You are in New Orleans

[yankeedem]

It is a bright sunny day, but your neighborhood is high and dry. You have no power, no phone, no toilets, no fresh water.

You go out on to the street. You try to find out what is going on, but with no TV, radio, or newspapers, all you hear are rumors. You hear that 2 blocks away, a building has collapsed. You hear that the water is rising, and you may soon be underwater soon, but when?

There are few if any emergency officials around, and they are unable to calm the fears of you and your neighbors.

You hear rumors that the city will be evacuated, but when? Where will you go? A day, a week, a month? Do they even know you are there? Does the rest of the city still exist?

You have no food, no medicine, no water, and no idea when you will get rescued. You are not hungry yet, but you will be soon if you aren't rescued. You see a grocery store, or a drug store, or a convenience store. Your neighbors are hungry also, and even when they aren't, they are taking whatever they need, whether they need it now or will need it later. It will be empty soon.

Your city left you without escape. You have no idea what is going on outside of your neighborhood. What would you do to get food?

Think about this when you criticize those stuck in the hurricane zone.

[whistle]

1. Have republicans come out and blamed the Clinton administration

...yet for this mess?

[sunnystarr]

43. Someone on AAR just said they were

but didn't state the reasons given. When they blame Clinton you know they're desparate, frantic, and worried.

[Hippo_Tron]

91. FOX News reported that Hurricane Katrina voted for Kerry last November

Sorry, I just had to.

[proud2BlibKansan]

2. I wouldn't be stealing any beer, that's for sure

[niyad]

3. it might actually be HIS beer and maybe that is all that is left of his

belongings

[proud2BlibKansan]

25. Uh sure

whatever

[Maru Kitteh]

87. I would skip the beer and head right for the Absolut and Jack

at this point. I don't admire people looting non-essentials but with so many injured, needy and dead I could really give a flying fuck about property.

[proud2BlibKansan]

92. Now you are talking!

LOL :rofl:

[Benbow]

114. Then you'd be inebriated and dehydrated and probably a liability for the

emergency services.

[Squatch]

4. Beer spoils, too. Just like bread.

"it's all going to go to waste, anyways"

[proud2BlibKansan]

26. So it's okay to steal it

and those folks looting the WalMart, well that's WalMart, so who cares?

[EC]

78. Do you really think Wal-Mart is going to salvage all that STUFF

or are they going to collect the insurance?

And if that guy is an alcoholic, he needs that beer...this would not be a good time to detox...


Just let it go, anything left in the stores is already a loss.

[proud2BlibKansan]

80. It's anarchy

So I just can't justify it.

Sorry.

Peace :hi:

[EC]

86. It's survival...

So I can justify it...


sorry

[Benbow]

116. To ward off dangerous dehydration and avoid being poisoned by the water

So I can justify it too.

[bicentennial_baby]

5. really? cause it's a hell of a lot better than

drinking sewage and corpse water...

[Chovexani]

7. That and

Self-medicating.

[bicentennial_baby]

9. definitely

i think many here are underestimating the psychological toll of this...

[ScreamingMeemie]

13. Stop it...you'll be called an apologist....

...and worse...Then they'll say you have no right to feel bad because you aren't "affected" by it in any way you know. :hi:

Sorry, dumping on your post, but this forum is insane tonight.

[bicentennial_baby]

15. No problem!

and you are quite right about the state of this forum! Yikes! Good to see you though! :hi:

[Chovexani]

16. I drank a LOT around 9/11

And I don't even drink...I avoid it because I've got a crapload of alcoholics on both sides of my family. But seeing my friends and neighbors dying like that?

Dude, I can't judge these people. They're losing their city.

[bicentennial_baby]

18. That's exactly how I feel

"I can't judge these people. They're losing their city."

Yes, exactly. Who am I to judge? Jeebus only knows what I would do in similar circumstances. :(

[Left coast liberal]

96. Hear, Hear! I can't even imagine. NT

[RPM]

60. NYC restaurants had an interesting 9/11 stat

in the couple of months after 9/11 restaurang food sales were off something like 60%.

Bar sales were doubled...

... or something like that.


God knwos i was down in the city 5 nites a week - weirdest shit when i could drive in on a friday and have my pick of parking on Restaurant Row (I drank at the Gaf - 48th btw 9th and 10th in Hells Kitchen)

[ohio_liberal]

10. Absolutely

When my house was flooded last year I drank quite a bit during the cleanup. It was the only way I could hold it all together. It was either that or ask someone for pills.

[shanti]

97. definitely

there will be many who won't be able to handle this. already a man has jumped from the superdome. it will get very very ugly before it gets better.

[lildreamer316]

11. How about beer bread?

Fire + iron skillet/pot+ beer + self-rising flour+water & pinch of salt=beer bread.
That's what I call innovation!

[uppityperson]

12. agreed. They cannot drink the water and you cannot live without liquid

[IndyOp]

14. I don't drink often, but I'd have to agree with you on this one.

Especially since you didn't even mention the petrochemicals and (possibly) waste from a nearby nuclear power plant that may have been shut down and might leak...?

:-(

[bicentennial_baby]

17. Yep

I had those in mind as well x(

[proud2BlibKansan]

27. And I am sure

there was NO bottled water in that store where this guy found the beer.

[Balbus]

51. Bottled water doesn't taste as good.

We're talking about survival - not sacrifice.

[proud2BlibKansan]

54. Oh give me a break

Beer is not necessary for survival. :rofl:

[Balbus]

58. For me it is!!

:toast:

[proud2BlibKansan]

63. No doubt

:eyes:

[Carolab]

107. It has nutritional value. n/t

[fujiyama]

102. Actually by that point

the water may have been out. T

I'm not going to defend those looting non essentials, but I sure as hell think its understandable that people are taking whatever perishable items they can.

[yankeedem]

6. Glad you will be so moral in a disaster

I'll take beer too. Beats nothing. Maybe this fellow isn't thinking straight, what with his city collapsing around him.

[tedzbear]

74. Plus beer has carbs for energy, unlike water.

This may be all the nutrients he will get for days.

[Left coast liberal]

98. Plus don't forget barter. That brew is valuable.

In situations like this were civilization has broke down we go back to basic commerce.

Beer as commodity. Probably more valuable than water at this point.

:)

[ohio_liberal]

8. I would

Self-medication, ya know?

[proud2BlibKansan]

28. Now that makes sense.

Smartest reply yet.

[loudsue]

108. Unlike your own.

Pffft.

:kick:

[SofaKingLiberal]

19. Stolen or not, If everything I owned just got destroyed,

I might just have a drink too.

[proud2BlibKansan]

29. I would want to stay sober

but then I am not much of a drinker.

[RandomKoolzip]

73. Good for you.

I don't drink at all. But I can hardly blame anyone who decides to drink under these circumstances. Nor should I judge them.

[proud2BlibKansan]

83. I am not judging him for drinking

It's the stealing that I think is wrong.

[Lars39]

89. If he was an alcoholic,

he needed the beer just as much as food.

[proud2BlibKansan]

90. No

he did not need it as much as food. Without food, he will die. Without alcohol, his life would be much less dysfunctional.

I was in AlAnon for too long - no way can I be persuaded that anyone NEEDS booze. Sorry. :)

[Lars39]

93. Even surgical patients receive it if needed.

[SammyWinstonJack]

20. I would if I were thirsty and all around me was sewage water.

Kills me that some know exactly what they would do without being in this horrific catastrophe. I hope I never have to find out what I would do. I hope none of us do.

[proud2BlibKansan]

30. I would look for bottled water

If beer can be found, then water should be close by.

[yankeedem]

41. What if the bottled water is gone?

Who knows why this fellow is carrying beer in flood waters. Not my place to judge, not yours either.

[proud2BlibKansan]

50. This is getting silly

It reminds me of the flame war a year or so ago about whether or not to give money to street people who hold the signs 'Will work for food'. I pointed out that I work in the inner city and I drive by these people every day. I often see them take that money they collect and go straight to the nearest liquor store. There were several DUers who said they thought these people had as much right to buy liquor as anyone else.

Why don't we just write rush's script for him?

[bpilgrim]

72. "take that money they collect and go straight to the nearest liquor store"

lol - stop cribbing rush's lines, it's so unbecoming a lib

fyi

peace

[proud2BlibKansan]

79. It just makes me cringe when I see that

and this looting does the same thing.

We are writing rush's script for him. No wonder he makes fun of us.

[tyedyeto]

22. Why not? It's bottled and not contaminated? n/t

[bpilgrim]

34. that's the same line the Rush clones on the M$M have been using all day

glad to see you got your priorities straight :eyes:


peace

[proud2BlibKansan]

40. Good grief

Have you seen the video of those people looting the WalMart? Defending that nonsense is just giving rush ammunition for tomorrow's show.

[bpilgrim]

55. did they have it on an attract loop?

or are you glued to your teeVee and don't miss a thing :shrug:

i don't have cable so i wouldn't have seen it but i would have recognized it for what it was just the same, a DISTRACTION from the Feds complete ineptitude.

get your priorities straight

peace

[proud2BlibKansan]

66. It's been on every network all night long

I am a news junkie and I surf back and forth from MSNBC to CNN and when I can stomach it - Fox.

I agree they are giving this looting story too much airplay. But they aren't just stealing food for their hungry families.

[loudsue]

109. That's prolly your problem, right there!

I am a news junkie and I surf back and forth from MSNBC to CNN and when I can stomach it - Fox.

[EC]

85. Are you sure they were looting? Since it has been

reported and made a big deal of that Wal-Mart was giving everything needed away at surrounding stores...(oh, forget it, my bad, they were stocking their stores with what would be needed.


Wal-Mart Emergency Operations Team has been sending out needed merchandise across the Gulf Coast before the hurricane hit. Including supplying our stores in surrounding communities to help them prepare and clean up, Wal-Mart trucks have been sent to help service and community organizations with in-kind donation requests, such as flashlights, sleeping bags, outdoor camping pads and food products such as tomato and chicken noodle soup, crackers,and canned tuna.

http://www.walmartfoundation.org/wmstore/goodworks/scripts/News.jsp?BV_SessionID=@@@@0293031077.1125463648@@@@&BV_EngineID=ccceaddfdldmdjjcfkfcfkjdgoodglh.0&oid=Community&coid=14880



There are a couple of other ways of looking at this that may not assault the goody two shoes attitude, one, being consider it donated (but they couldn't get anyone there to hand it out with a smile) or consider it garbage being picked over....

[fooj]

100. Rush doesn't have an ounce of humanity in his soul.

He has no soul. He doesn't understand compassion.

These people are DESPERATE! I'm much more concerned with the lack of preparation and the obvious neglect that these poor people are enduring. I'm not into condoning theft. IMHO, this is not theft. This is, quite tragically, survival. What would you do in this situation? I find it hard to believe that anyone in these horrific conditions wouldn't do whatever it takes to survive.

Peace.

[fujiyama]

103. Fuck Rush

Why do you care what he says?

He's a big fat pigheaded blowhard with no sense of humanity. There are few I would say this about, but I wish he lost his fuckin house and belongings. I would say more about that piece of shit, but my message would get deleted then.

The looting certainly doesn't make thing easier for the law enforcement at this point, but this is a matter of priorities. The authorities really have to focus only on the essentials like saving people.

[BeTheChange]

104. F%^* Rush and his stupid script..

I could give a shit less what some fucking moron with a drug habit bigger then Elvis and a brain smaller then my Cat has to say about anything..

Do you really think that the drinking water wasnt the first thing to go? People arent stupid, they take the basics and then they take the rest.

Joseph Kennedy did the same thing that man in that picture is, he was just white and wealthy. To me, that is so much worse.

[Virginian]

69. Maybe that was all that was left when he got there.

Looks like there might be a water underneath, in front -- or a different brand of beer.

[osaMABUSh]

71. Looks like Hieneken - I'd steal that

[Benbow]

113. Perfectly rational - bottled beer might be the only safe thing to drink

now in NO. That chap is demonstrating good survival instincts for himself and his family. Good luck to him.

[tyedyeto]

21. Thank you.

I have been fortunate to have resources available in my lifetime to weather whatever has come my way but so many people of New Orleans, Mississippi et al, don't. So, what does MSM do? Tell the entire world they are nothing better than robbers. When will they (MSM) realize that the looters are trying to supply their families and friends with neccessities and not the desirables? Will that ever be told on Faux, CNN and MSNBC? I doubt it.

[eyepaddle]

23. What this represents is the breakdown of society,

and no, not from personal failings (at least not in most cases) but a breakdown nonetheless.

It starts with most people only grabbing necessities (hell, I'd likely do that myself--we all would in similarly desperate circumstances--or at least understand why) but somebody will always sooner or later realize that order is gone and no ONE is there to stop them and they go farther. A recent thread had links describing theft and murder in London during the Blitz, check out what happened in Bosnia during its civil war (likely any civil war--but that's the one I am most familiar with. When people find themselves with instant unchecked power (like a strong person in an environment of anarchy) they almost never use it benevolently.

It goes to the hunter gatherer mentality "If I don't grab it now, somebody else will--I'll probably need it soon--I'd better get it and the flood begins. WItness the Wal Mart giveaway that turned into a riot with police taking part.

In a disaster what you need is a sense of community and teamwork--not an "every man for himself" environment. This is why authorities ALWAYS first secure the scene (impose order)and THEN deal with the catastrophe.

I'm not gonna engage in some internet flame-fest and pop off about looters being scum (or modern day Robin Hoods for that matter) who can say? Most of them are just folks, some good, some bad--however an air of complete lawlessness must be avoided or the weak WILL be preyed upon.

It's all pretty much symptomatic of insufficient resources. If there were enough Nat'l Guard and Police around to control the situation, people probably wouldn't feel like the either could 1) get away with anything they want, or 2) they have to do whatever they can to survive. If there are that many responders around help is clearly on the way and option 2 is unneccessary and option 1 impossible.

That's enough for now.

[Guaranteed]

75. Outstanding, broad-minded, very realistic post.

And well-written.

THANK YOU. :)

[liberalpragmatist]

81. Thank you

You oughta make this a full entry.

I do feel the looters have been too harshly treated in the media - many of them are just poor, devastated people who are trying to get ahold of essentials. But in any situation there are also going to be people stealing things like televisions and jewelry, which is something that has been occurring as well. Lawlessness contributes to this - these aren't evil people, but how many of us might well do something like that in such a state?

[fishnfla]

24. Pretend you are my brother

you want to put a human face to this?

Let me tell you about my brother Scott. Born in NO, went back there to start a family. Loves the place, loves the people. Married a local gal, had 3 kids. Twin boys a year and half ago. Another 7 year old son

Growing family, wants to make a better life for them. Works hard for someone else for years, 6 days a week, buys his wife and kids a nice home near Slidell.

Finally gets up the grease to start his own business. Gretna, Westbank. Where he was born, where he grew up. Mortgages his home, cashes in his IRA. Puts his heart and soul into it.

Then comes the storm. His dream home? Just a dream now. Luckily his business is on the westside, not serious flooding there, higher ground. Got lucky, may have survived the storm. All his expensive inventory and equipment safe. But is he lucky enough to survive the looters?

In other words, what the storm did not take, looters, crimnals, should just be allowed be to watlz in and take, according to you.

Forget about the material stuff for a minute. Because the place is still his home, he's gonna go back and rebuild in the community. Think about the principle.

Every time that little bell rings on the front door of his business and he looks up, whats he gonna see? Think about that. Someone who ripped him off or, someone from the mob gonna come back in and say 'sorry cousin, here's your stuff back'

When the mob rules, we all lose.

EDIT: I havent heard from my bro in 2 days.

[yankeedem]

32. Boo hoo

It's a tragedy for EVERYONE. Your brother has his life and is safe. He has food and water, and has a flush toilet available.

These people have none of these things. I'm not going to hold them accountable for what they do in an act of desparation and frustration.

Grow up. Your brothers business isn't that important next to people's lives. If you can't realize that then there is really not much to talk about.

Edit: I hope your brother is alright. I hope his business is alright. But I'll put one persons life over your brother's business every day of the year.

[Name removed]

35. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[yankeedem]

38. Learn to read

The looters are fighting for their life. Fema will write a nice check for your brother's business, but they can't give someone back their life. But I guess property is worth more than life to you. I feel sorry for you.

[fishnfla]

46. I feel sorry for my brother and his community

You need to think this through

[yankeedem]

49. I feel bad for him also

You don't want to see that in your frustration, and I understand, but I sincerely do. But I will put his life ahead of his or any other business. He can rebuild his business. It's going to be a long, tough time for him, but he will rebuild.

Life is more precious. You have no services, no law and order, and people who are fearing for their survival unleashed in a city filled with valuable food and merchandise.

The city is responsible for imposing law and order. They are unable to do so. There is no society left. Some loot for food. A precious few loot for esoteric items.

Again, you might not be rescued for WEEKS. You're not going to think about taking what you think you need at that time? Keep in mind it is 90 degrees and you haven't slept since Sunday.

[fishnfla]

61. You are known, my friend, by the company you keep

looters are scum

I love my brother. I love my nephews.

[tx_dem41]

39. "Boo hoo"?!? The poster hasn't heard from his bro in two days...

and you make fun of it. Absolutely despicable post. I hope one day soon, you feel some shame for posting it.

[yankeedem]

44. He added that snippet

after I started to write. Notice the "edit". No, I don't feel any shame, I hope everyone is ok. After everyone is ok, then I'll worry about businesses. Not before.

[tx_dem41]

47. Sorry....after what you wrote....

its quite despicable. Anyone who actually has loved ones in New Orleans right now sees that quite clearly.

BTW, when are you going to go down there and help? I'm sure I can find some people going down there. If you're in Dallas, there are some of us going down tomorrow.

Or are you just a Keyboard Warrior?

Nevermind....thought so.

[yankeedem]

57. I have no skills that are needed

and I would only be adding to the problem as my health is not the best. I donated as much as I can. If that isn't enough for you, I don't know what to tell you.

Good luck helping the people in New Orleans. They need any help they can get. Not judgement, help.

[mondo joe]

45. Real people are affected by looting homes and family businesses for

things other than food or medicine.

I don't care how frustrated you are, if you hurt people it's not okay.

[JohnLocke]

84. Self-delete (nt).

[tx_dem41]

33. BEAUTIFUL and POIGNANT post! EVERYONE should read it.

I hope you hear from your bro soon. My family is on the "west side" as well, off of General DeGaulle. They are lucky that no flooding occurred. We haven't heard from my mother-in-law and sister-in-law yet either.

Praying that all are safe.

[mondo joe]

52. There's too much class hatred and the mistaken belief that only wealthy

people suffer from looting, and that isn't real suffering.

So many people refuse to understand that most small businesses just get by, and their loss represents a HUGE blow to the people who depend on them.

I swear, some people won't be happy until everyone is in poverty.

[Pallas180]

99. Fishnfla - msnbc has reporters in Slidell - how bout calling

msnbc and asking if they can ask around - look at his house - his business?

they've been helping out like that if they can....and they just might.

gie it a try

[renate]

101. I'm so sorry to hear about your brother

I pray that he and his family are okay.

Taking bottled water and food from a trashed grocery store is understandable and necessary. But it is nasty and ghoulish to steal equipment belonging to someone else--its owner--who needs it too. My goodness.... rationalizing stealing from a person who is also hurting, who will also be struggling to rebuild his life? How is that even possible? It isn't from a lack of compassion that the point can be made that your brother is just as human as any looter, and will need that equipment to feed his family.

Of course, when it comes down to looting to survive, as long as you're not taking it from someone who's not currently in need themselves, you gotta do what you gotta do. That means food, water, blankets, diapers.... but for goodness' sake, not business equipment.

[fujiyama]

106. I'm sorry about your brother and I hope you hear from him soon

but at this point it's a matter of priorities regarding his business.

Looting non essentials is stupid, but shit like this happens when all forms of social order break down. I'm not going to defend it but it's understandable.

There is no authority and everything is in a state of chaos and the authorities really can't be bothered and SHOULDN'T be bothered by things like looting (unless it happens at a hospital or place of that sort) until the search and rescue operation is finished and order is restored.

I hope your brother rebuilds his business. I am very sorry about the situation.

[tx_dem41]

31. You just described my father-in-law, and about 10 of my friends...

guess what? they didn't loot anything today, and they definitely didn't shoot a cop in the head.

Please, show more respect for the people of New Orleans.

[yankeedem]

36. Who's talking about shooting a cop?

People in New Orleans are doing what they have to to survive. I should hope that your friends would loot rather than die.

I don't remember defending looting, either, what I am saying is that if I was in their place I don't know that I wouldn't do the same thing. I guess I'm weak :eyes:

[tx_dem41]

42. I was going to ask you again to show respect for your fellow ...

human beings. But after reading your response to fishnfla, I realize that this is an impossible task to ask for. That "fellow" part is going to trip you up.

[Balbus]

48. But they're frustrated and desperate!!

According to some, it's an automatic side-effect to go steal something when you have those emotions running through your head. Well, "steal" is not the right word - I think it's been changed to "survive."

[tx_dem41]

59. Everyone in NO right now is frustrated and desparate....

thank goodness the large, large majority of them aren't living DOWN to some DUers expectations.

It just shows their disrespect for the poor in this country, especially the working poor. They expect the poor to automatically steal (and in most cases steal within their community) when faced with a crisis. I used to think that all Democrats shared a basic respect and compassion for the poor. I realize now, that I was mistaken.

[eyepaddle]

64. When all bonds of society are cast aside theft is usually the

first step. Murder and rape aren't far behind. Some fucked-up anarchic-Lord-of-the-Flies situation won't help ANYBODY'S chances.

I think fishnfla said it very well, "when the mob rules, we all lose"

[yankeedem]

65. How are they going to eat?

We're not talking about stealing TV's, but if they don't take, where is their next meal coming from? Keep in mind they don't know if rescue is coming in an hour, a week, or a month. Or ever.

[tx_dem41]

77. Read post #64...it sums up perfectly what my answer would be...

May you never be shipwrecked on a deserted island with a bunch of people. You aren't going to last very long.

[loudsue]

110. Geez!!! That was the most twisted post I believe I've ever seen on DU!

"thank goodness the large, large majority of them aren't living DOWN to some DUers expectations.

It just shows their disrespect for the poor in this country, especially the working poor. They expect the poor to automatically steal (and in most cases steal within their community) when faced with a crisis. I used to think that all Democrats shared a basic respect and compassion for the poor. I realize now, that I was mistaken."

You're spinning like a newscaster!!

You sure have a lot of bad things to say about DUers!

Can't you use a little broader brush to paint people with?

[fishnfla]

56. I dont know what he's gonna do

but he sure as hell wouldn't steal to get what he needs.

[yankeedem]

62. I hope your brother

is safe, and I hope he is taking whatever steps he feels necessary to stay safe. I'm sure he is.

[Nikki Stone 1]

37. kick

:kick:

[Beam Me Up]

53. Totally nominated. Wish we could get a couple more.

Very accurate description, I'd say.

[OhioChick]

67. Ditto n/t

[Taverner]

68. I see nothing wrong with the looters in this situation

Never did - and at the risk of being crass...I did see 28 Days Later. Basically that's comparable

[cmf]

70. People taking food, I can understand

I've never been in that situation, but I can understand taking food. They have no idea when they will get food again. But the rumors about taking electronics and stuff like that, I just don't get. Maybe they think they can sell it eventually? To whom? They're not going to be able to use it, with no power and probably no house!

[fob]

76. You need to add one more thing. You are also currently living in an era

when your own government has been trying to scare the shit out of you about 'terraism' and 'suitcase nukes' for 4 years and THEN you hear rumors of the city needs to be evacuated, etc...

[OXM]

82. Thanks for the post

Just wanted to support your argument. On cable news they talk about the terrible looting while they show people breaking into a grocery store to take food and water. A guy gets out with a box of Sneakers bars is not the same as looters emptying abandoned houses. The people responding negatively to your post are using empty rhetoric that just doesn't belong in this situation.

[babylonsister]

88. yankeedem, let me

add my admiration for your post.
Rumors, inuendo, desperation can change anyone. There but for the grace of go I, but I understand. Your city left you.. is enough for me. And it shouldn't be.

[OXM]

94. And another thing,

Hardly anything about an absent President, the neglected danger from global warming, the thousands of guardsmen and women from LA in Iraq...
Instead, let's show them pictures of black people stealing. They'll make their own connections and see who the bad guys are.
The criminals are not those looking for food or even those turning to violent desperation; it's the ones who made this happen.

[BrightKnight]

95. appropriating food under Emergency Powers

Food and water could be appropriated and distributed under Emergency Powers. The government is responsible for the welfare of those people. From what I have seen they are not doing a very good job.


"Under the Louisiana Homeland Security and Emergency Assistance and Disaster Act of 1993, the governor and, in some cases, parish officials, have the right to commandeer or use any private property needed to cope with the emergency. "

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9063708/

[titoresque]

105. Damn right! Great post!

Most everything will be thrown out. These grocery stores etc. have insurance to cover the loss. We are not there and who are we to condemn anyone for their actions in a situation we ARE ONLY SPECULATING about! You can go on and on all you want about "well, what I would do" and "oh, I would NEVER think of stealing" and BLAH BLAH BLAH.......but you are not there, this is not your reality.

[bvar22]

111. This is interesting.

[FubarFly]

112. Bingo. We have a winner.

The tacit racism shown by the MSM and sadly reflected on this board is nauseating.

People point fingers so they don't have to feel empathy for those who are suffering. The full weight of compassion is a difficult and painful thing to bear. It's much easier to deal with a crisis when it's "not my problem", and therefore, somebody else's fault. That way they can section it off in some remote corner of their brain, reinforce it with whatever racist stereotype they decide to concoct, and move on with their un-compassionate and shallow existence. Never mind the fact that a major metropolitan US city has been all but wiped off the map, thousands of people may be dead, and hundreds of thousands left homeless. Blaming the victim turns all of that into a trifling annoyance. It may be the new American pastime.

Now am I defending looting? No. It's patently obvious that order needs to be restored or more lives will be in jeopardy. But when people are going through a catastrophic hell on Earth where their very survival is in doubt, I don't presume to judge their actions.

No one in NO deserves what is happening to them right now. No one.

[ngGale]

115. Talking about the looting keeps them...

the MSM from talking about why NO has no Guard and why the funds were cut. The federal government left them unprepared, with no plan - just like Iraq. That's the real story...:cry: