Why are there looters?

[Viking]

Inspired by Dan Murphy's thread about the treatment of looters:

Over here in Europe we just heard about those looters in the catastrophe areas in Missisippi and Lousiana.
When we had the big flood in East Germany three years ago, or the horrible floodings in the Alps last week, there wasn't any looting.
How comes that as soon as there's a quake, a flood or similar occurences in the USA there's so much looting?

 

[catherine]

It's funny Viking I was just discussing this with my DH (he's American). He doesn't understand it either. We have had disasters, riots etc. in the UK and to my knowledge never had any looting.

 

[totalia]

Hard to explain. To understand you need to know the American people and their history.

Americans are taught to be aggressive. They are taught to take what they can from life.

But the country runs on money. Basically, it runs on greed. The more money, the better.

These people have simply taken that to extremes. Far too extreme.

Those who don't have the money most Americans do, want it. Since some Americans will never be able to make the money to buy the things that legend would lead you to believe paves the streets with gold, they will find a way to get the items they want. That includes looting to get them.

Its disgusting. Please know that most Americans would never even consider such a thing as looting as you've been seeing recently. They are a small minority that would do it.

Always try to remember the value the country places on wealth and things by its very nature. Its almost corporate run more than it is gvt run. Perhaps then you will understand things a little more.

To understand why that is the case, you'd have to know a great deal of American history.

Now thats not to say that all Americans would do something like looting. The VAST MAJORITY OF THE PEOPLE of the country have better morals than that.

England isn't based on money. Nor is most of Europe. Nor is Canada. Or most of the rest of the world. Thats why we find it so hard to understand.

But, if you know the people, their ways of thinking and their history, it makes a twisted sort of sense.

Let me repeat. Most Americans have better morals than what you've been seeing with the looting.

These people wouldn't dare this kind of action if they thought they'd actually have to face jail time for it. They know the law enforcement has more important things to do than to punish theft right now so they are taking advantage of it.

Though, I'd ask that you please remember that some of those people that are looting are doing it for supplies and out of desperation rather than greed and profit.

I thought I'd see everything until I saw one man carrying a bag of diapers and another with a bag of toilet paper facing neck deep disgustingly slimey water to get what they needed.

 

[Tiggernut_jadie]

It's funny Viking I was just discussing this with my DH (he's American). He doesn't understand it either. We have had disasters, riots etc. in the UK and to my knowledge never had any looting.

Sorry Catherine but that's just not true! Following the recent tornado in Birmingham, the police caught several guys stealing stuff from the houses and shops that were affected. In the riots of the 1980's (Toxteth, St Pauls etc) looting was rife! It does happen here - sad but true!

 

[catherine]

Thanks jadie, I stand corrected! I'd never heard about that! I'll have to let DH know that I was wrong!

 

[minkydog]

Thanks for coming to our defense, totalia...I think.

I'm pretty sure that Americans didn't invent looting. In fact, i distinctly remember reading about looting in an old French book...Les Miserables?

Make no mistake, looting is not considered an acceptable behavior in the U.S. But there are people in every culture who will take advantage of bad circumstances. The Greeks & Romans did it. The Vikings did it. The Nazis did it. And I'm sure it's been done in every large city in Europe (In fact, I was in London when rioting broke out in Leeds--complete with looting!)

The fact is, there are more desperate people in New Orleans than law enforcement. They made a terrible mistake by not evacuating and now they are in a life & death situation. It's survival of the fittest. No rules.

 

[Pin Wizard]

Just heard on the radio that along with looting, there were three shootings. One of them was a &&%^^$(% shooting a policeman in the head. These are NOT your ethical, hard working Americans doing this. I'll zip my lip on my opinion of those doing it. Think I'll be going over to Dan's camp on this.

 

[snoopy]

Thanks for coming to our defense, totalia...I think.

I'm pretty sure that Americans didn't invent looting. In fact, i distinctly remember reading about looting in an old French book...Les Miserables?

Make no mistake, looting is not considered an acceptable behavior in the U.S. But there are people in every culture who will take advantage of bad circumstances. The Greeks & Romans did it. The Vikings did it. The Nazis did it. And I'm sure it's been done in every large city in Europe (In fact, I was in London when rioting broke out in Leeds--complete with looting!)

The fact is, there are more desperate people in New Orleans than law enforcement. They made a terrible mistake by not evacuating and now they are in a life & death situation. It's survival of the fittest. No rules.

Pretty simply said. I agree.

 

[Viking]

Hard to explain. To understand you need to know the American people and their history.

Americans are taught to be aggressive. They are taught to take what they can from life.

But the country runs on money. Basically, it runs on greed. The more money, the better.

These people have simply taken that to extremes. Far too extreme.

Those who don't have the money most Americans do, want it. Since some Americans will never be able to make the money to buy the things that legend would lead you to believe paves the streets with gold, they will find a way to get the items they want. That includes looting to get them.

Its disgusting. Please know that most Americans would never even consider such a thing as looting as you've been seeing recently. They are a small minority that would do it.

Always try to remember the value the country places on wealth and things by its very nature. Its almost corporate run more than it is gvt run. Perhaps then you will understand things a little more.

To understand why that is the case, you'd have to know a great deal of American history.

Now thats not to say that all Americans would do something like looting. The VAST MAJORITY OF THE PEOPLE of the country have better morals than that.

England isn't based on money. Nor is most of Europe. Nor is Canada. Or most of the rest of the world. Thats why we find it so hard to understand.

But, if you know the people, their ways of thinking and their history, it makes a twisted sort of sense.

Let me repeat. Most Americans have better morals than what you've been seeing with the looting.

These people wouldn't dare this kind of action if they thought they'd actually have to face jail time for it. They know the law enforcement has more important things to do than to punish theft right now so they are taking advantage of it.

Though, I'd ask that you please remember that some of those people that are looting are doing it for supplies and out of desperation rather than greed and profit.

I thought I'd see everything until I saw one man carrying a bag of diapers and another with a bag of toilet paper facing neck deep disgustingly slimey water to get what they needed.

That's a great paradoxon which I have observed so many times when talking to my American friends or here on the boards:

There are so many people here on the boards flaming others for i.e. using one refillable mug at a Disney Resort for two or more people, for copying CDs or DVDs, for paying a child's price for a buffet and then having adults eat from instead of the kid, etc. IMHO this shows a high level of ethics.
But on the other hand you learn that more then 2 million American are imprisoned, which is about 25 times as many as in Germany when compared to the size of the population. Having to lock away more than 1% of the adult population gives me a completely different picture.

Or:
There are little towns in ,say, Rhode Island or New Hampshire where people don't lock their houses - even when on vacation, because there simply are no burglaries.
But in big cities there are areas where even the police won't go without taking special precautions.

Over here in Europe people also are money-conscious, but probably not as much as in the States. And the wealth is more evenly distributed, which also removes a lot of tension from society.

 

[Viking]

Thanks for coming to our defense, totalia...I think.

I'm pretty sure that Americans didn't invent looting. In fact, i distinctly remember reading about looting in an old French book...Les Miserables?

Make no mistake, looting is not considered an acceptable behavior in the U.S. But there are people in every culture who will take advantage of bad circumstances. The Greeks & Romans did it. The Vikings did it. The Nazis did it. And I'm sure it's been done in every large city in Europe (In fact, I was in London when rioting broke out in Leeds--complete with looting!)

The fact is, there are more desperate people in New Orleans than law enforcement. They made a terrible mistake by not evacuating and now they are in a life & death situation. It's survival of the fittest. No rules.

No way could you have invented looting - Your country is too young for it
And I'm still thinking if I should take that remark about the Vikings personally

In Germany I haven't heard of any looting since WWII, and we had a couple of big floods in the 60ies and just recently. It's simply unheard of
When someone is locked in a submerged city and is looking for food, I wouldn't consider this looting, that's hunger or desparation - but if someone is caught carrying away a Plasma-TV from that area or a stereo it's definitely a different issue.

 

[minkydog]

No way could you have invented looting - Your country is too young for it
And I'm still thinking if I should take that remark about the Vikings personally

Ahh, don't take it personally. You didn't invent Vikings either.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

B/c it is the lowest of society taking advantage of a situation. I can acknowledge minimal need..but for the most part. These are not the most upstanding of citizens.

 

[Huey Dewey Louie]

Don't get me wrong, but when I look at all those pictures, it's quite obvious that most of the folks sitting on their roofs or waiting for being rescued are afro-americans.
I know, that their proportion in New Orleans is about 50%, but:
could it be possible, that a big part of the population - those of a lower social ranking - has simply been 'forgotten' as the evacuation started?

And now there's no one to stop them becoming looters?
Well, they have nothing to loose ...

 

[Alicnwondrln]

well people have no food or water so SOME are taking to survive

others are taking for what reason i dont know
the entire city is being evacuated adn i dont knwo where they are gonna put all the stuff they are stealing cuz taking tvs adn cds adn football jerseys and games isnt a nec to live right now

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

They were not forgotten--they had bus stops all over the city.
Most chose do to circumstance or inconvenience to not get to a better location.

And on the news--they had a bridge with a bunch of people awaiting transport--there were white people in the mix and this bunch didn't look impoverished.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Saw Wal-Mart footage this morning. There were cops taking stuff--refusing to speak on camera. People riding bikes through the aisles..the place ransacked. And a pickup truck in the parking lot loaded to the gills with merchandise.

At this point--it isn't survival. It is complete social breakdown.

 

[OceanAnnie]

Thanks for coming to our defense, totalia...I think.

I'm pretty sure that Americans didn't invent looting. In fact, i distinctly remember reading about looting in an old French book...Les Miserables?

Make no mistake, looting is not considered an acceptable behavior in the U.S. But there are people in every culture who will take advantage of bad circumstances. The Greeks & Romans did it. The Vikings did it. The Nazis did it. And I'm sure it's been done in every large city in Europe (In fact, I was in London when rioting broke out in Leeds--complete with looting!)

The fact is, there are more desperate people in New Orleans than law enforcement. They made a terrible mistake by not evacuating and now they are in a life & death situation. It's survival of the fittest. No rules.

Well said. I'll second that.

 

[Huey Dewey Louie]

on the other side:
all those items will be lost/destroyed by the water anyway ...

But you're right - it's a social breakdown

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Tulane University Hospital---workers doing their job and their vehicles are getting looted in the garage.


(HDL--the Wal-Mart was in an extraordinarily dry area--the part that is going to get flooded if it isn't flood already is Uptown with the old mansions and French Quarter)

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

And according to WDSU--looters are trying to get IN to Children's Hospital.


I think at this point it is SAFE to assume---anyone looting right now---it isn't out of fear or to save themselves.


This is why there is no looting permitted of anykind--it starts with something small--a perceived "need" and escalates into this.

It is shameful!!!