[zeaal]

"Have any of these great and exalted black "leaders" issued a statement asking for their brothers in New Orleans to stop the violence?"

No, Reverend Jackson said on Larry King Thursday night that the reports of snipers was exaggerated.

[dez]

Looters are the horse thieves of the 21st century. They should be dealt with in similar manner.

Taking a man's horse put his life in danger. For that reason, horse thieves were hanged.

The news media has failed to give an adequate appreciation of how devastating to the rescue and relief effort the looting and violence have been. Thousands of National Guard troops that might otherwise be giving aid instead must focus on restoring order. Thousands more rescue and relief workers have been delayed or diverted because no one can in good conscience send these people into a war zone.

It's not the rescuers' fault, or the National Guard's. When one is fired upon, there are only two rational responses: return fire or retreat. Their rules of engagement called for the latter.

When time is critical, delays are deadly. What happened when the rescue and relief efforts were delayed should come as no surprise to anyone. While armed thugs looted and pillaged, innocent victims died.

Primary responsibility for the consequences of the looting and violence should be placed where it belongs – with those who committed the looting and violence. The theft of anything not immediately needed to sustain life and any acts of violence can not be excused, and should not be rationalized. They are simply evil, and should be regarded as such.