The Positude Podcast

Positude Podcast: PowWow with Matthew Short

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Host Maggie Heart introduced her guest, Matthew "Matt" Short, whom she discovered after his Facebook video about Hurricane Harvey "hit me in the gut." Maggie explained that she was struck by the pain and anguish in his testimony and believes he is telling the truth. She hoped the interview would shed light on "things that are going on in our country behind the scenes" and help people better prepare for future natural disasters.

Matt's Background and Arrival

Matt identified himself as a "tenured activist," the PR director for Come and Take at Texas (an organization involved in the open carry movement), and a member of the Texas militia. Having been through previous disasters, he said he "knows the things to look for" regarding FEMA and other "alphabet agencies."

When Hurricane Harvey hit, Matt and his organization got a boat and truck to go assist the civilian-led "Cajun Navy" and "Texas Navy."

  • "Purge-Like" Atmosphere: Matt's first night in Houston was spent at a militia compound set up in a strip mall. He described the situation as "like the purge," hearing constant glass breaking, car alarms, and gunshots. The militia deemed it too violent to let him leave the compound until sunrise.
    • The Addicks Dam Incident and Federal Interference

    Matt’s team was soon routed to Katy, Texas, near the Addicks Dam.

    • Warning of Dam Release: At a massive FEMA command center set up in a mall parking lot (which Matt noted confirmed "conspiracies" about FEMA using Walmarts/malls), he was told they were going to "blow the dam." While the dam was ultimately "released" and not "blown," the effect was the same.
    • Roadblocks and Non-Evacuation: Matt stated the agencies were releasing the dam waters without evacuating the neighborhoods in the flood path. Furthermore, he alleged that FEMA, FBI, and Secret Service agents were actively blocking the roads, preventing civilian rescue boats from reaching the trapped residents.
    • State vs. Federal Conflict: According to Matt, the situation was resolved only when Texas DPS (State Highway Patrol) agents confronted the federal agents, telling them to "get out of their way" because they were "going to save Texans." This allowed civilian boats to get in and rescue "several hundred people."
      • Beaumont, Gun Confiscations, and Militia Standoff

      The next day, an off-duty Federal State Department member warned Matt’s group that dams in the Beaumont/Port Arthur area were also being released into flooded areas.

      • Threat of Disarmament: The group was explicitly warned that local law enforcement in Beaumont was threatening to arrest and confiscate firearms from any armed civilians, including rescuers.
      • "Left... to Die": The federal agent used his credentials to get Matt’s convoy of 35 boats past roadblocks into downtown Beaumont. Once there, the agent allegedly left them, stating they were "on their own" and would be "under four foot of water in one hour," telling them to "find high ground and good luck."
      • Militia Response: Matt's group rallied at a local church and set up their own supply hub and medical area. Matt then made a public call for militia support. By midnight, over 100 armed militia members had arrived.
      • Standoff with Police: When local police arrived to question the heavily armed group, Matt informed them that his organization was the same one that "just changed laws in this state as far as firearms" and warned that if they tried to confiscate weapons, he would "have a thousand armed men down here." He stated the police "backed off," and he believes their armed presence "stopped a gun confiscation" from occurring.
        • A "Civil War" Over Supplies and Alleged Atrocities

        Matt described a "civil war" between different levels of government:

        • FEMA Confiscating Aid: He claimed FEMA and the National Guard were seen trying to take supplies from civilian rescuers, telling starving people they needed to "fill out applications to get supplies for survival."
        • Local Rescuers Aiding Civilians: In contrast, he said local emergency services would approach their group, say "what you're doing is illegal, but here's a hundred cases of water," and urge them to keep up the good work.
        • "Hunting People": Matt claimed private contractors (like Academi/Blackwater) were in the area "hunting people," referring to looters. He argued that after 72 hours, any desperate person trying to find food for survival is labeled a "looter" and becomes a target.
        • Bodies "Washed Out to Sea": He stated that rescue boats were finding "bodies full of holes" (shot) and GPS-marking them. He alleges that subsequent intentional dam releases were then "washing those bodies out to sea" to hide the true death toll, which he guarantees is "way higher" than official reports.
        • "Prison Ships": Matt concluded by warning that FEMA was bringing in "prison ships" to Port Arthur for housing. He claimed that once on these ships, people are in international waters, lose their Constitutional rights, and "might not come back."
          • Matt's Advice for Survival
          1. Be Armed: "Anybody... needs to have a firearm or a way to protect themselves."
          2. Be Prepared: Always have water and storable food (like MREs) for at least 72 hours.
          3. Stay Calm: He stressed that the inability to cope with the loss of modern amenities causes people to panic and make bad decisions.
          4. Avoid Official Shelters: "Don't go to FEMA. Don't go to the Red Cross. All they're going to do is lock you in somewhere, which actually might kill you also. And I've witnessed it firsthand."
          5. Praise the Civilian Effort: Matt insisted the real heroes were the Cajun Navy and Texas Navy, stating that "Texans helping Texans" saved tens of thousands of lives and prevented the disaster from being another Katrina.
            6. Maggie's Concluding Defense

            After the interview, Maggie passionately defended Matt's credibility against "naysayers." She attributed any pauses or "stilted" delivery in his videos to PTSD and the exhaustion from processing the trauma he witnessed. She challenged critics by asking, "What personally did you do to help these victims?" and reiterated that she believes Matt "with every fiber of my being."

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            The Positude PodcastBy Maggie Heart