The Looting in New Orleans

[The Caspian Hare]

I saw pictures of white people looting.

The population of NO is 2/3rds black, of course most of the looters are going to be black. Most of the hooligans in a European soccer riot usually look white, imagine that...

Edited September 4, 2005 by Redneck

[bathory]

does that make me a racist????

no, it means you see the problem that is breeding in African American culture that too many people try to ignore in the name of being PC

[FairyGlenn]

I saw pictures of white people looting.

The population of NO is 2/3rds black, of course most of the looters are going to be black. Most of the hooligans in a European soccer riot usually look white, imagine that...

826349[/snapback]

Yes, it's true that the population is 2/3rd black, however, there were plenty of white faces at the superdome. Black people are not the only folks who are destitute and living in poverty.

Once again I am still asking... why does everything come down to race?

[+joc]

Once again I am still asking... why does everything come down to race?

I think you are the one making race an issue.

[iaapac]

Isn't the situation the same as if there had never been a disaster? There will always be people who steal, no matter what the circumstance. I think it is too easy to analyze the situation and evaluate human reaction when the same actions exist in every non-devastated day in America.

[FairyGlenn]

I saw pictures of white people looting.

The population of NO is 2/3rds black, of course most of the looters are going to be black. Most of the hooligans in a European soccer riot usually look white, imagine that...

826349[/snapback]

Yes, it's true that the population is 2/3rd black, however, there were plenty of white faces at the superdome. Black people are not the only folks who are destitute and living in poverty.

Once again I am still asking... why does everything come down to race?

826361[/snapback]

Perhaps that is true... but I am simply responding the media's complaint that these folks aren't getting help because they're black. They aren't getting help because they are SHOOTING at the very people who are trying to get in to help them!

But with bathoys comment "no, it means you see the problem that is breeding in African American culture that too many people try to ignore in the name of being PC" I see that I am not the only one with these feelings. And truth be told the fact that I feel this way is enough for me to want to blow my own brains out.

[bathory]

But with bathoys comment "no, it means you see the problem that is breeding in African American culture that too many people try to ignore in the name of being PC" I see that I am not the only one with these feelings. And truth be told the fact that I feel this way is enough for me to want to blow my own brains out.

why?

race =\= culture

culture is a social construct, being critical of a cullture (as long as your reasoning is rational and logical) is perfectly legitamate, being critical of race is an entirely different matter. It is irrational, there is no real logic behind it

[V for Vanity]

I saw pictures of white people looting.

The population of NO is 2/3rds black, of course most of the looters are going to be black. Most of the hooligans in a European soccer riot usually look white, imagine that...

826349[/snapback]

Yes, it's true that the population is 2/3rd black, however, there were plenty of white faces at the superdome. Black people are not the only folks who are destitute and living in poverty.

Once again I am still asking... why does everything come down to race?

826361[/snapback]

Perhaps that is true... but I am simply responding the media's complaint that these folks aren't getting help because they're black. They aren't getting help because they are SHOOTING at the very people who are trying to get in to help them!

But with bathoys comment "no, it means you see the problem that is breeding in African American culture that too many people try to ignore in the name of being PC" I see that I am not the only one with these feelings. And truth be told the fact that I feel this way is enough for me to want to blow my own brains out.

826461[/snapback]

My parents just had a discussion on this yesterday. And I thought the same, so you're not the only one who thought of this. We're not racist, it's just ironic to us.

[starlitkate]

I don't like theives. But I can see being in the situation where all your home and food was destroyed with no help from Bush, then I can see stealing diapers for your baby or water to drink or can milk for baby that won't spoil or food that has a week till it spoils or even food that won't spoil. But if people are stealing cases of soda and appliances then that is taking advantage. The soda and appliances will still be there when the storm is over. Not like you could have an excuse as to stealing it cuz it will spoil anyways. That picture of the boy with soda just goes to show how low people will go after they've been hit with tragedy. Just looking out for themselves and being greedy and theives in the act of it.

[The Skeptic Eric Raven]

Food,clothing, water, medicine. That is not looting. That is necessity. The other things, TVs, jewerly, anyting else is stealing and should be punished if caught. Not to mention the idiots raping and shooting at cops. It makes you wonder about the human race.

Edited September 4, 2005 by ericraven2003

[Wrighty]

If I was in this situation I would be stealing medicines and foods to live. Stealing TVs is pointless.

[LarryOldtimer]

Bone Collector: A tough call I'd say, necessary for survival but morally wrong. Stealing IS stealing no matter how you put it, but I guess you have to do it if it's a question of survival. I wonder what the US Marines are doing, I'd expect them to drop food packets from choppers to avoid such situations.

You would drop pallets of food, would you? And what happens when the pallets land on people too stupid to get out of the way? The headline: Marines Bush kills citizens! These aren't troops trained to handle air drops, just an unruly mob . . . and lots would be to stupid to get out of the way. No thank you!

[LarryOldtimer]

I've wondered about this myself. I know that financial it was almost impossible for some to leave ( mainly the people in the projects that we saw on the news today, the people stuck on the overpasses and what-not ). But these people were given plenty of notice and could have left on Sunday if they wished. There were many free shuttles taking folks out of the city and away from the path of Katrina.

Why did thousands of people stay when they knew the storm was coming?

I would hate to think that people stuck around just so they could loot but its looking that way more and more.

820507[/snapback]

Many did have no means of evacuating. No car, no transportation. But wait!

Louisiana disaster plan, pg 13, para 5 , dated 01/00

'The primary means of hurricane evacuation will be personal vehicles. School and municipal buses, government-owned vehicles and vehicles provided by volunteer agencies may be used to provide transportation for individuals who lack transportation and require assistance in evacuating'...

It doesn't help much to plan ahead when the local authorities don't follow the plan, does it?

And did this happen? Here is a picture of some of those buses now:

[Kismit]

The whole thing has been handled poorly, but hinesight is 20/20 and I'm sure people have said it before.

A lot of the people who are left behind are the Cops/Firemen and various other emergency workers. Not too mention Nursing home staff looking after the elderly who where too old to move. And the Hospital, we new the Hospital could not evacuate.

I really feel for the Police the Doctors and the other people who are in amongst the thick of it and helping others and trying to survive themselves, with no word from the people they love and care about.

I wonder also, why when troops where sent in with shoot to kill orders, why weren't they also sent in with food and water and medical aid/officers and why didn't they transport people out when they left? You know take out the tired and the weak and replace them with some strong healthy medics.

Helen Clark, immediately offered our troops, they could have been immobilised and ready within 6 hours. At no cost to America, why wasn't the offer taken up? It's not like the resources wouldn't be handy. We would send them with food and water and medical aid.

[dragonspark]

uh..survival! duh! (for the most part that is).

most of these victims are without food, water or clothing, so of coarse they are "looting". What would anyone else do! sit there and let themselves dehydrate and starve?!

it's those who are taking advantage of the situation and steeling things, like big screen TV's who are committing a crime.

I can't believe Bush's response to the looting-- "No looting of any kind will be tolerated"

He's basically stating that he doesn't care if these people starve to death.

..he's such an idiot bone-head!

Edited September 5, 2005 by dragonspark

[Wrighty]

I don't think Bush is saying that, I mean I don't like bush and I would be stealing food but I think his point is yes people are hungry and are pinching to survive but the people who they are stealing off are hungry and are trying to survive too. Its like stealing a can of beans off of someone to survive but that was all they had to survive too.

[dragonspark]

In that picture though... is diet pepsi really something you need to live though? 

818248[/snapback]

maybe think about the likely possibility that all the regular water had already been taken out of the store that this person had got the diet pepsi from. So maybe Sodas and such things were the only option left.

-becka

[dragonspark]

I don't think Bush is saying that, I mean I don't like bush and I would be stealing food but I think his point is yes people are hungry and are pinching to survive but the people who they are stealing off are hungry and are trying to survive too. Its like stealing a can of beans off of someone to survive but that was all they had to survive too.

827339[/snapback]

don't think so, huh? I saw/heard him say it on the telly. It was durring an interview with Diane swayer (sp??)

-

[dragonspark]

Well if someone REALLY needed it to survive, I wouldn't condemn them. Most of the food, perishables and medicine etc. is going to be written off as a total loss anyway. People looting clothing stores, liquor stores etc. however are not concerned about starving to death.

818357[/snapback]

most of these people have no clothes and the clothes they are wearing are likely torn, wet, and soiled by poluted water and bacteria-- Something that could make them very sick and even kill them. You don;t think it's appropriate for them to take clothes???!! WHAT!

[Kismit]

Can I add that liquor is a disinfectant, and a pain reliever it also helps fires light when the wood is damp. I would pinch it, if I needed to survive.

[V for Vanity]

Well if someone REALLY needed it to survive, I wouldn't condemn them. Most of the food, perishables and medicine etc. is going to be written off as a total loss anyway. People looting clothing stores, liquor stores etc. however are not concerned about starving to death.

818357[/snapback]

most of these people have no clothes and the clothes they are wearing are likely torn, wet, and soiled by poluted water and bacteria-- Something that could make them very sick and even kill them. You don;t think it's appropriate for them to take clothes???!! WHAT!

827361[/snapback]

He said not concered of starving to death, not of the bacterial.

[QuantumE]

Just imagine the luck of some of the criminals in the new orleans area who are on bail or are about to go to court for crimes where they would serve jailtime. They could just leave the area and move somewhere else and it would seem they died in the flooding. Get out of going to jail free card. A blessing in disquise for them.

[+joc]

Can I add that liquor is a disinfectant, and a pain reliever it also helps fires light when the wood is damp. I would pinch it, if I needed to survive.

You bad, bad girl!

[The Caspian Hare]

Well if someone REALLY needed it to survive, I wouldn't condemn them. Most of the food, perishables and medicine etc. is going to be written off as a total loss anyway. People looting clothing stores, liquor stores etc. however are not concerned about starving to death.

818357[/snapback]

most of these people have no clothes and the clothes they are wearing are likely torn, wet, and soiled by poluted water and bacteria-- Something that could make them very sick and even kill them. You don;t think it's appropriate for them to take clothes???!! WHAT!

827361[/snapback]

You've got a point there, but some people were taking whole shopping carts full of clothes in areas that weren't even flooded...

[LarryOldtimer]

The US Department of Labor, working for the "bone-head" Bush, has come up with a new financial program to aid the disaster victims . . . this in less than one week. It is prettily disguised as "unemployment assistance", but is really a dole . . . any adult (and a good many teenages) can qualify, to the point that even if a person was unemployed before the event, that person merely can say that he/she was going to start being self-employed . . . which covers a whole lot of ground. As I said, this is nothing but a dole, but it will provide almost everyone who suffered from this disaster to get benefits the same as if they had merely lost a job through no fault of their own, and will give them enough income in the interim so that they don't become economic burdens to those kind enough to take them in in the first place . . . have you noticed that the "red" (strong Republican, and conservative) state of Texas has welcomed refugees of this disaster? Houston alone has taken in some 240,000 alone. Yeah, Bush hates the poor . . . I have, as my SN indicates, been around a long time . . . and I have never seen an administration act so quickly to aid victims of any disaster, whether Republican or Democrat. Do any of you really think that your governments would act as swiftly, or as generously? Less than one week for a financial program to aid millions of people . . . and mostly black and/or poor at that. So much for you race baiters! The federal government has performed well above the call to duty, and our country is exibiting again that we are a strong and compassionate people . . . when we need to be. You in other countries should do as well if, heaven forbid, you are ever faced with a disaster of this magnitude . . . the area devastated by Katrina is greater than the whole of Great Britain. I estimate that at least 5 million people are suffering severly because of it. The TV folks have concentrated only on New Orleans . . . but the whole of the Gulf Coast was devasted, all of Louisiana, Missouri and Alabama for many miles inland. Katrina still had catagory 1 hurricane wind strength for hours after it made landfall. This is, BTW, the greatest magnitude natural disaster to ever strike the US.