2012 Election, Flooding and Duct Tape

English: A roll of silver, Scotch brand duct tape. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

We are all watching the news from the East Coast. Devastation to property, loss of income, death and the national financial consequences for this storm may bring many their knees. However, some good might come of this event...maybe we will see if we can work together.

I remember commenting on a blog recently about the hatred in our political rhetoric. My thoughts were that the hatred would only lessen in the face of a disaster. It seems we are at our best when we need to pull together toward a common goal. Hopefully no candidate will try to make political hay out of this. We will see. I didn't think that the talk after Libya was our finest hour.

That brings me to the duct tape. You know what duct tape is don't you? It is a tape that is so sticky and tough that it can kill warts. At one time it only come in silver but it may be available in other colors now. Most importantly it has many many uses.

In the eastern part of Oregon, the Snake River runs along the border of the state. That river floods over and over. When the snow melts in mountain throughout Idaho and Oregon, the Snake can rage out of its banks onto farmland covering islands and damaging homes that sit near the river.

A family that I know lives on one of those island near Ontario. The year that the river came to the level of a 100 year flood the family evacuated their small home and left everything they possessed behind. Each time the river flooded they needed to make that hard decision. However, they knew that safety was more important than anything. This flood was the worst they had ever seen.

In this particular case the wife decided to get out her supply of duct tape. As her husband moved cattle off the island and evacuated the children, she sealed the home up on the inside at every crack and cranny with the sticky gray tape. As she stepped out of the home she sealed the door behind her and drove through the water off the island just as the water was flowing over the bridge.

When the family returned home, the house had the water marks up the sides but the house sat on the foundation and the interior was absolutely dry. 

 I did not see the house so I cannot vouch for the truth of this story. I only know that I have always thought about duct tape in a whole new way. The many uses for such a simple thing can be amazing.

So today as we wait for our election the hurricane has done the unthinkable...it has stopped the campaigning. This can be our presidential canditates finest hour...or not. But I am an optimist. I hope that maybe one candidate with call the other and ask "What can I do?  How can I help?" Is that possible?

Since we are all in the same storm, it seems to me that we could all just stop bickering, pick up a shovel and put duct tape where it is needed.

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