A better cause? These people just lost EVERYTHIING! EVERYTHING. I'd be pretty mad at God right now too. You have no idea what you would do in those circumstances. I'm not saying what they did was right, but to punish because some people will just naturally do the wrong thing is absurd and it makes me think you're just looking for a way out of giving money. Shame on you.
No, people do not naturally do the wrong thing... criminals do!
I have absolute empathy for the survivors, and if they were taking food and potable water, clothing and tents... things that you need to survive.. I'd cut them some slack.. this however was just a CRIMINAL MOB!
A flat screen TV isn't going to do squat for you in an emergency....
These people are thugs, pure and simple, and yes, while some may be otherwise ok folks who got caught up in the mob mentality, it DOES NOT EXCUSE THEM!!
It is absolute absurd that you want to give criminals a pass out of misguided compassion.
Shame on you for berating someone who chooses to make sure HIS EARNINGS go to a true charity and not to human locusts.
You may have no idea of what you would do in the absence of an imposed civil order, but I know. I know I would not be stealing DVD's and TV's, come hell or high water.
I suggest people wanting to contribute check out Catholic Relief Services (no I am not Catholic), Salvation Army, or other faith-based charities which will be on the frontline of meeting TRUE basic needs.
You and I may not have lost EVERYTHING so far in our lives, but I hope I never behave as badly as those looters are right now.
Taking care of your family does not include stealing a TV or jewelry. You can still take care of your family by waiting a few hours until the Red Cross truck shows up with water and food.
Looting is wrong in so many ways. I too am reluctant to send money to looters and bad people.
I'd be pretty mad at God right now too.
Why be mad at God? He wasn't in charge of the maint. and construction of the dikes and pumps.
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!
I'm guessing a good percentage of us FReepers know damn right well what we would do and it would not involve risking our family's life by riding out a MAJOR hurricane, MOST of us would have PLANNED AHEAD and would not be sitting on rooftops or looting our local Wal-Mart. some people just naturally do the wrong thing
Are you kidding me??? Seriously? Are you kidding?? Anyone with half a brain knows right from wrong and would NATURALLY do the RIGHT thing.
So helping themselves to cases of beer, Queen Latifah DVD's, frilly blue panties, computer software and TV sets will help them how exactly?
Evacuate everybody not looting. Cut off all public services. Leave the looters to each other. After 2 weeks, they can trade in all their stash for a sandwich and a bottle of water.
No no No!! Hildy Freepers are better people. After the police started looting the stores (I am sure that is considered OK!) the little people should have just sat there and been thirsty and hungry! These freepers would have sat in NO and without power, water, sewage, "police protection", national guard, communications, and the city flooding around them, and no help on the horizon and gone hungry and thirsty. They are real men behind their keyboards.
Of course all of the people doing BLANKET condemnations of all these people have been through worse - right????
"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.
Yes I do, and it would be following the law of the land! Without the law there is chaos, as we are now seeing which you seem to support by your comments........
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.
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."