[Alissa]

Agree, but panic is still the situation here. People are scared and not necessarily normal, if you can identify. I still maintain looting is hardly the problem to focus on at this moment in time. Our focus as citizens/Freepers should be on what we can do to help, not beef about a few who are looting.

[LenS]

You're missing the point. Looting is contagious -- it's people acting as a mindless, vicious (and stupid) mob. Once it starts, very quickly everyone stops trying to help each other and they begin to treat each other as an enemy -- which in a mob situation everyone else is a threat. Instead of helping the weak onto boats, a mob starts killing those in boats and taking the boats for themselves. Energy that could be used towards saving lives is diverted into fighting.

If the cops maintain order, then they can quite easily lead healthy civilians into helping the less fortunate. People can either respond to leadership or they can devolve into a mob out of fear.