Why are there looters?

[Christine]

What else are you supposed to do if you've managed to ride out the storm, you get to the grocery store only to find that no one's working. The window is open. Hey, you walk in and get some diapers and some water and some canned food. Maybe in Europe your government takes better care of you? Maybe in a disaster they show up on the spot with food and water. That isn't happening there and I don't begrudge the people who are looting to get necessities.

I do have a problem, though, if they are stealing iPods and stuff.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Christine--they are beyond that point. Footage after footage after footage. At this point--the sympathy bandwagon has left. It is complete lawbreaking behavior.

And what is said--say there is a mom with a baby and they are hungry--and she needs food....well at this point....she can't go get squat b/c it is gone....taken by those who saw an opportunity to stock up.

It is unjustifiable chaos.

I am sooo thankful I do NOT live in that city. The looters....are winning.

 

[Christine]

Christine--they are beyond that point. Footage after footage after footage. At this point--the sympathy bandwagon has left. It is complete lawbreaking behavior.

And what is said--say there is a mom with a baby and they are hungry--and she needs food....well at this point....she can't go get squat b/c it is gone....taken by those who saw an opportunity to stock up.

It is unjustifiable chaos.

I am sooo thankful I do NOT live in that city. The looters....are winning.

Lisa, that's terrible. I have purposely turned off the news (after yesterday afternoon) because I found it all so disturbing, so I have not seen how bad it has gotten there. I just don't have the stomach for it.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Lisa, that's terrible. I have purposely turned off the news (after yesterday afternoon) because I found it all so disturbing, so I have not seen how bad it has gotten there. I just don't have the stomach for it.

Someone had shared yesterday about the cops looting (and I'm sure it is only a few bad seeds of course)....I couldn't believe it. I figured okay--maybe they swiped a candy bar are something. And there they are--on the news...at Wal Mart. With a shopping cart. .

 

[bcvillastwo]

Why are there looters? On one hand there is no simple answer to this question but on the other there is? Puzzled?

Well for those who believe there is a God and that God is the God of the Bible the answer is simple--sin.

But, for those who don't believe in God, or believe in something other than the God of the Bible then you have to resort to sociological reasons why people steal.

Either way it's still theft. I heard an attorney from that part of the country talking about this on the news last night. He said that in his state that if a person is caught and convicted of looting the maximum sentence is 15 years. But if that same person were caught and convicted of stealing (at some time other than a natural disaster) the maximum sentence was much less, I think he said 7 years. Clearly that state sees that looting as being worse than just your ordinary run of the mill theft. With that said, he also said there was a defense if the looter was stealing to meet his/her or their families physical needs. I think this is logical. But, many of the pictures I saw of the looting going on clearly wasn't to meet physical needs.

At the end of the day, I have no idea what I would do if I were in those dire straits. I would like to think I wouldn't be involved in the looting because I believe it is wrong, but faced with starving I may well steal what I need to live.

 

[Dan Murphy]

I had heard on the radio (not seen the footage), several times, that the looters who were said to be police officers were, in fact, security guards. Not saying there are not bad police, few are, and not to say there are not good security guards, most are, however, security guards, often (not always) are neither trained nor held to the same standards (having a hard time finding the words here) that police are. Sure does not make it right for ANYONE to loot (beyond what may be needed as a life necessity in a time of crisis and no other means), but did want to point out it may not have been actual police. That said, I know there are trash and scum in any societal grouping of people.

 

[dadtoagirl]

Many groups in America have the attitude that the US owes them something and since there is no one around to "stop them", they feel they are entitled to take whatever they want. If it was only food, baby supplies, medicine it would be different but this scum is taking TV's, DVD players, jeans, jewelry etc. Just saw on the news they were trying to break into an occupied childrens hospital to loot it. Makes we sick to my stomach.

 

[bsnyder]

And I'm still thinking if I should take that remark about the Vikings personally

Well, you can certainly take this post personally....

Your original post is a piece of crap and in very poor taste, given the dire circumstances!

 

[padams]

I heard on the radio that those people trying to break into the children's hospital (as well as the Wal-marts and drug stores and pharmacies) are drug addicts, who are now going through withdrawl. A hurricane is a pretty tough way to go through detox.

 

[Galahad]

Well, you can certainly take this post personally....

Your original post is a piece of crap and in very poor taste, given the dire circumstances!

Well, you know....never miss an opportunity to point out the inferiority of American society. I'm sure we'll all learn from this.

 

[DawnCt1]

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.

Pin Wizard, pitch a tent for me. I won't expand on your thoughts but you, me and Dan will be in the same campground.

 

[Viking]

Pin Wizard, pitch a tent for me. I won't expand on your thoughts but you, me and Dan will be in the same campground.

Ooops,
I'd never have thought that the will day come when we share an opinion - but now it has happened

 

[sodaseller]

Compare the captions at http://news.yahoo.com/photo/050830/480/ladm10208301530

A young man walks through chest deep flood water after looting a grocery store in New Orleans on Tuesday, Aug. 30, 2005. Flood waters continue to rise in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina did extensive damage when it

http://news.yahoo.com/photo/050830/photos_ts_afp/050830071810_shxwaoma_photo1

Two residents wade through chest-deep water after finding bread and soda from a local grocery store after Hurricane Katrina came through the area in New Orleans, Louisiana.(AFP/Getty Images/Chris Graythen)

Does the latter phortographer know they bought it, or is he assuming?

 

[snoopy]

Sodaseller, very interesting observation. The media just revels in this sort of thing. Also noteworthy is the couple who "found" the items are white, and the boy who "looted" is black.

 

[minkydog]

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 ...

I'm hoping you're not implying that because these people are African-American these people would be considered "lower social ranking" and therefore prone to looting. Naw, I thought not.

BTW--the Mayor of NO is African-American. I'm pretty sure he hasn't forgotten.

 

[delilah]

I heard on the radio that those people trying to break into the children's hospital (as well as the Wal-marts and drug stores and pharmacies) are drug addicts, who are now going through withdrawl. A hurricane is a pretty tough way to go through detox.

My sister was a pharmacist in Florida, and after one of the hurricanes, actually several years ago, the pharmacy chain actually wanted her to "guard" the pharmacy against looters. Obviously, since she was about 35yo, unarmed, she refused to go and resigned that job. She hasn't worked retail pharmacy since.

I agree with the post that there is a segment of society that thinks that whatever they have, somebody owes them more. No matter how generously they are dealt, they want more. Not all of these are white, not all African American. There are people I have dealt with who are well educated, employed, well paid, and have this gimme attitude. I work with people like that. A small example--a pharmaceutical representative left tooth brushes as a promotion for a new medication. Those tooth brushes were gone within a few minutes. Likewise, we can't keep Tylenol samples to give to patients who need them--they disappear into employees pockets faster than you could blink an eye. I actually hoard some in my desk to have to give to people who come into the office and need it--and believe it or not, it has disappeared from inside my desk!

 

[bubie2.5]

Sodaseller, very interesting observation. The media just revels in this sort of thing. Also noteworthy is the couple who "found" the items are white, and the boy who "looted" is black.

I didn't wanted to be the one to say it.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Ooops,
I'd never have thought that the will day come when we share an opinion - but now it has happened

I'm amazed at whom I am agreeing with as well.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

I didn't wanted to be the one to say it.

I wouldn't want to eat the LOOTED bread.


(Is it me---b/c the girl doesn't look "white" to me).

Also--I have seen other photos of people that are not captioned as looting.

Also--you are only seeing through the eyes of the photographer. You don't know what it looks like around.

It could be possible that behind that boy is a bunch of other people doing the same thing.

It could be possible that the man and woman were witnessed as well.

Just like the words could be deceiving--the picture can be as well.

 

[SamRoc]

Are the police able to stop the looting at all? Even if they arrest someone, where will they hold them? I heard yesterday that people were being carjacked by others trying to escape the city.I had just seen War of the Worlds, and I know thats a movie, but the horrible scene where Tom Cruise and his family are dragged from their car came to mind. I feel so badly for the people who are going through this.