The Dust Bowl of the 1930s was an unfortunate combination of natural events, mixed with the nation's excessive greed. Our country began westward expansion with the dream of advancing products from sea to sea. Our ancestors saw what the land had to offer and wasted no time in trying to exploit its full value, thanks to our capitalist economic system. Could this have been avoided? After reading Donald Worster's book The Dust Bowl, I would argue that Plainsmen pride, reckless denial of the severity of the situation, and the need for reform are what led to our nation's greatest ecological disaster. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay "The pattern of reaction among Plains dwellers has been something like this: failing to anticipate the drought, underestimating its duration when it arrives, expecting temporary rain, denying that they are being hit as hard as outsiders believe, defend the region from critics, admit that some help would be helpful, demand that the government act and act quickly, insist that federal aid be given without strings attached and when and where local residents want it, vote for those politicians who uphold the people's optimism and despise the need for major reforms, resent the interference of bureaucrats, and look forward to the return to “normality” when plans will once again proceed along the path of steady progress” (Worster 28) from chapter two of Worster's book clearly and concisely summarizes the attitude of the Plainsmen during the decade of sandstorms and "black blizzards" that choked the life of agriculture, livestock, and even our same people. However, the negative reputation this gave the region upset its settlers who formed “truth watch squads” (Worster 32) to defend the plains from bad press. These groups of people were committed to maintaining the dignity of the struggling farmers who were not ready to turn their backs on their way of life, for which they did backbreaking work. Denial that they were a Dust Bowl, or even a drought, became the top priority for those living in the Plains region. Truth Vigilantes went so far as to attempt to report, remove, or burn any sources or documentation that portrayed the Southern Plains in a negative light. In 1936, there was a film being made about the Dust Bowl that was immediately shut down by a member of the Texas legislature who declared the film to be a “Smear on the great Texas Panhandle” (The Shamrock Texan, 1). The reporter continued the article by quoting delegate Eugene Worley also stating that "The scenes were misleading, an unfair portrayal, and that the Texas Panhandle was far from a desert with its rich agriculture and hospitable citizens" (The Shamrock Texan , 1). This continued denial for many years in the 1930s is what worsened the already economic depression that was preventing our country from achieving success. Instead of seeking cover, these groups should have sought change. Due to the growing desperation of the Plains states, the only option left was to rely on the government to help them out of this disaster. The traditionally Democratic Plains states joined the rest of America in voting for President Franklin Roosevelt. Roosevelt and his cabinet welcomed ideas from people in every state and country who aimed to find a suitable solution to resolve the.