I’m back home after returning from our trip to Panama City.

The storm damage from Hurricane Michael in the Florida Panhandle was the worst thing that I have ever seen. Panama City and Lynn Haven, FL have been destroyed. I can only compare the experience to touring a war zone in a foreign country. It looks like a bomb exploded above the area.

We didn’t get the chance to see the worst of the apocalypse in Mexico Beach which was sealed off by the National Guard until yesterday. I was told that it was so bad there that FEMA was just sending in drones and helicopters to look for the bodies of the dead. I’m not sure what FEMA even looks like because I never saw them in Panama City. I assume they are there somewhere though.

I don’t know how to really frame the response to Hurricane Michael in terms of the “optics” so here goes: as word trickled out about the magnitude of the devastation in the Panama City area, the first responders to reach the area last weekend were the IKK. The Klan went in to check on the welfare of their own members in Bay County, but stuck around to help with disaster relief.

There were Klansmen mounted on four wheelers with chainsaws cutting their way into the worst hit neighborhoods in Panama City. In many cases, they were the first people to get into these neighborhoods after the storm and brought much needed supplies like food and water. Their work enabled a lot of these people to quickly get out of the disaster zone. Some of the people in these neighborhoods were black and were stunned that the Klan was the first group to show up after the storm. By that point, the news cycle had moved on and the mainstream media was preoccupied with President Trump calling Stormy Daniels “Horseface” and Elizabeth Warren being exposed as a fake Indian.

As the days passed by, our League brother Shaun Winkler checked on other League members in Bay County and continued to make daily forays into Panama City to do disaster relief. In one devastated neighborhood, Shaun and his wife Shealyn found a woman and her child who had been trapped under a collapsed roof and who had been missed by the police. He saved their lives while ANTIFA groups loudly complained on Twitter and attempted to get his GoFundMe fundraiser cancelled.

Shaun’s regular updates on Facebook prompted the League of the South to get involved:

Shaun – October 18

“What a week it has been. Shealyn and myself have learned a lot from being involved in the hurricane relief efforts here in Panama Florida. The stories we heard from the victims and the things we seen this week will forever stick in our minds.

The Mapleton family has touched our hearts forever… The family living in their car parked in their driveway because their house no longer existed but some how was able to greet us with smiles simply because they were thankful to be alive.. The mother in Missouri who called me back crying as she told me how thankful she was for us allowing her daughter to use our phone so she could hear her daughter and grandson’s voices. The whole trailer park community who greeted us like we were Santa Claus on Christmas day and literally only took 5 minutes to empty our fully loaded pick-up of water, food, and hygiene products. We were their first sign of help in four days and that’s after it took me and another volunteer a few hours of cutting a path through falling trees to reach them. There is one indeed in particular that I will always remember. The first night down here we found and rescued a mother and her four year old daughter from under a collapsed roof. Well.. We were able to get her daughter ( Sammy) out and waved down a state trooper to call search and rescue to get momma out. The look of fear in that little girls face is almost haunting. Shea and me both could hardly hold back tears when she asked us if her mommy was going to die. We ensured her mommy was going to be fine as Shea have her water to drink as it was obvious she was very dehydrated. We stayed until they got her mom out and once mom was out and reunited with sammy we continued on to go check on some good friends. Indeed.. It was a huge blessing once we got visual of good friends Greg and his family. But even more blessed once we realized they were fine and unlike many in the area they still have their home. Then he offered for us to stay and helped greatly in relief efforts even allowed us to use his home as a drop off point for supplies.

We ended the week by helping a fellow League of the South member clear his yard and roof of trees and debris with a handful of other LS members who traveled from Alabama. We all demonstrated team work and our brother is very happy and grateful for the help.

Through out the week many called us heroes but honestly its the ones who contributed the funds and supplies that made our efforts and work possible. We be we could have done it with out you all. We will be leaving in the morning and will be returning next week to continue efforts in this project. We will be joined by other LS members and WN friends. We will keep our go fund me up as well as whatever donations come in on PayPal we will save towards next week’s efforts. I’m hoping to raise funds to help our brother with roofing materials.”

Shaun – October 17

“Panama relief update: Today was another long day of driving around distributing supplies but as I have said on another post. It seems each day has its own new adventure and today was no exception.

We met several folks but two families in particular caught our hearts. The Atland and the Mapleton families. The Mapletons house was not messed up but they had so many trees down around their home they were unable to get out. They said several tree companies stopped and gave them price figures between $1000 to $2500 just to clear a big enough section of the driveway to get their car out. Mr Mapleton explain being a father of 5 children and husband means he only works pay check to pay check and his insurance won’t cover the removal of the trees due to they didn’t hit his house. So humble ole me took the hour or so to fire up the saw and clear their driveway shown below. Shealyn hooked them up with a care box and some cases of water and small toys we purchased for children and as we started to leave we heard a baby cry from with in the home. Shea asked if they need diapers the mother said of course. The past three days they were cutting up shirts and making diapers for a 6 month baby. Then once again as we headed to the truck They approached us for hugs and handshakes and crying from overwhelming appreciation for the small things many of us take for granted.

Then the Atlands.. An elderly couple that was so shocked and excited for the fact we brought gas for their generator and I gave Mr. Atland some of my diabetes medicine because he ran out two days ago. We gave them info on the Wal-Mart mobile pharmacy that will be in town Friday morning. They two started crying and said in some ways the hurricane was a blessing. I asked him how is that. He said because it has sent so many people like y’all to help us and we are thankful to the lord for showing us their is still decent humanity out there and people that care about others.

We would’ve had more pics but another thing folks are thankful for is when they see we have a working phone that gets service they use it to call family to let them know they’re still alive. I received a call tonight from a strange # from Missouri and it was the mother of one of the girls that used our phone. The woman told me she has been praising and thanking God for all of us volunteers that have came from all over to help and she explained that tonight will be the first night in a week she will sleep good knowing her daughter and grandson are safe.

One last note…I don’t post these daily updates because we want any sort of praise. We want y’all to see how much of a difference your donations make in all these peoples lives. Shealyn and myself could have NEVER done this without the help of all those who have and continue to donate funds and supplies. We will be here until at least Thursday evening and plan to return next week. THANK YOU ALL!”

Greg – October 17

“It took us two days to get back after we evacuated…right into the eye of the storm at Rutherford High School, and that turned out to be a very literal battle for survival against the elements (It took a big White jock from Alabama, a Black man built like a fire hydrant, a small Odinist, and yours truly to secure a set of double-doors from being sucked open by an estimated 140-160 mph wind full of sheet metal, shingles, glass, nails, etc.), and was a real eye-opener concerning what you need and what you don’t in a bug-out bag, as well as human nature. Suffice it to say there will be more on that later.

We’re in the eastern end of PCB, and the damage here was relatively minor, at least by comparison; the only place other than garages and outbuildings within a few block area that was totaled was my neighbor’s prefab house (which was literally built with staples rather than nails). He lost the entire western side of his roof, which landed on top of mine. Most damage here has been relegated to signs, roofs, gas station awnings, etc., except for a tornado that tore through one of the marinas and made the building look like “it had been hit by Superman” as a local described it. Most of us with light damage have power, and those who don’t are usually running via extension cords from those who do, or from generators. Some busy intersections had their lights being operated from generators chained to poles for awhile.

Small businesses that can have stepped up (Like the Middle-Eastern owner of a convenience store over on Front Beach that, the day after the hurricane, was operating without electricity and with a pocket calculator, a bag of cash, and a clerk with a flashlight helping people find what they needed in the boarded-up store, and had actually lowered his usually kind of high prices to below what you’d pay anywhere here in normal times. Walmart is half-assed open and apparently being managed by a cluster-fucked monkey on a tequila binge from all the apparent efficiency, but Publix, Winn Dixie, Lowes, and Home Depot, all reopened quickly and are in full, normal swing, although supply cannot keep up with demand. Even a few fast food places are open with limited menus (McDonalds is serving only quarter-pounders, but they are actually making the burgers, I hear, rather than using the prepackaged frozen ones, and they say they’re pretty good) and drinks only pre-packaged or poured from 2-liter bottles, as the water is on, but not safe to drink unless it is boiled. Many of the restaurants are serving daily free lunches for anyone wanting to come by; those who can have stepped up. Gas is available on a limited basis and most of the time cash-only, but the lines are long. No internet except on the phones that work, and, until last night, ATT was the only company with working towers.

We’re currently under a state of emergency, a sort of martial law-lite, with the Governor apparently in charge. Cops from all over Florida are here (and working 16-18 hours a day) and we are under a curfew and, as of last night, an alcohol sales ban (The latter of which is frequently ignored and openly defied, at least as of last night.). More than 4 or 5 people loitering for no apparent reason will be broken up by the police, especially over in the city. Looting is mostly confined to the other side of the Bay in and around Panama City, which took horrendous damage to begin with, and, along with independent price-gouging (“I’ll spend ten minutes cutting that tree out of your driveway for $2000.”), scamming and armed robbery or a combination (Call for help, supply truck comes, robs supply truck, sells supplies at inflated prices.) by pieces of shit walking on two legs and unworthy of ANY consideration normally due to human beings is rampant, despite the police making it very clear without actually saying it that anyone caught doing it is in for a very rough time in addition to arrest. At least one looter was shot to death after attempting to steal a fire marshal’s car, and I suspect there may be a few more found by the smell, considering the locals there are almost as heavily-armed as we are on this side. The bad part is that food, water, and shelter are available to those who can get out the streets (Some people are still trapped by fallen trees.). Over here, everyone looks after each other and each other’s stuff, and if you need something, ask someone and they will give it to you or tell you where to get it.

The military is here, but all they’re doing are search, rescue, supply, tree-cutting, and similar operations. The only trouble with FEMA is that their response has been MORE THAN A LITTLE underwhelming, and they are difficult to find, much to the chagrin of both the people needing help and the homeowners wanting to file claims, as well as those of us who just want the piles of debris cleared out of our driveways. Anyone ranting about people being interned in FEMA camps here is a stupid son of a bitch, and you can tell him I said that.

Right now my house is acting as a sort of staging area for friends who have come from Mississippi, Georgia, and eastern Florida who have come bringing truck-loads of supplies for the affected in the area, and are currently spending their days distributing them and cutting trees for those over the Bay in the heavily-affected area. I’m leaving that to the younger bucks with younger backs, and am feeding them and putting them up, as well as storing the supplies, while completing repairs here, hopefully before it rains again, as I have a couple of tarped-over holes in the roof.

Again, thank God we’re alive and have a home left, because many on the other side of the Bay weren’t so fortunate. I’m trying to conserve the gigs allowed for the internet hot spot, so I won’t be posting as much as usual. I will leave you with this final thought; IF I HEAR LEE GREENWOOD ON THE RADION ONE MORE TIME I’M GOING TO GO BERSERK!

Shaun – October 16

“Each day we go out on the streets in downtown Panama its something different. But yesterday we came across a small apartment building and met Steven. We dropped of water, candles and other supplies to him and a few of his neighbors. They hugged us and were overwhelmed with emotions and grateful for even small things such as deodorant and baby wipes. He told us his story of the storm and how it took off the whole second floor. He told us there was a young lady that lived up there and just got a job at the local hospital as a nurse. He began to cry and sob.. I asked him if He is alright? He said she died in his and his neighbors arms after they dug her out from the rubble on the second floor and tried to use clothes to stop the bleeding. He explained how she only stayed and didn’t leave because she knew a lot of people will need help after the storm. She even had a medic bag prepared. But yet it was her who was taken by the storm. He said she laid dead for couple hours until an ambulance stopped. He said her whole body was covered in blood as red as her red hair and its something him and neighbors will never forget.

Its stories such as this that hit hardest and we can ask God all day why did you let this happen? But we must remember we are only his children and he owes us no explanation. We just need to know he has a reason and purpose for all that he does and we must carry on his work regardless of how unfair things may not seem.”

Shaun – October 16

“We came across this sign yesterday in downtown Panama and and when we stopped to take the picture. The husband , wife , three teenagers came out armed with pistols to ask what we needed and why did we stop? I asked them if they needed any supplies and they grabbed up some toilet paper. We engaged in conversation and they told us how the first two nights after the storm they stayed on guard because looters came in thier yard but ran like cockroaches when warning shots were fired from the from door. I’m glad to see folks standing up and not allowing scum to just come and room then off.”

Belle – October 15

“Recap of today …

I have first got to say that I’m a believer in prepping, 100% … but what I saw today I am not sure how “prepped” one of us could’ve been.

The boys and I made our way down some side roads as to avoid as much of 231 as possible on our way to PC. Blountsville is destroyed. Houses in ruins … trees and lines down … businesses destroyed. So many disheartened ppl. We stopped in someone’s driveway to feed the little one and ended up helping the elderly couple to the front of their driveway for their daughter to pick them up. Their entire driveway was covered in downed trees.

We finally made our way into PC … destruction everywhere. Tornado(s) def touched down. No way they didn’t.

We headed to look for a fellow member that is still MIA. To his apt … and we banged on his door to no avail. We helped an older man bring his trash downstairs and left a case a water with him and his wife as well as 6 fruit cups. As we were leaving a guy was trying to remove part of a tree from across his little white car. My little man got out to help him and we left him with a few bottles of cold water.

Finally we got to Greg’s place and the supplies got unloaded fairly quickly which allowed us some time to stop, stretch and eat for a moment. Greg thank you brother for allowing us to rest a moment and for feeding us.

With a curfew in effect, I didnt want to get caught on the roads so we had to get going.

We left there and went to two schools we were pointed towards to look for said missing member … we were then told all disabled evacuees were taken abt 15 miles north so we headed there … NOTHING … officer sent us back south abt 10 miles to another school and it was empty. While on our way between the latter two, we stopped and carried a man and his guitar case out of the middle of a turning lane and flagged down police. He was very dehydrated and appeared to be in very bad shape. From the looks of him, he may have been homeless in the first place.

On the way back north on 231 we were in stop and go traffic … a mom was broke down on the side of the road. She had ran out of gas and had a crying baby and hot little girl. We gave her 10 gallons of our extra gas, a bottle of formula for the baby and changed him while she opened a bottle of water and cheezits for her little girl. We gave her a few bottles of cold water and we followed her almost all the way to i10.

We will be back again this week with more supplies and to help where we can. If you haven’t helped it is our duty to help our ppl in any way we can, this is your opportunity.

I want to thank S that generously donated so we could buy more supplies … thank you brother.

Such a sad situation ..”

Shaun – October 13

“We arrived to Panama city today and the first thing we did was go help a veteran Klansman. His home and business was destroyed by the hurricane. When we arrived there were other fellow Klansmen already there that traveled long distances from outside the area to help a brother who lost his mother and home destroyed all in the same morning.

Those who showed up did great work patching up his house and temporarily fixing his roof. We also brought him supplies such as water food and of course good brotherhood. We plan to continue to help this brother through the upcoming week during our time here.

I will also note that we were fortunate enough to help a mother and her young daughter out whom both were trapped under the roof of their house since the storm. Shealyn will take the credit for spotting the woman flicking her lighter from underneath the roof trusses. I was able to use two pump jacks to raise the roof section enough to get the small girl out whom was very weak and appeared dehydrated. She was able to drink a couple bottles of water on her own and while Shea took care of her I waved down a state trooper that called the search and rescue to help mother out.”

OUR TRIP

We left Montgomery on Tuesday night and arrived in the Florida Panhandle on Wednesday morning. The three of us stayed with another League member who was fortunate enough to have a second home in the area that had water and electricity and that was well out of the path of the storm. His other home was on the other side of the Bay and took heavy damage during Hurricane Michael.

On Wednesday, we met up with Shaun and Shealyn at Greg’s house, organized our supplies into care packages and headed over the Hathaway Bridge to Panama City to deliver them to disaster victims. The damage appeared to be slight in Panama City Beach except on the far eastern side of the city near Capt. Anderson’s Restaurant which was fortunate to survive relatively unscathed.

Panama City was … gone. We drove through neighborhood after neighborhood delivering supplies which had been obliterated by the storm. There were signs everywhere warning that looters would be shot. We saw spraypainted buildings in downtown Panama City with signs like “Michael, WHY?” and “Michael, WTF?” We ran into desperate White people who had lost everything and who were crying as well as other high agency White people who seemed to have the situation under control.

We stayed as long as we could in Panama City until we had to leave to observe the curfew and then spent the rest of the evening enjoying the fellowship of our gracious host.

On Thursday, we spent the day enjoying the fellowship of other League members while helping another member in Panama City recover from the storm damage. By the time we were done, he had the best looking house on the block. There was a moment of levity in this disaster zone when we were approached by an African-American man who asked us if we were FEMA.

He came up to us and said something like, “I see y’all working in your black shirts. Y’all look official and shit. Are y’all FEMA? What kind of services are you offering?” We told him that we were the League of the South and that we were helping one of our own members recover from the storm. These people don’t have anything like the chainsaws, generators, trucks with winches that we were using. They seem to believe the federal government is coming to clean up the storm damage.

FINAL THOUGHTS

I’m proud of what we did this week.

The consensus among those us who traveled to Panama City was that this was the most important thing we had ever done. It says “For The Southern People” on the League of the South polo. In the future, I would like to see dozens of League members deploying to these disaster zones as a rapid reaction force in a convoy of pickup trucks with Confederate Battle Flags flying in the breeze.

We could set up a base camp like we did on the Coosa River at the 2018 League of the South National Conference and BBQ for our people. We already have lots preppers in the League. We need to prep as an organization for these scenarios. These are opportunities to gain valuable experience for the disasters that we will face in the future. We will need medics. We will need roofers, electricians, people who do fencing and construction workers. We will need lots of chainsaws and gasoline and other supplies to help our people rebuild and recover from these disasters.

I can see the day when we arrive in these communities and our people will be like, “thank god the rednecks here.” In contrast, the people of Panama City clearly disliked their first taste of ANARCHY, which they obviously associate with looters, price gouging scumbags and other criminals who took advantage of the breakdown of authority after Hurricane Michael to prey on them.

Note: We didn’t go to Panama City for a photo op. The Bay County League of the South will continue to assist their neighbors. We also plan to cycle more volunteers in and out of the Florida Panhandle. At this point, I think our relief effort needs to focus more on recovery like some of the work we did yesterday:

Michael Hill posted this 2 hours ago on Facebook:

“OK y’all, we’re just getting started with our hurricane relief effort. We need funds to keep our men and women in the field to supply the great needs of our people in the hardest-hit areas. Email me at <jmichhill@cs.com> for info on how to donate via PayPal. Otherwise, you can send a check, cash, or money order to: LS, POB 760, Killen, AL 35645. Every single dollar we get goes to our relief project. We have no administrative overhead costs. ALL OUR PEOPLE ARE VOLUNTEERS AND THEY NEED YOUR HELP . . . NOW!”