Posted on 08/31/2005 7:09:41 AM PDT by End Times Sentinel
NEW ORLEANS - At first it just seemed that the Wal-Mart in New Orleans' Lower Garden District was doing a very brisk post-hurricane business yesterday: The parking lot was full, people were leaving with brimming baskets, and city police and firefighters were there as if to oversee it all.
But people weren't going through the front door. They were squeezing between boards meant to protect the now-shattered glass from Hurricane Katrina's winds. One man was packing his van so full of computers, televisions and DVD players that he had trouble closing the rear doors. One woman was carrying three jugs of laundry detergent in a city with no power to run a washer.
As in so many past disasters elsewhere when crisis and chaos have replaced order and normalcy, a beleaguered New Orleans was beset by looters.
The widespread plundering started before Katrina had finished its onslaught Monday. That afternoon, looters broke into an emptied sporting-goods warehouse in Mid-City, a grocery in Treme, and the hardware center Uptown. In one instance, witnesses said, police were called but did nothing until one man shot another.
People said they had heard Wal-Mart had opened its doors to provide supplies for law-enforcement agencies sheltering the 10,000- plus people in the Louisiana Superdome. A Wal-Mart spokeswoman, Sharon Weber, said law enforcement, emergency-management teams, and relief agencies had "unwritten permission" to help themselves to whatever they need from Wal-Mart stores in times of crisis, but that standard procedure was for the police or aid officials to "leave us a list of what they take so they can pay us later."
At the Lower Garden District Wal-Mart, among the items seen being loaded into police cars were dozens of T-shirts, DVDs, and dog food.
But when law-enforcement officials went to get their goods, others - people of all ages and races - followed.
"They just came and no one could stop them," said David Brown, 38, a Port of New Orleans employee.
Brown and a coworker were filling their vehicle with dozens and dozens of canned goods - stews and chilis and Spaghetti-O's. Brown said the food would be used to feed the port's police and its employees, many of whom, like him, had worked nonstop since Saturday.
They were only taking essentials, he said, though a copy of Queen Latifah's Beauty Shop movie had apparently made that list.
Brown said the work showed no sign of easing.
"It's pretty bad," he said. "They've been calling for body bags all day."
Most streets in New Orleans were empty yesterday except for the hub around the Wal-Mart, in a section of the city that remained dry. People were everywhere: in cars and trucks, pushing goods in carts and baby carriages, dragging full trash cans and laundry baskets. The steady stream of cars caused a traffic jam on the streets near the store - the type of traffic jam last seen here when people tried to evacuate.
"Is everything free?" asked a woman who pulled up in a red car. Hearing "yes," she started to chant: "TV! TV! TV!"
Inside, a teenage boy held up a pair of blue lacy panties and snickered, "I want to see somebody in these so bad," before tossing them in his basket.
Another man used a table to break into one of the last unscathed jewelry cases.
A rumor that the National Guard had arrived sent people running toward the store's exit, shouting: "Come on! Come on!" But no one put down any merchandise, and the Guard rumor turned out to be false.
Some shoppers were oddly selective. One woman said she was taking only facial-care products. Another was pushing a cart filled with silk roses and baby's breath. In the pharmacy aisle, she leaned over the handle, pushing it slowly as she read labels the way a paying customer would.
But the overwhelming feeling was one of chaos - angry shouting, carts ramming, fast grabbing. When a teenage girl passed out face down between the baby clothes and a women's-sock display, people pushed past or stepped on her.
Joseph LoCascio of Picayune, Miss., stopped to try to help the girl. He rolled her over, and she vomited pink liquid all over her face and hair. He then rolled her back.
"People just walking around like they don't care," he said.
He and his friend Sandi Nolan, 21, of Baton Rouge, tried to revive the girl by pouring water, Gatorade and soda over her face and neck. It only left her shirt and hair soaked.
LoCascio tried to get a man in a firefighter T-shirt to treat the girl, but the man hesitated, saying: "She's breathing. If I took her, where would I take her?"
About 15 minutes later, a firefighter medic arrived and began checking the girl. Still, LoCascio and Nolan were furious at their fellow looters.
Both have infants being treated at Children's Hospital, New Orleans, and had come to get baby food and supplies.
"I've never seen people like this. I have drinks and chips, things I need," Nolan said. "They're getting chain saws and fishing poles, anything they can get for free."
As she and LoCascio left, she noticed he had at least a dozen DVDs in his basket, as well as baby formula and baby food. She laughed and pointed it out to him.
"They're for the kids, so they can watch them," he said. "Things like Finding Nemo."
Nolan laughed. "Don't worry," she said. "I got a few too."
"but this one made me completely change my mind about sending aid.
Only a fool will send aid.
Any aid dollars you send will 99% sure get into the wrong hands.
Also, remember the Red Cross just hid 4 terrorists in Iraq from US forces."
Thanks for letting us know your nickname is, "El Tightwad."
If you donate to the American Red Cross, they will handle the funds in a proper manner.
Have you forgotten what the Red Cross did with the 911 donations? Redecorated their Washington office, bought fancy new computers for their paid staff and paid bonuses to a few select upper echelon types? I wouldn't give the Red Cross a stepped on dog turd.
As much as people make fun of the Salvation Army, they don't waste money on themselves.
I am just thinking of my family situation...those we know well and are close too are probably all within 150 miles of each other. I bet we are not that unique. If a Katrina disaster happened here it would effect all extended family as well.
To draw an analogy, when students at a mostly white university riot after a football game, you will notice that most of the rioters are white.
I'm certain many stood behind to protect their interest and property; but...
some of the characters that were on TV, was obvious that they did not have a pot to p!ss or a window to throw it out. The only reason staying in N.O. was to help themselves by looting the stores.
What kind of evidence do you have that the American Red Cross does this? They do not distribute needles and condums to anyone.
are you sure that wasn't the INTERNATIONAL Red Cross?
HAHAHAHAHAHAHA
I'm just saying that I would be shocked if they didn't have kin people somewhere else who could help them. I think many just think the government will take care of them. That's how they end up in a football stadium.
My guess is that these people live even closer to each other. Poor people hardly ever leave where they were born and raised.
I would love to see even ONE picture of young black teens volunteering at a hospital or rescue center in New Orleans. Maybe it is happening and it is not being shown but probably not. The liberal media would latch on to a story like that. Instead they talking about a children's hospital surrounded by thugs. It's sickening.
But they are mere pikers when compared to the looters in the House and Senate.
According to the city/county home page it is 67% black. Thus one might expect 1 out of 3 looters to be non-black.
Property information, like square footage of a house, should be online and no one will be able to fib about that. But personal property is another thing.
According to the city/county home page it is 67% black. Thus one might expect 1 out of 3 looters to be non-black.
According to the city/county home page it is 67% black. Thus one might expect 1 out of 3 looters to be non-black.
I am in the SCA (the group that does Middle Ages reenactments). One fellow is selling his cd and giving all profits to any members effected by Katrina. They probably weren't out looting to their heart's content.
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