A friend of mine brought to my attention a Joe Rogan Podcast episode that aired on July 19, 2024. Joe was speaking with fellow comedian Sam Morril, and about halfway through, the conversation turned serious for about four minutes. Joe remembered something a firefighter had told him about wildfires and how there would be a disaster one day. The firefighter told him, "One day, it's just gonna be the right wind, and a fire is gonna start in the right place, and it's gonna burn through LA all the way to the ocean, and there's not a f*****g thing we can do about it." He continued with, "We get lucky with the wind." "But if the wind hits the wrong way, it's just going to burn straight through L.A., and there’s not gonna be a thing we can do about it." It sounds like some crazy doomsday warning you hear but don't quite believe will ever come true. But here we are, six months later, watching this nightmare unfold before our eyes. L.A. is facing one of the worst wildfires in its history. We're seeing entire neighborhoods totally destroyed on the news, lives being turned upside down, and families are left to pick up the pieces. Some of my friends who live out there have been seriously impacted by this, and it's sad to witness so much devastation. What frustrates me is the instant finger-pointing that happens every time a disaster like this strikes. Blame is thrown at the L.A. mayor, Gavin Newsom, Trump, climate change, Democrats, DEI policies—pick your scapegoat. The reality is this didn't come out of nowhere. The warning signs have been there for years, and the conditions for disaster have been getting worse. California's wildfire problem is no secret—thousands of them happen every year. Most wildfires are sparked by human activity. Others start through natural causes like lightning, but what can realistically be done to prevent earthquakes or hurricanes? And it's not just California. Look at Lahaina, Maui—a historic town I visited a few years ago that was pretty much wiped off the map by a devastating fire that claimed lives and destroyed homes. Think about the floods in North Carolina that have left people struggling, and they are still on the road to recovery. I think about the billions of taxpayer dollars sent overseas to fund wars in Ukraine and the Middle East. I can't help but wonder—why isn't that same level of urgency and funding going to help Americans facing disasters at home? Are there funds outside of FEMA to help Americans? Some argue we can do both—help abroad and take care of our own—but is that realistic? Is federal funding so limitless that billions can go to foreign wars while communities here struggle to recover? And even if the money exists, why does it feel like so little is reaching places like Lahaina or flood-ravaged parts of the U.S.? These are hard questions, and I don't have all the answers. Can we really prevent the wildfires that are destroying L.A. right now? How do we still feel safe in places prone to wildfires, tornadoes, hurricanes, or earthquakes? And how do we balance helping others overseas with taking care of our own communities? It's overwhelming, but ignoring the problem clearly isn't working. After seeing these tragedies, the wildfires in L.A., floods in North Carolina, or the devastation in Lahaina, people often ask, "Why didn't we do more to prevent this?" But what can we really do? Clayton Craddock is a devoted father of two, an accomplished musician, and a thought-provoker dedicated to Socratic questioning, challenging the status quo, and encouraging a deeper contemplation on various issues. Subscribe to Think Things Through HERE, and for inquiries and to connect, email him here: Clayton@claytoncraddock.com. Get full access to Clayton Craddock's Deep Cuts at thinkthingsthrough.substack.com/subscribe
