Looting?!?!?!?!?

[Bob]

I sent in my email last night, I'm not going with the first group. I offered to go with the next group, which they told us would probably be the end of September. No one is going until at least the end of next week. There has been no damage assessment on the four stores we'd be going into, and until that happens, it's all up in the air. There may not even be stores to go into with all the damage that we're seeing in photos and on t.v.

I sell chicken and gourmet items -- I have no business going into a disaster area at this point, is what I came up with. I have two young kids -- and a dog with mange :-( --

I can't go and take a chance. I'll gladly help later when it's safe to go.

Going to NO right now, with the city flooded and outright lawlessness would be as smart as signing up for active duty right now. I would wait for the flooding to be solved before I would go in there.

 

[Miss Kitty]

underthebluemoon....you have made your decision, which I could tell was a hard one for you. You made the best decision for you and your family and should not feel guilty. There are other ways to help right now. I feel for the time being only trained and necessary people should be venturing into these areas.

 

[Smiling JOe]

UTBM,
Good for you for making your own decision. Everyone is at their own unique place in time. That which is right for others is not always right for you at that particular moment. Perhaps you are teaching your kids the responsibility of parenting. As others have stated, you and your kids can find other ways to help from afar. Challenge your kids to create their own way of helping. You may be surprised by their creative abilities.

 

[spinDrAtl]

On the Today show this morning, there appeared to be video of two lady POLICE OFFICERS filling a grocery cart!!!!! I'm not positive but I believe they were in a store where others were looting as well. When asked about it, one said 'I'm doing my job' which was not very convincing and it appeared they did not want to be on camera - go figure.

 

[SlowMovin]

New Orleans has a pretty high unemployment rate. Maybe locals could get gainful employment at the grocery stores...then it wouldn't be necessary to truck supermarket employees to a Sav-A-Center in a disaster area.

Maybe then they could also stop looting (sorry folks, but stealing jeans, jewelry and electronics less than 24 hours after the storm hit does not qualify as "survival").

 

[Oldtimer]

I wonder how they could pay for goods which they would buy if the tel lines allowed them to make credit card purchases. If you don't have cash in your pocket, you are screwed. Maybe people will at least get fed in jail. Making a blanket statement about looting is difficult to do, given the severe circumstances, depending on items being looted. I am sure people will be in need of clothes, too.

You are right, SJ. MANY of these folks are desperate. Diapers for a baby sounds like a necessity. I don't excuse the foolishness of taking electronics at this time, but I can certainly understand taking food, clothing, and other items that help one simply survive. This is the worst kind of nightmare and is affecting the entire country.

We have four families from Bay St. Louis and Pass Christian staying at our beach house. They are grateful to be alive.

 

[Travel2Much]

New Orleans has a pretty high unemployment rate. Maybe locals could get gainful employment at the grocery stores...then it wouldn't be necessary to truck supermarket employees to a Sav-A-Center in a disaster area.

Maybe then they could also stop looting (sorry folks, but stealing jeans, jewelry and electronics less than 24 hours after the storm hit does not qualify as "survival").

Actually, the WalMart they were looting was quite recently opened, in a very poor area, as an effort in urban renewal to provide jobs and low priced food and goods to the sorts of people who were looting it (other than the police looting the store, who have jobs already with our wonderfully effective police force).

The gun rack apparently was cleaned out.

 

[SlowMovin]

Actually, the WalMart they were looting was quite recently opened, in a very poor area, as an effort in urban renewal to provide jobs and low priced food and goods to the sorts of people who were looting it (other than the police looting the store, who have jobs already with our wonderfully effective police force).

The gun rack apparently was cleaned out.

And how much longer will it now take this Wal-Mart to provide those jobs? Or will they just close up shop and leave the people to themselves? A handful of businesses seemed to have survived...maybe they could have provided a means to get the city up and somewhat functional again someday. Not anymore.

Rationalize this all you want. There is no good excuse for smashing store windows and running around with TVs on your head. Maybe some people did take some food. I'm sure somewhere, someone did. But the storm hit around 7:30 am. By that afternoon there was footage of looting being broadcast. I don't think they were quite at the starvation stage yet. If so, maybe they should have hit your Wal-Mart instead of the pawnshop near Canal.

 

[Miss Kitty]

Never underestimate the power of stupid people in large groups.

 

[Kurt]

In cities every day - a few policeman are the only thing between you and chaos.