It is kind of callous of the Stranger to inflict Mudede on a place that has suffered so much so recently

Oso may never be the same again indeed. Reminds me of the Rockslide remnants I've seen on two occasions in southern Alberta Canada. It happened in 1903 killing almost 100. It's both a sort of memorial and tourist attraction these days.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Slide

"Netherworldly" seems inapprorpriate. Everything about this disaster is this-worldly; it is literally of the earth.

I think our success as a species is demonstrated in exactly how surprised we are when nature conducts business as usual. "What, we don't have that under control, too?"

@3: At first I thought you were being sarcastic. But remember, some of those "locals" were once apartment dwellers who saved up enough to buy the "best" land. You can do the same, or keep pouting.

Charles made it through that article without mentioning the word "urban" once. Somebody's trying for a Pulitzer!

If you're not there to help, get out of the way and leave them alone.

Good point about the boom in home-building up there. There's been a TON of development, well-hidden from the highway but still there, in the past 15 years -- not just there but all along the highway. There are several housing clusters further up that aren't hidden at all. I believe these are mostly being built by the Bryson family, which owns half the valley. They've manipulated the rules to get them built, too -- this is supposed to be well outside the growth boundary, but land development in Arlington and environs often ignores the rules.

More insurance is a terrible idea; it'll just encourage them to rebuild right in the path of the thing. It's like those goddamn houses in Florida that the feds keep rebuilding after every hurricane.

Maybe I'm just ethical but the first time someone asked me to stop asking questions after a disaster I'd fucking STOP ASKING QUESTIONS!! But you know, I don't go out of my way to be an asshole.

Charles, drive around on 20 to Darrington - they're historically friendly to outsiders up there, so I'm sure they'll answer all your questions.

Charles, you're a troll. It's not enough that you're the paid in-house troll at the Stranger, but now you feel impelled to go out and troll disaster survivors. What a piece of work.

I don't think the media should annoy the hell out of the survivors, but I do think the pastor should "take one for the team" and deal with the media so that everyone else there doesn't have to. He should do something useful, because praying sure ain't it.

@12 - like every journalist covering the event?

@18
I wonder if the whites out in Oso call each other "white" in an insulting manner like in Seattle?

I agree with #11, Charles. You should go to Darrington. In fact, if you leave right now you'll be there in time to talk to some of the searchers when they come back from the slide area. I'm sure they'd be delighted to get you up to speed.

Charles, the pastor is under NO obligation to talk to anyone. The police, the firefighters, maybe, but everyone else can tell you to go to hell and that's just the way it is.

Get over yourself.

Remember, only The Stranger is allowed to report on the feelings of people at the scene of death and devastation!

http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/last-…

"As they leave, the television crews swarm in, and about 30 members of the group at the end of 59th all raise a middle-finger salute to the television crews. "You'll be missed!" someone shouts."

"Fox News is doing a segment in Glenna's front yard. I more than half think about punching them in the face."

@12: by what definition is the pastor of a nearby church a "disaster survivor"? his home wasn't destroyed.

Why on earth did you ask the pastor to tell you about his particular religious denomination? Geezus.

And then you say that the area is "simple" and "working-class". What about your neighborhood, is it simple and working-class?

Don't write any more about this, please.

Yesterday my friend's 7 year old kid was standing at her bus stop about 4 miles from Darrington when a news truck pulled up, stuck a mic in her face, and asked "How do you feel knowing that some children in your class won't be there anymore?" So yeah, the press is not getting a big welcome right now.

Apart from the mudslide, I tend to believe that everything else in this post was made up.

My heartfelt condolences for the people of Oso, and everyone near or around the towns of Arlington and Darrington along the wreckage of State Route # 530. Tragedies like this could have been prevented but weren't, and now look at the devastating losses.
This is a perfect example of why Big Timber should NOT be permitted to do any further clear-cutting of Washington's forests.

To all of you who feel compelled to make light of this situation, criticize my husband (the pastor written about so unfeelingly in this article), or mock the beautiful people of this community - I read this and felt...sorrow.

No one in Oso has escaped being a victim in one way or another during the past days. We are ALL grieving. Those who lost a home grieve (we did not - we have friends who did). Those who lost a friends grieve (one of our members was confined lost yesterday). Those who lost family members grieve (thankfully we did not - but our daughter-in-law has four family members involved in the search and rescue - we pray for their safety). We are grieving. Let us catch our breath.

Taking offense at a man who has barely slept this week, whose phone(s) haven't stopped ringing for days, who has had countless cameras shoved into his face and pointless questions asked repeatedly (causing him to miss phone calls from people who NEED assistance - a two-minute interview caused him to miss eleven calls yesterday afternoon - who feels the weight of responsibility from a community that is looking to him (as well as to any others) to explain WHY this happened and to help them put the pieces of their lives back together - taking offense because he doesn't have time to speak with you? Where is your heart? Where is your compassion?

(And to "originalcinner" - We both (my husband and myself) have been "taking one for the team" since this tragedy occurred (as have most or our community). However, when dealing with the media interferes with actually helping our friends and neighbors - it's time to say "when".

I've spent the evening looking over articles written about our little community. Many of them have brought me to tears. Yours just plain made me sad.

~ Tina Ray

Mudede should know better than to use a writer's cliché suitable for no better than Fox.

If something can be imagined, it is not "unimaginanable"; if something can be thought, it is not unthinkable.

If you can write without crutches, write on your own creative power.

correction: unimaginable
Imagine that.

My god Stranger, haven't these people suffered enough without Charles bothering them with inane questions? A hack who has made large amounts of hay writing on how stupid and worthless people who choose to live in rural areas are?

No compassion at all.

A community suffers extraordinary loss and experiences incredible coming-togetherness to help one another, and the Stranger sends this insufferable prick in to needle the plebs w/ thinly veiled mirth?

The compassionate Left, ladies and gentlemen.

I don't see where Charles did anything offensive. He didn't make the pastor, or his wife, look bad. He tried a different approach--asking about the congregation--from most questions the press ask.

TRay, I advise you to not follow this thread anymore. The crowd here can be pretty rough, and you've already got a lot on your plate.

Last night I finally put a face to this "journalist". He seemed more like an overly curious tourist - never once identifying himself. Asking intrusive questions. My husband commented on this to me at the time. I assured him that some people just have a morbid curiosity and want to be "where the action is", no matter how tragic or sorrowful. Boy, was I wrong. This went way beyond that.

Thank you for your kind responses (you know who you are).

clashfan - good advice.

^could you be any more obvious, or pathetic?