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."
I agree. And since the government and emergency organizations have made it very clear that they are overwhelmed and not even able to provide the basic necessities for those in the major shelters, there's not much point in more citizens trying to "go" to them for help. Not that I can figure out how they would "go" -- telephone service, including cell, is virtually non-existent, most areas of the city are cut off from others by roads that are several feet under water.
People who are hungry and thirsty wouldn't be wise to set out on vague quests to find official sources of help. Many of those who are grabbing any supplies which might prove useful have elderly/infirm relatives and/or young children at whatever is left of their homes. Of course, many are also grabbing random stuff just for the hell of it, but I wouldn't want to see any "shoot on sight" operation when it's clear that a significant number of the "looters" really are in need and have good reason to believe that orderly and timely help from authorized sources is not forthcoming.
Does Greta have a SUV of food and water that she took from Aruba? Sorry, if my kids are starving I am going to loot before I ask the CNN Crew for a ham sandwich.
I don't think you are going to starve in a few days...the point being not to ask CNN for food but for them to pass the word that supplies are needed now...failing lawful methods, one must do what is necessary according to their conscience...thats why some people become cannibals and others don't.....will you just loot from stores or rob someone else who has food they need?
My points are:
What is wrong with looting property that will be destroyed whether it is at the store or in the looter's house that will be flooded?
Most of us would not loot for a TV but we would all loot if we had no other access to food and water.
On the contrary. I have a very good idea.
Taking the necessities of life is one thing. An honest man might well take such things if his or his family's survival depended on it. But an honest man would also keep a record of what was taken and offer to pay for it when circumstances permitted. But taking jewelry, cosmetics, and electronics devices? There is no excuse. None whatsoever.
It is disgraceful to give human beings license to descend to the depths of the most foul and dishonest behavior. Shame on you.
Do the words San Andreas Fault mean anything to you. . .?
Why do you call them animals? Animals don't loot.
Yes!
Don't try to justify such savagery to me. Ever. I was raised right; these animals weren't. They don't give a damn about living in a proper society. Stealing anything that isn't nailed down has NOTHING to do with "survival", pal.
You go pat their nasty little heads all you wish. Me........I say good riddance to bad rubbish.
Furthermore, you don't know a goddamned thing about what I have or haven't been through, and I've been through pretty bad situations in my life (including while having a houseful of young children to look after); I never stooped to such animal behavior. Save your judgment.
Let me ask you, if the police arrested them, where would they take them?
Without the law there's chaos?? BEING WITHOUT SHELTER, FOOD or WATER is real chaos. Stealing a few things is bottom of the list in my book.
ROLFMAO!!! Do you have ANY sense of humor...at all?
bttt
The liberals are in full control. God is watching!
I have such great sympathy for most of the victims. Then there are others like this.
After all the harassing you've engaged in against me and other Christians, I'm supposed to believe you're now engaging me in playful humor? I don't think so. I have a good sense of humor, but I don't find your hatred to be humorous in the least. Now, if the subject had been your IQ, I'd be rolling on the floor about now.
I 100% understand your frustration with these low-lifes... but PLEASE consider having funds directed to Convoy of Hope, as I assure you they will use the money to directly provide aid to many needy souls. More info here:
http://www.convoyofhope.org/news.asp
Thanks for listening.
Yep , I agree. Under these dire circumstances you need to pop a few looters.The word would spread and the animals would back off.I saw pictures on tv . The looters were having a ball , greedy criminal bastards. Impose martial law and take care of business. What low lifes , your neighbors are suffering and you spend your energy stealing a flat screen TV..
Shame on you ! Just because you lost everything doesn't give you permision steal or hate God, Those around you have also lost "EVERYTHIING! EVERYTHING."
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