What ****es me off about Katrina's aftermath

**DarquePervert** · 08-31-2005, 05:56 AM

I was getting ready early this morning to go see a client and had CNN on. Naturally, they were covering the aftermath of hurricaine Katrina.
One big problem is looting in New Orleans.

Yes, New Orleans as a disproportionate amount of impoverished citizens. I've been there and have seen it firsthand.
Yes, food and potable water are scarce to say the least.
There are some things I can actually understand people taking off of store shelves: food, water, medications, first-aid supplies, diapers, baby formula...
There's some things that are a stretch, but are sort of reasonable...
Clothing, since people have no way to clean clothing that could now be disease-infested.
Cellphone batteries, since there's no power to recharge one and cellphones are the only means of communication right now.

But what in the **** possesses people to steal microwaves and blenders from a Wal-Mart in a city that has no electricity? What's the ******* point?

OK, so CNN took the high ground and was interviewing some looters. The general consensus is that the people lsot everything. I have no doubt about that.
The business owners they're looting from are losing nearly everything as well. You're taking away what little they have.

They don't seem to realize that it's the business owners that are going to rebuild the city. It's the business owners that create jobs (assuming the looters are even willing to work int he first place). You take away what little they have after a devastating event like Katrina, and they're not going to want to come back and rebuild. I certainly wouldn't want to own a business in New Orleans knowing that in the face of a disaster the community that I serve is going to rip me the **** off.

When the big blackout happened a few years ago, there was minimal looting, even in a large, supposedly mean & bitter city like New York. Why? I really don't know, but the city of New York (which I really don't like, having been there a few times) commands more respect than the city of New Orleans (which I *do* like, having been there several times).
It's not so much the city itself, but the people that live there, I guess.

**shizzle** · 08-31-2005, 06:07 AM

It's not so much the city itself, but the people that live there, I guess.

That, and you have to consider this is very different from a blackout.... looting during a blackout usually incites fighting and possible rioting, because of the restless population... in the aftermath of a natural disaster there are waaaay fewer people... hence it is easier to loot without causing much incident.

**shotgunefx** · 08-31-2005, 06:20 AM

Foods one thing. Cellphone batteries? How are they going to charge them?

It's people being opportunists. They suck. It's like the riots in LA. Some people were really angry about what happened. Most just wanted new AV equipment.

**elmo** · 08-31-2005, 07:03 AM

id be straight down the adult shops looting sex toys and outfits for the missus

id probably loot me some 17 year old girls too

**HHdesign** · 08-31-2005, 09:34 AM

I say shoot em, Theres no more jails, no more prisions. I can understand clothes and food, but electronics is unreasonable.

**elmo** · 08-31-2005, 09:35 AM

would anyone notice you looting a dodge viper?

**66 Bug** · 08-31-2005, 09:41 AM

There have been numerous reports of car jacking....guess people really want to get out of the place so looting a viper doesn't sound too unreasonable....except 3 inches of water might cause a problem with the viper...better go for a jeep

**kevinlekiller** · 08-31-2005, 12:12 PM

On cnn , they said that cell phones are down(Im guessing the towers need electricity also), I was watching cnn last night and the people you see looting are all black people, I havent seen 1 white person(the only place I saw a white person was were the yellow buses were, inside the dome , on the highway beside the dome, also I think there was some prisoners) but those people werent looting. I guess(I dont know) the black people in new orleans are more poor than the whitw , so their mentality is maybe not the same on looting.

**JaymzRR** · 08-31-2005, 03:25 PM

Originally Posted by kevinlekiller

On cnn , they said that cell phones are down(Im guessing the towers need electricity also), I was watching cnn last night and the people you see looting are all black people, I havent seen 1 white person(the only place I saw a white person was were the yellow buses were, inside the dome , on the highway beside the dome, also I think there was some prisoners) but those people werent looting. I guess(I dont know) the black people in new orleans are more poor than the whitw , so their mentality is maybe not the same on looting.

While there is a larger black population, and just fact (not being racist here) that particular group is going to be less well off, and less educated (also resulting in less of them leaving during the evacuation)....

However, I noticed that too and just thought it was interesting. I mean its pretty common around the country that blacks commit more crime (even when accounting for increased population/decreased etc. etc.) but yea, not sure what im trying to say other than it was interesting.

**kevinlekiller** · 08-31-2005, 03:29 PM

Well they were saying some of the poorer people had no way to get out of there(no way of transportation) when the town was evacuating, so Im guessing most of the poorer people in new orleans are black(no offense meant). Lets just hope everything works out for those people.