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."
Jewelry will not be effected. Hand tools will not be effected. Some things, like Wheel barrows might be slightly damaged but still have value. It would be nice for the owners to decide all these things. Looters are smashing windows and display cases, these might be salvaged. It is shameful. Better to let the water have all that then to particpate in looting. Just my opinion.
What does loading a SUV full of DVD players have to do with survival?
Second floor of their rent-subsidized housing with the idea they'll come back and get it when they're allowed to come back in a month or so to collect "valuables". And of course, they won't be asked for proof of purchase.
I worry about these lawless types being set loose on the unaffected citizens of LA and TX when they are voluntarily relocated.
I grew up with this kind of low brow mentality. It's almost impossible to describe. A very feral existence compounded by the welfare state that keeps people in a limbo of poverty but with no need for work and self-sufficiency and community.
That's why you see people stealing TV's and not water and food. They want to upscale their lives, but cannot comprehend that in a few days they will be thirsty and starving because they think the safety net will be there.
It's going to be hard reality when they realize they are in a true survival situation. Then it will really get ugly.
It would give you the chance to say "See! Only one!".
While you're busy trying to understand, most of us have figured out whether or not we'd choose to become savages when given an excuse. We have passed up many temptations, regardless of how convenient it would be to give in. We don't steal or kill just because we can.
You seem to have a twisted view of Christian like behavior. Shall we just let them all starve and dehydrate to death, or should we force them to starve and dehydrate to death?
Anybody remember if there was any looting during the floods in the Dakotas, Iowa, etc. back in the '90s?
Sadly, there will always be people who take advantage of a bad situation. We're getting no coverage of the average everyday people who are trying to help others there.
The SUV's, DVD's and loafs of bread will all be ruined by this time on Thursday.
They may as well be looting the Gift Shop on the Titanic.
Theft without shame or guilt!
And what does that mean?
It's explained in the same Book that says stealing is wrong.
"These people just lost EVERYTHIING! EVERYTHING"
Including their self-respect, pride, and sense of decency.
That is assuming they had it in the first place.
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