Greensburg at ground level

By now everybody knows that Greensburg is gone. For the most part, the media has moved on to new topics . . . But footage of the devastation still strikes me as eerie, especially as more time goes by . . . This video from ground level is especially haunting.

UPDATE: Also, it turns out that Greensburg has refused the help of an anarchist group . . . Seems like authorities aren't that desperate to rebuild if they're picking and choosing who can help them. I'm sure people will have varied reactions to the news about kicking out the KMA. However, just because very few people agree with the politics of a given group doesn't mean their help isn't needed and it makes the folks in Greensburg seem a little less sympathetic. Think about it, I'm not sure all those starving African kids really support every single aspect of U.S. Foreign Policy but that tends not to matter so much when they need something to eat. Obviously, the same sense of urgency doesn't apply to Greensburg. Here's an online article from the perspective of the folks who were recently kicked out of Greensburg for their political affiliations:

On Saturday May 19, five members and volunteers affiliated with Kansas Mutual Aid, a Lawrence based class struggle anarchist collective, made the trek back to Greensburg to again help in relief efforts in the tornado ravaged city. A week earlier, four KMA members had traveled to Greensburg on a fact finding mission to assess the situation there. What KMA members found was a militarized, entirely destroyed city where relief efforts were moving tragically slow.

Today's trip back to Greensburg by KMA members and volunteers was intended to solidify the bonds we had created in the first trip, and establish a base of operations for future relief efforts. KMA spent the morning working on a house with members of AmeriCorps, and then proceeded to meet with contacts with the Mennonite Disaster Services.

We then headed out of town to a church just outside of city limits that we were told would be a place we could probably set up a base camp for our work. The church had been converted into a fire station by the state, so we continued down the road and met a farmer who was willing to work with us and let us use his land.

Soon after meeting the farmer, we were approached by officers with the Dickinson County Sheriff's Department. After a brief exchange, the officers left, and we were told to report to the Kiowa County Emergency Response Command Post to receive official permission to set up our base of operations. We were notified that if we did not do so, we would risk having our operation ceased by the state.

Two of our delegation went to the Command Post, while the other three of us went to the County Courthouse to pick up som water and provisions being offered by the Red Cross. While we were picking up water and food, I was approached by an Olathe Police Officer named Ty Moeder who knew my face and identity. I was ordered to take my hands out of my pockets and follow the officer to a side street "to avoid making a scene".

I and the other people with me followed the officer, and were repeatedly ordered to keep our hands out of our pockets, where they could be seen by the officer. Soon more officers approached, as well as at least one member of the Kansas Bureau of Investigation, and some people from FEMA. Surrounded by agents of the state, we were ordered to produce our identification.

When I asked the police why we were being detained, Officer Moeder responded "We need to check to see if you are affiliated with the anarchists." At this moment, our remaining two comrades approached to see what was happening. They were detained as well, and made to produce their identification.

Officer Moeder asked how we had gotten in to the city. "We drove in," someone replied.

"They weren't supposed to let you in at the road block," responded Moeder, seemingly frustrated and perplexed by that answer.

"They even gave us a day pass to drive in and out," we shot back.

A waiting game ensued for the next several minutes, with more officers approaching, now numbering almost fifteen. A Lawrence police officer approached, and was ordered to take photos of the car we had driven that was parked down the street. Officer McNemee from the Lawrence Police Department took extensive photos of the car, even of the inside contents of the vehicle.

Officer Moeder ordered me to step away from the rest of the relief workers and speak with him. "You're being ordered to leave and not return. This is not negotiable, not appealable. You can't change it. If you return you'll be arrested on site. And believe me, you don't want to push that right now. This system is pretty messed up, and you wouldn't be issued bail. You'd disappear in the system."

I asked repeatedly what we had done and why we were being ordered to leave the city. "You're part of a dangerous anarchist group that will only drain our security resources," he responded. "We've been monitoring your website and e-mails, we know what kind of agenda you have."

"So this is about our political beliefs?" I asked.

"No," he responded. "This is about you being federal security threats. Kansas Mutual Aid is not welcome in this city, end of story. I know you are going through legitimate means to work in the city, and you're story seems picture perfect, but we know who you are, and you're not allowed here."

We were ordered back into our car and escorted out of the city by several police vehicles with their lights flashing, and left just outside the city.

The e-mail is quickly working its way around the Internets, the author is purportedly somebody by the name of Dave Strano . . . Who signed the missive: "In love and solidarity" which makes me want to puke.

However, the phrase "beggars can't be choosers" comes to mind as well and if the people of Greensburg are getting really particular about where they're getting help from . . . Then I guess they don't need the assistance of as many people as they initially claimed.

I've always thought anarchists were a bit flaky BUT honestly it seems like a waste of money to rebuild the small town since it was mostly comprised of convenience stores and fast food restaurants anyway . . . So, just as I had initially suggested it's best to give up on Greensburg and avoid throwing good money after bad.