are spread out in the sun to dry. Wads of $20 bills are slid into pockets of those affected. Checks are written. Hugs are given. Prayers are said. Tears are shed.
“This is Tennessee.
“Almost 200 years ago Tennessee first earned the nickname ‘Volunteer State.’ In 1812 More than 2,000 Tennesseans volunteered to fight for Andrew Jackson and were the main part of Jackson’s army that destroyed the British three years later in the Battle of New Orleans. A generation later the U.S. Secretary of War asked Tennessee for 2,800 soldiers to fight a war against Mexico. 30,000 volunteered.
“This is a state where faith comes first. We don’t ask why. We know there is a reason and look forward to it being revealed. We are guided by scriptures such as Philippians 2:3-5 which says: ‘Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourself. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Your attitude should be the same as that of Jesus.’
“Family is a focus, not an afterthought. Don’t bother trying to do business with us the week of Christmas or July 4th. We’ll be with family. When our kids have a school play we will be there. We throw big birthday parties. We teach our kids right from wrong and aren’t afraid to give them a whippin’ when they need it.
“Here we say ‘Yes ma’am’ and ‘No ma’am.’ We try to leave a place better than we found it. We put our hand over our heart when the National Anthem is played. We pull over on the side of the road when funeral processions pass on the other side.
“We are savvy business people. We are farmers. We are teachers. We drink Coke here. We like gravy with our biscuits and potatoes.
“We are serious about our sports. We keep score in little league and we still have all-star teams and MVP trophies.
“We are givers.
“You won’t hear us wailing about where the federal government and insurance companies were in all of this. We’ll get by just fine without them.
“Right now we have a lot to deal with here in our backyard. We will handle it with dignity and class. We will sacrifice for each other in ways that are unfathomable to most. We will stand together. We will stand tall. We will come out of this stronger than we were before it.
“One day in the not too distant future a hurricane, tornado, fire, flood or other unspeakable disaster will strike your community. As you struggle to put the pieces back together we will be there.
“We will volunteer.
“We are Tennesseans.
“This is Tennessee.”
royexum@aol.com