Ribbons around Trees
Allison Silberberg's Plain Talk -- August 1, 2025
Ribbons around Trees
By Allison Silberberg
August 1, 2025
I took a week off from the column while I was in my hometown of Dallas visiting family and friends the past two weeks. Everyone wanted to talk about the latest political happenings in Washington, but there was also a palpable sense of raw grief in the air, the aftermath of the unthinkable tragedy in the Texas Hill Country. There is an overarching storyline also unfolding there that reminds us all about the crucial role of government.
The Hill Country is in the middle of the state – an area that most Texans know and cherish. It is the ties that bind, an area between most of the big cities and a location of fun, lush beauty, and calm. The tragedy touched millions of Texans in some way, directly or indirectly.
Most or all of the recovery teams, federal officials, and media saturation have now moved on. But the grim reality of what happened has not dissipated.
In a few days, it will be a month since the Hill Country tragedy on the early morning of July 4th. One child is still missing. A friend just attended a funeral last weekend for her dear friend’s eight-year-old grandchild who was swept away from Camp Mystic. It is horrific to contemplate, tragic beyond words. We as a country must do far better to assess risks and protect the public.
There are visual reminders throughout Dallas where countless trees and light poles have green ribbons tied around their base with a big bow, showing support for the Hill Country and all those affected. Some trees and light poles have a combination of pink and yellow ribbons. A friend said that the pink and yellow ribbons mean that either their families were touched directly by the tragedy or that they are showing support for Camp Mystic. Residents in cities and towns across Texas have done the same with ribbons.
At one gathering, longtime friends stood in the kitchen and shook their heads in disbelief about the tragedy. One friend said that she had sent her daughter to camp around there. Generations of kids in numerous families had gone to Camp Mystic. Others said that they had gone to Echo Hill Ranch, which is near Camp Mystic, and that they had sent all their children there. I attended Echo Hill for two summers as a child. There are other popular camps there as well. Each person at the gathering felt touched by the tragedy and were deeply saddened.
Regardless of party affiliation, everyone, with whom I chatted, felt very strongly that they expected Governor Abbott and the State Legislature to take swift and decisive action in terms of flood mitigation, dam construction, and siren warning systems throughout the state, especially along the Guadalupe River.
But instead of focusing on this unthinkable tragedy, Governor Abbott has pushed the State Legislature to redraw the electoral districts, something that occurs in states across the country once a decade in conjunction with the census, not every five years. Governor Abbott has made redistricting his top priority. This is inconceivable and certainly insensitive and should be to all. We are still burying children, and Governor Abbott and the State Legislature are playing politics and thinking about the midterms instead of thinking about those swept away.
The Governor and State Legislature need to address the tragedy, not add five new House Congressional seats by more gerrymandering. Where are their priorities?
Yesterday, some Texas’ State officials held a hearing in Kerr County about what happened. One top local official stated he had been sick and fell asleep on July 3rd and didn’t awaken until it was far too late on July 4th. Where were others? Where was the plan for redundancy to ensure coverage and resilience? For years to come, people will be studying what happened in the Hill Country because it is a cautionary tale.
The overarching question is: what is the role of government? What is the purpose of government? And what should it be?
On a national level, what has emerged is that there are two answers to those questions in our country. Some want to dismantle government and others want a highly effective government.
Why would some not want a highly effective government? How many times have all of us heard someone say that they just want the government to get off their back and leave them alone?
Do they care if our bridges fall down or if national parks are maintained or if our flights take off and land safely? Do they care about our national security? These are functions of government. In truth, we are all counting on government to provide certain services. This is what separates us from nations that don’t handle things well or don’t care.
It might be easy for some to say that they want government off their back, but at the same time, they expect the water that they and their children drink to be clean. They expect trained personnel (such as Coast Guard, FBI, police, firefighters, and EMTs) to help if there is any God-forbid event, including a fire in their home or a terrorist attack in our country.
The bottom line is that they don’t want the government until they need the government.
Yesterday, the New York Times ran a story about how Texans in Kerr County felt abandoned and that they hadn’t seen a penny of help. It’s been nearly four weeks. Is that acceptable? Where is the accountability? All of us should expect far better than what has happened in the Hill Country.
The obvious failure of government officials at the local and state levels in the Hill Country is not a reason to assert that we do not need government. A highly effective government at the local, state, and federal levels is mission critical and in everyone’s best interest.
As a country, we need to hold our government accountable so that such a tragedy doesn’t happen again. We as citizens deserve no less.
The next time you cross a bridge near your home or while vacationing in another part of the country or take a sip of water, think about the role of government. You are counting on it, much like all those who went to sleep near the Guadalupe River on the night of July 3rd.
Allison Silberberg is a writer and public affairs/public policy consultant. She served as mayor of Alexandria, Virginia, 2016-2019. Her work includes working on staff on Capitol Hill for Senator Lloyd M. Bentsen (D-TX). She is the author of “Visionaries In Our Midst: Ordinary People who are Changing our World,” which hit #1 on Amazon’s List for Philanthropy & Charity. Her writing has appeared in The Washington Post, The Dallas Morning News, on PBS.org. To learn more, please visit: www.allisonsilberberg.com
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