A sudden flash flood at Texas’ elite Camp Mystic, a conservative Christian summer retreat for girls from influential families, has not only caused tragic loss of young lives but also sparked a wider storm of public reaction. As search teams continue their efforts, sharp criticism has emerged over the camp’s alleged racial exclusivity. Now caught in a swirl of sorrow, politics, and privilege, the Camp Mystic flood tragedy is raising difficult questions—about who gets attention, who gets sympathy, and why. A quiet river has turned the nation’s gaze toward unsettling truths.
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
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Location: Camp Mystic, a private Christian girls’ summer camp in Texas Hill Country
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Incident: Sudden flash flood led to at least two confirmed deaths; several campers are missing
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Criticism: Former Houston appointee Dee Dee Perkins calls out camp’s racial exclusivity and media bias
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Fallout: Perkins removed from her city post following public backlash
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Debate: Raises questions over race, privilege, and selective national empathy in disaster coverage
What began as a tragic weather event in Texas has quickly evolved into a broader national conversation around race, privilege, and public empathy. A flash flood in the Texas Hill Country recently struck Camp Mystic—an elite, historic summer camp for girls—leaving behind devastation, sorrow, and an unexpected firestorm of political controversy.
Camp Mystic, nestled along the Guadalupe River, has for decades served as a cherished tradition for generations of Texas’ most prominent families. Alumni reportedly include descendants of President Lyndon B. Johnson and members of the Bush family, among others. The Christian girls’ camp, known for its exclusivity and deep Southern roots, has long been a social cornerstone for the state’s elite.
But following the flash flood—believed to be the result of sudden, intense rainfall in the region—public attention has expanded far beyond the search for the missing. The disaster, which claimed at least two lives and left several young girls unaccounted for, has triggered emotional responses nationwide. Search-and-rescue efforts are ongoing, with volunteers, emergency responders, and even private helicopters involved in locating the missing campers.
However, a separate storm has been brewing—this one political and deeply racial in nature.
Dee Dee Perkins, a former Houston municipal appointee, posted a now-viral video on social media that has sharply divided public opinion. In the video, Perkins did not hold back in her characterization of Camp Mystic.
“But Camp Mystic is a Whites-only girls Christian camp,” she said.
“They don’t even have a token Asian, they don’t have a token Black person—it is an all-White, White-only conservative Christian camp.”
Perkins’ remarks questioned not only the camp’s racial exclusivity but also the disproportionate sympathy and media attention the tragedy has received. She pointed out what she perceived as a glaring disparity in the treatment of tragedies involving people of color.
“If you ain’t White, you ain’t right,” she added.
“You ain’t getting in, you ain’t going, period.”
She emphasized that her critique wasn’t directed at the individual victims or their families but rather at the larger public and institutional response.
“It’s not to say that we don’t want the girls to be found—whatever girls that are missing… but you best believe, especially in today’s political climate, if this were a group of Hispanic girls, this would not be getting this type of coverage that they’re getting. No one would give a f–k,” she stated.
Perkins also expressed frustration that the public was being asked to prioritize sympathy for the victims of a camp she sees as racially exclusionary while, in her view, broader injustices toward minority communities continue unchecked.
“They want you to have sympathy for these people,” she said.
“They want you to get out of your bed and to come out of your home and to go find these people and to donate your money to go find these people.”
“Meanwhile,” she continued, “they are deporting your family members. Meanwhile, they’re setting up concentration camps and prisons for your family members. And I need you all to keep that in mind before you all get out there and put on your rain boots and go find these little girls.”
The backlash was immediate. Many online users condemned her comments as divisive and insensitive, especially during a time when families are grieving and desperate for news about their daughters. City officials were also quick to respond.
Mayor John Whitmire’s office released a statement addressing the controversy:
“The comments shared on social media are deeply inappropriate and have no place in a decent society, especially as families grieve the confirmed deaths and the ongoing search for the missing,” the statement read.
“Mayor John Whitmire will not reappoint her and is taking immediate steps to remove her permanently from the board.”
Camp Mystic has not issued a statement regarding either the tragedy or the allegations of racial exclusivity. However, its history and cultural image have come under renewed scrutiny, especially as America continues grappling with longstanding issues of race and privilege.
As helicopters fly overhead and search crews trudge through muddy terrain looking for signs of life, the tragedy at Camp Mystic now stands at a complicated intersection—one that combines deep sorrow, historical legacy, and the nation’s still-unresolved tensions around race and class.
As the waters recede at Camp Mystic, the flood has left more than physical devastation—it has opened a channel of uncomfortable national dialogue. What began as a tragic natural disaster has now become entangled in pressing questions of race, privilege, and selective public empathy. While families grieve and rescue teams press on, the viral video and its aftermath remind us that even in moments of sorrow, the boundaries of inclusion and identity are often laid bare. The Camp Mystic tragedy may be rooted in nature, but its ripples reach deep into the soul of America.
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