The Texas-Flood Blame Game Is a Distraction
AtlanticJUL 8
Texas Officials Were Asleep When Deadly July 4 Floods Hit
Above: Widespread damage in and around Kerrville, Texas, on July 6, 2025. Image copyright: Reginald Mathalone/NurPhoto/Getty Images
The Spin
Narrative A
While more than 100 souls perished in Texas floodwaters, including 37 children, the emergency management director slept through the catastrophe, awakening only after summer camps were already submerged. This unconscionable dereliction of duty exposes a broken system where those entrusted with protecting lives abandon their posts when communities need them most.
Narrative B
America's reflexive blame game transforms every tragedy into political theater, obscuring the complex realities behind disasters. While over a 100 souls lie dead and families grieve, partisan warriors exploit corpses for Twitter points rather than seeking genuine solutions. This vulturous spectacle of finger-pointing ensures we'll repeat these failures — accountability requires truth not tribal scorekeeping.