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."
Didn't you really mean one of the biggest - democratic Cities, in America...!
Gee, I hope those being evacuated to Houston don't think they will get the same kid-glove treatment if they decide to get out of line. If the Houston cops don't kill them, the average armed Houstonian will. I'll bet MS didn't have the same ugly behavior in their minority districts. I think their black population is a cut above the ones we saw on TV yesterday.
I think it's martial law.
Then why did you bring it up? Are you longing for trouble?
No, I have no power to punish whatsoever. I'm just NOT helping.
I have offered my house to friends and relatives and their friends who need help for as long as they need it.
However, I will send not one red cent to "relief" efforts in this area UNTIL looting is stopped. IMO it would be no different from sending food to Mogadishu, the warlords will simply steal it and use it for their own purposes.
Besides, there was/is looting in places outside of NO too, there just aren't enough newsies there to catch it on film.
I can't believe the number of freepers who believe that these people didn't leave the city because they didn't have transportation. Baloney. Look at all the submerged cars. Many stayed to take advantage of the situation and worst of all they endangered their children in doing so and they are taking resources away from those truly in need. Disgusting.
If you are lucky, you have family somewhere that can help you.
You are inevitably going to be paying for them in the long run. The consumer prices across the country are going to be increased to make up for the $$ lost due to the looting.
The problem will come when the stocks dwindle. Then they'll start fighting among themselves. Why loot a store when you can loot a looter?
Quote: Before the storm hit N.O. I told my wife that many people were staying behind, not to weather the storm, but to wait so they can "clean up" the stores.
I saw them interview one guy and the only reason he said he stayed was he knew the minute he left his own neighbors would of looted his house to the shell.
Lotsa-love-in-this-thread ping.
Is this looting limited to Blacks? I guess the MSM will not report this aspect of the story. I did notice that more than 1/2 the people waiting in line to get into the Superdome were Black, New Orleans has a high Black population. Do you have some knowledge that the looters are disproportionately Black? If so how did you come by it?
Quote: What purpose will the jewlery serve that was stolen?
They are using it as bait to catch fish. Fish are attracted to bright shieny objects.
You've got my second on that!
This is the "Lord of the Flies" phenomenon. There are (unfortunately) a large number of people out there who are only restrained in their behavior by threat of force. Of course this is precisely why Communism/Socialism can never succeed. Many can and do behave like civilized citizens, interested in only their earned share, and in helping their fellow man. The remainder (the great unwashed masses) are little more than animals with just a thin veneer of civilization disguising their true nature.
I fear for our society's long term survival.
What are the consequences to this brainbox if he starts drinking all that warm beer in 90+ degree heat?
If they have lost everything, everything then where are they taking all this stuff to? And why computers, jewelry and all the other non-essentials they're running off with? I may not know exactly how I would react in every situation but I'm reasonably sure I wouldn't throw away every last scrap of humanity and civilization. People didn't do that after 9/11 and no one knew THAT was coming. And the looting started BEFORE the hurricane hit. There's no excuse for LOOTING!
"this has all set race relations back 30 years in this country"
not yet....but it has the potential to do that. All who claim to be "leaders" from across our nation...all colors, both sexes must condemn this looting behavior loudly today.
I hope to see:
Bill Cosby & Bill Bennett SAY IT
Madeline Albright & Condi Rice SAY IT
Colin Powell & every US Senator & Congressman FGS SAY IT!
Sure looks like it.
No wonder the mayor took so long as to *where* to tell the poor to go this time.
They said the Dome was also used in the 1998 evac, for some 14K......on the way out IT was looted. (I'm sure all taxpayers paid for that)
Prolly the reason all were searched for weapons, drugs, & alcohol this time, as they entered.
I felt the same way about sending money to New Orleans after watching the video of the looters. I wish that I could direct the money to Mississippi, where the damage was more from the immediate impact of the storm, rather than slow flooding.
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