Podcast Summary: "Praying for Tangier Island"

Podcast: The New Yorker Radio Hour, WNYC Studios and The New Yorker
Host: David Remnick
Episode Air Date: December 1, 2017

Episode Overview

This episode centers on Tangier Island, a small, rapidly shrinking community in the Chesapeake Bay. Faced with intensifying erosion, climate change, and political divides over the causes and solutions, Tangier stands as both a canary in the coal mine for climate change and a close-knit island determined to survive. Through storytelling, interviews, and poignant local voices, the episode explores the physical and cultural threats to the island, the skepticism among its residents about climate science, their deep religious faith, and their contentious interactions with national politics and media.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Setting the Scene: Tangier Island in Crisis

• Natural Disasters Context: The episode opens with host David Remnick reflecting on a year marked by catastrophic hurricanes and wildfires, tying these events to climate change and introducing Tangier Island as a community in the crosshairs ([00:36]-[01:29]).
• Storm Approaching: New Yorker reporter Carolyn Corman visits the island during an incoming storm, participating in a rescue of baby osprey with Mayor James Eskridge and Cameron Evans ([01:21]-[03:02]).

2. Erosion and Shrinking Land

• Landscape: The island, once more than triple its current size, now faces rapid land loss, largely attributed by residents to erosion rather than rising sea levels ([03:17]-[03:55]).
• Living with Floodwaters: Daily life is shaped by the weather, which is ever-threatening and dictates residents' routines ([04:05]-[04:46]).

3. Local Views: Faith, Family, and the Power of the Sea Wall

• Community Bonds and Religion: Trenum Moore, a high school math teacher, shares how faith and generational ties tie the community together. Her grandmother’s vision led to the first sea wall, which provided some protection ([05:10]-[05:40]).
  • Quote: “The Lord has given me. I've had a vision. And then two years later, we had the seawall dedication.” — Trenum Moore ([05:10])
• Seawall as Salvation: Residents see the seawall as crucial, praying for an extension to protect the entire island ([05:53]-[06:09]).

4. Climate Change Debates and Outsider Perception

• Skepticism Towards Climate Science: Moore and Eskridge distinguish erosion from climate change, skeptical of scientific explanations connecting the two.
  • Quote: “Do I think climate change is an issue?...I don't know that. I'm reading it.” — Trenum Moore ([07:08])
• The CNN Town Hall: Mayor Eskridge confronts Al Gore at a climate town hall, insisting erosion, not sea-level rise, is the culprit ([07:53]-[08:39]).
  • Mayor: “Our island is disappearing, but it's because of erosion and not sea level rising.” — James Eskridge ([08:08])
  • Al Gore responds with an allegorical joke about ignoring the signs of danger, which islanders find dismissive ([09:02]).
  • Quote: “We need more than a story about drowning and going to heaven from the Vice President of the United States.” — Trenum Moore ([10:20])

5. Everyday Life and Heritage

• Weather-Driven Existence: Eskridge describes how central weather is to every aspect of island life ([11:23]).
• Crabbing Tradition & Humor: Eskridge gives a tour of his crab shanty and shares stories about local animals, humorously naming rescued kittens after conservative figures ([11:33]-[12:03]).

6. Reluctance to Embrace Climate Change as Argument for Aid

• Federal Funding Dilemma: Officials urge Eskridge to frame Tangier’s crisis as climate-driven to secure government help, but he refuses to “go along with it” for funding ([12:50]-[13:45]).
  • Quote: “I felt real dirty inside. So I stopped doing it. I said, I can't do it. I don't believe it.” — James Eskridge ([13:06]-[13:45])

7. Science and Solutions: The Limits of Seawalls

• Expert Perspective: Scientist David Schulte confirms rising water levels and predicts another two feet of sea level rise this century, which would devastate the island. Seawalls could help but are costly—$30 million or more ([13:45]-[14:13]).

8. Politics, Publicity, and Presidential Promises

• Trump’s Involvement: After the island gains attention for its pro-Trump vote, President Trump personally calls Eskridge, echoing skepticism about sea-level rise ([14:49]-[15:47]).
  • Quote: “Myself and President Trump are on the same page when he talks about America First...We need help.” — Eskridge ([14:27])
• Backlash and Mockery: News coverage and a Stephen Colbert joke bring negative attention, hate mail, and renewed local-national tension ([16:00]-[17:01]).
  • Quote: “Stephen Colbert completely blew us off. That's all right.” — Eskridge ([16:52])

9. Loss, Memory, and the Future

• Erosion Exposed: Cameron Evans shares the emotional impact of finding a casket in a now-eroded graveyard, symbolizing the island’s disappearing history ([18:08]).
  • Quote: “I was standing on a casket...I could see the ring on her finger.” — Cameron Evans ([18:08])
• Community Value: Cameron underscores the impossibility of outsiders fully grasping what’s at stake ([18:58]).
  • Quote: “Everybody knows everybody and you build memories upon those people.” — Cameron Evans ([18:58])
• Determination and Faith: Eskridge reiterates the resolve to stay and preserve Tangier’s culture and faith-based worldview ([19:20]-[19:53]).
  • Quote: “If God is finished with Tangier, then there's nothing going to keep us here. But if he still has work for us to do, then nothing's going to take us away from here.” — Eskridge ([19:53])

Notable Quotes and Memorable Moments (with Timestamps)

• Storm and Osprey Rescue ([01:21]): “We're with the mayor, headed out to rescue a baby osprey.”
• Sea Wall as Faith Fulfilled ([05:10]): “The Lord has given me. I've had a vision. And then two years later, we had the seawall dedication.” — Trenum Moore
• Climate Scepticism under Scrutiny ([08:08]): “Our island is disappearing, but it's because of erosion and not sea level rising.” — James Eskridge
• Al Gore’s Parable ([09:02]): "[Joke about the Lord sending a SUV, boat, helicopter...]" — Al Gore
• Offense at Outsider Perspective ([10:20]): “We need more than a story about drowning and going to heaven from the Vice President of the United States.” — Trenum Moore
• Reluctant to Use Climate Argument for Aid ([13:06]): “I felt real dirty inside. So I stopped doing it...I don't believe it.” — James Eskridge
• Evoking Community Value ([18:58]): “Everybody knows everybody and you build memories upon those people.” — Cameron Evans
• Faithful Resilience ([19:53]): “If God is finished with Tangier, then there's nothing going to keep us here...” — James Eskridge

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:36 – David Remnick introduces 2017’s extreme weather and links to Tangier’s crisis
• 01:21–03:02 – Osprey rescue, scene setting, and physical fragility of island
• 05:10–06:09 – Trenum Moore describes faith and the seawall’s meaning
• 07:53–09:02 – Mayor Eskridge’s CNN town hall exchange with Al Gore
• 10:07–10:20 – Moore reacts with offense to Gore’s parable
• 11:23–12:03 – Eskridge living as a crabber, humor with “conservative” cats
• 13:06 – Eskridge resists painting crisis as climate-driven for aid
• 14:13–14:49 – Scientist’s perspective, cost of seawall, plea for funding
• 15:07–17:01 – Trump phone call, backlash, national media attention
• 18:08–18:50 – Cameron Evans recounts harrowing graveyard erosion
• 19:20–19:53 – Eskridge speaks on the meaning of saving Tangier

Conclusion

"Praying for Tangier Island" presents a nuanced and intimate portrait of a community grappling with existential threat. Through compelling voices, tense exchanges, and scenes of daily life, the episode exposes the complicated mix of faith, tradition, skepticism, and yearning underlying Tangier’s struggle—offering listeners both a microcosm of climate change politics and a moving story of resilience on a vulnerable edge of America.