Looters around the city freely cleaning out stores (Amazingly Honest Account)

Philadelphia Inquirer ^ | Natalie Pompilio

[Hildy]

I'm saying that the people you are seeing looting are in the minority
and you're saying that everyone should be punished because of them. I think that's shameful and not
very Christian like.

[Rhadaghast]

fishing in contaminated and polluted water for already dead fish? I could understand this if the police were handing out consumables for survival. But that is not what is happening.

What purpose will the jewlery serve that was stolen?

[Walkingfeather]

Unfortunately we saw the same thing here during the rodney king riots. It permanately changed some of my beliefs about people.

[AFreeBird]

I suspect one of those was the guy that Shep interviewed before the storm hit, that when asked why he was still there, replied: "none of your effing business".

[Youngman442002]

yes they (democrats) are showing their true colors...

This is a Democratic city...Democratic state..

and this is how they act...

Its truly sick...

[dead]

"They're getting chain saws and fishing poles…”

Honestly, I can see these things as necessities in that environment.

[marshmallow]

[PennsylvaniaMom]

I have been thinking of the same thing. I imagine a family, a mom and dad w/several children, who took the warnings and evacuated to a motel maybe 200 miles inland. You fill the car w/gas, take money from the ATM, and probably charge your motel room (just thinking you will be gone a day or two) on a credit card. Now you find you have no home to go back to (or no way to safely go back to see for yourself); your place of work is probably out of business, no school systems for your kids; you are close to being out of cash (are the bank ATM systems running, I doubt it), and after a week or two of staying put at your evacuation local, you have maxed your credit card. Then what do you do?

No house, but still a mortgage; credit card bills, maybe a car payment on a second vehicle that you left behind. You are ruined financially and emotionally. You got your family to safety, but how and where do you start over?

This tragedy will take years, if not a generation, to recover from.

[tsmith130]

Any monies recieved right now will likely support exactly these people immediately, and they have shown absolutely NO regard for the people who owned the items they are stealing.

So you are punishing all the people in Miss., Alabama and those in New Orleans that are NOT looting because of what a small percentage of people are doing?

[Fritzy]

Appreciate your sharing these events.. which is why I advocate no charitable gifts until we see just what is needed and what organization can respond with results to those needs.. The citizenry will need our resources and verbal support in the days ahead..

Just one thing really bothers me... if NO is under water.. no way to get around.. homes are in ruins..no way to get out of the city.. no gas..no place to go.. etc... where are the looters taking all this stuff???

From the pictures, a person will have a terrible time just getting out of the city or into the Dome with anything but basic needs..

I agree that we have a certain element of persons who take full advantage of a crisis.. NO has more than their share of this profile.. but where are the security people?? What the heck is "Marshall law"?..

Consideration: As people are forced to leave NO... I think that the leadership is calling for a full evacuation.. then everyone carrying loot should be arrested and placed in a secured site outside the city to wait for prosecution..

I know this is a whale of a suggestion.. most people in power do not want to deal with this (votes/public perceptions etc).. but if it is not dealt with we have created support and silent endorsement of these actions.. which is unacceptable in a civil society...

By the way.. while the looters are bad now.. just wait until the "white collar" looters move in.. i.e. cheating on FEMA forms and request, insurance fraud and the hordes of "helpers" coming into the city to "help" rebuild at a premium price... geeze louise..

So much for my feeble thought this AM...

[Nathan Zachary]

The best aid you can send is cash, just make sure it goes to a responsible organization. Many of those looters as scum who will have no claim or life to rebuild anyways. Hold off for a while until things get organized and there is some structure and planning in place.

[Tijeras_Slim]

If and when a manditory evacuation is ordered, evacuees can only take minimal food, clothes and perhaps bedding. If they want to get on the NG truck with a bag of DVDs or Nikes, no joy... If they refuse and stay, they're fair game.

[twntaipan]

Nothing.

[McGruff]

The looting looks like the films I saw of the 67 Detroit riot.

Yup. If this teaches us anything, don't give up your guns.

You are the only one who will protect your home and family at times like this.

[zerosix]

"don't penalize them for the acts of a few" Few????? I had to turn the tv off last night and even this morning visions of grinning men, women, and children grabbing as much stuff as possible and fighting over various items, still turn my stomach.

I know that there are actual victims here but most that have been shown who decided to stay in the "Big Easy" (now we really know what that stands for, don't we)are just lawless looters who deserve no pity at all!

[Youngman442002]

owl eagle
"Many of those looters as scum who will have no claim or life to rebuild anyways."

they will claim they had a 20,000 sf home..and 10 million in cash....they will lie to get as much as they can...

[B Knotts]

Allowing this to go on unfettered will cost lives in the future, as it will cause even more people to try to stay behind in impending disaster zones either to take part in the looting, or to protect their property from looting.

To allow or defend this is extremely short-sighted.

[stuartcr]

I know, it's tragic. People doing what they are told and what they are supposed to do. I hope I'm wrong, but I have a feeling that when it comes to helping out with re-location, etc. these are the people that will be told they are too well off for help, or there is no more room for them.