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BY GLENN MOLLETTE

Hurricane Helene hit our Southeastern, United States like a blanket of bombs that just kept wreaking catastrophic destruction throughout its path from Florida all the way to Virginia. It’s likely to become the deadliest storm in American history by the time all the bodies are recovered.

The television images are horrific. Houses, cars, bridges, and families were washed away by the rapidly rising streams. Many thousands were caught off guard as the storm swept away everything they had.

Every part of America is subject to horrific destruction from nature out of control. People in the mountains seldom worry much about tornadoes. Actually, hurricanes are not a typical concern but an overload of rain is always a concern. The water rolls down the mountain and can quickly turn a stream into a raging river. A small creek can become a tidal wave rolling down a holler, washing out houses, roads and bridges and taking lives. A quick four inches of rain in almost any Appalachian community creates worry and often panic. A rapid downpour of ten or more inches of rain almost always means disaster and 15-30 inches of rain like they received in different parts of Northwest, North Carolina became a weather monster of the ugliest kind in this area’s history.

These people need our help, our donations, and our prayers. I don’t know what you can do but whatever you do will surely be greatly appreciated. There are many charities asking for help. Do your own research and follow your heart. Whether you are able to give $5 or $1 million dollars, there is no doubt it is greatly needed. If you can go and help, then God bless you for your efforts and action.

FEMA says it’s not broke and the recent rumor they spent all their money on illegal immigrants is not true. They have also reported the $750 cap to be given to the hurting families is not true either. Time will tell what FEMA will do. Let’s wait, watch and see what kind of care they render to so many who are displaced, hungry and emotionally lost.

One thing we do know that is true is that our country has given over $60 billion to Ukraine to help them fight Russia. We give Israel $3.8 billion every year. We have approximately 40,000 of our military close by Israel now. How much is this costing? We handed over billions of dollars in military equipment and a state-of-the-art airport to the Taliban in Afghanistan. We have given billions to countries all over the world and continue to do so every year. Surely our government will come up with a few billion to help our own country. It will take Asheville, N.C., and the surrounding areas four to five years to rebuild and even then, it will not be the same. It will never be the same. However, as Americans, surely we must hit a pause button on all this foreign aid and help our own.

(Glenn Mollette is read in all 50 states. Find books by Glenn Mollette at Amazon.com. Learn more about his books, columns and music at GlennMollette.Com. Email him at gmollette@aol.com)