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FEMA conspiracy theories that have stoked chaos in the South date back to the 1980s (www.nbcnews.com)

submitted 2 weeks ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

14 comments fedilink hide all child comments

FEMA has been dealing with conspiracy theorists since shortly after it was created.

In the wake of hurricanes Helene and Milton, an outlandish conspiracy theory about the Federal Emergency Management Agency that has percolated for decades started to reappear online. Now, the government agency is making one of its strongest pushes against the claim to date.

In a new section of its hurricane rumor response page published Wednesday, FEMA looked to put to rest the long-lasting conspiracy theory that's followed it since shortly after the agency was founded. Known as the "FEMA camps" theory, it falsely speculates that the agency sets up camps meant to "detain people."

On the page, the government agency wrote that it has recently set up temporary housing for staff responding to the aftermath of Hurricane Helene in a few locations in western North Carolina. FEMA added that there are over a thousand FEMA staff in the state and that the lodging, which is protected by security personnel, is for staff and "not for any other purpose." It called the "FEMA camp" rumors "all false."

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[–] [email protected] 12 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

I was listening to a Behind the Bastards episode the other day, and the malicious lying that goes on around FEMA's hurricane efforts is bloody depressing. People refusing the $750 handout to buy food because they think they'll lose their house over it, one guy was relating his FIL's plight and almost in tears. They couldn't convince him that it was bullshit and didn't have the money to go to NC to pack him up and take him to somewhere safe.

There's a special place in hell for the shitbirds spreading this trash.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 2 weeks ago

Motherfucker these are your tax dollars at work. Like I don’t trust the government for much, but I trust them to respect the property rights of white Americans to a disturbing fault. When we need land we eminent domain and pay the value of the property as understood by tax services.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) (1 children)

I worked in community relations with FEMA for a few years starting with the Charlie, Francis, Ivan season. We had threats and used police escorts back then, especially in the rural areas or where there was a high population of evacuees. Our training included how to avoid packs of feral dogs and militia. We often had to hide our insignia the second we weren't on strictly official duty. There were guns flashed and one shooting that I'm aware of. I personally got screamed at in stores and parking lots fairly regularly. Many people expected we would just hand out checks everywhere we went but considering I was the first person to contact many of them, the best I could do was hand them brochures and tell them where to go for an application.

After Katrina and Rita in New Orleans my friend was the first hellicoptered in with bulletproof gear on and we had National Guard escorts everywhere.

Sometimes the worst people were in rich neighborhoods with a few things on their front lawn from their flooded basement. They were very angry because their insurance didn't cover them and they had enough income that the government would either not provide any money, or they didn't think the cap of $1400, or whatever it was, was enough for them. After talking to people who lost literally everything, including family and were bussed to a state they'd never been to before, these people furious about their furniture were difficult to tolerate. But, that anger was very real regardless of how they came to it and it doesn't surprise me in the least that it might fuel even more distrust of the government.

I saw many things poorly handled that I could never excuse, but the nature of massive disasters is confusion and chaos. It's an incredibly difficult situation for everyone.

I think the biggest problems I ran into were just a general misunderstanding of what FEMA is and what they do. I even have a tshirt from a local that says "Fix Everything My Ass". Ironic for me because of course, that's not what FEMA does but it is exactly what people expected. Hard enough to correct under the best conditions but then we had critically limited communications and the local news would fire up the outrage, sometimes with outright lies. It's natural to look for patterns and easy solutions in chaos, it's also good to be skeptical of authority. Those things combined in an environment that is changing so quickly even the people "in charge" can't keep up from moment to moment, is perfect for fostering conspiracies.

The militia and Klan folks only needed an excuse.

[–] [email protected] -1 points 2 weeks ago

So, you’re not gonna tell us how to avoid packs of feral dogs?

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 weeks ago

I remember reading an article in the 80s about a secretive government organziation which the government claimed didn't exist called the NSA.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

When you’re government has done things like the Tuskegee experiments, poor, rural people are going to be cautious.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 2 weeks ago

Well, poor black people at least

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Really we should be asking (I want to know) why FEMA invented their own USAR standards instead of adopting the INSARAG ones? Why the US have put so much more money into USAR and not flood and storm response? Surely after Harvey and Katrina, not to mention tornadoes, you've learned that having something like Australia's SESs would provide you with surge capacity of people skilled in storm damage mitigation and flood rescue? I really would like to know

[–] [email protected] 1 points 2 weeks ago

I am curious now that you mention it. I didn’t know we use different standards than the international ones. Personally I would’ve preferred we spend that money improving the international standards if they need or want it than designing our own

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 weeks ago

These are the descendents of the people that hated when the federal government showed up to force them to free their slaves. Their hate of the federal govt goes back to Reconstruction.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 2 weeks ago

https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1119-stuff-you-should-know-26940277/episode/southerners-arent-lazy-and-dumb-they-29467506/

[–] [email protected] 0 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

When the federal government shows up to help... for free, suspicion is a valid response. Not to mention that the South has experience being occupied (not for long enough).

But the government putting people in camps for bullshit security reasons? Madness.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

When the feds show up to help and try to charge for it is when I'd be suspicious. Also, ain't no southerners alive got experience being occupied unless they've come from some other country.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 weeks ago

Black southerners and indigenous southerners have experience being occupied