hater-of-terfs:

Autonomous Mutual Aid Groups Mobilize in Texas as Death Toll Rises | It’s Going Down

Massive storms and cold fronts have knocked out power for millions of people across the US and led to the deaths of almost 25 individuals. One of the hardest hit regions has been the state of so-called Texas, where failing electrical infrastructure has resulted in many people being stuck without power for over 24 hours. The collapse of the electrical grid has also caused many people’s pipes to freeze and burst and some water treatment plants have also begun to fail; with city governments issuing “boil water notices” in order to “ensure destruction of any harmful bacteria” as water treatment infrastructure comes back online.

Poor, working-class and houseless people have been hit the hardest by the storms and so-called local leaders have made it clear just how they feel about their constituents caught between sudden death and ice-cold disaster:

But when Colorado City’s [of Texas] mayor chimed in, it was to deliver a less-than-comforting message: The local government had no responsibility to help out its citizens, and only the tough would survive.

“No one owes you or your family anything,” Tim Boyd wrote on Tuesday in a now-deleted Facebook post, according to KTXS and KTAB. “I’m sick and tired of people looking for a damn handout!”

Boyd suggested that residents without electricity should simply “step up and come up with a game plan.” Those without running water could either deal with it, or “think outside of the box to survive and supply water to your family.” He did not offer any further guidance, such as where safe drinking water or reliable electricity could be found. “Only the strong will survive and the [weak] will perish,” he wrote.

“Folks, God [h]as given us the tools to support ourselves in times like this,” he wrote, claiming that those who expected the city to come to their aid were “sadly a product of a socialist government.”

As millions huddle in the dark, autonomous mutual aid groups are mobilizing in cities across Texas and beyond. Check out their initiatives below and see how you can plug-in and help.

See the full list here. Please donate and volunteer if you’re able