Hurricane Katrina Disaster Updates

[Details]

What about the owners of the businesses? How would you feel if it were your business? Wouldn't you hope to be able to salvage something? What Katrina didn't take from these poor people the criminals are. Yes, they are criminals, looting is a crime. It is theft.

How about for people where that was their workplace - the looters not only put people out of business, the lost businesses put even more ordinary people out of work!

It's worse than theft - looting is making a horrible disaster even worse. I've got a lot more compassion for thieves (not much) than for those carrion eaters - looters *(I don't define someone taking supplies needed for their survival as looting - I don't think the police do either).

 

[Ntegrity]

:banghead: Just like Fox news to turn a story about an outpouring of compassion and help into a story about a few Islamic extremists celebrating. Most of the world is with us, and they've got to focus on a few nutcases who aren't.

Fox didn't write the story. It's from the Associated Press.

 

[concernedperson]

LSU expert on CNN. Computer models indicate that if 80% of the residents evacuated that would leave 250000-300000 remained. Of those that remained the estimate is one third are dead.

 

[BarnGoddess]

:banghead: Just like Fox news to turn a story about an outpouring of compassion and help into a story about a few Islamic extremists celebrating. Most of the world is with us, and they've got to focus on a few nutcases who aren't.

Know thine enemy!!!!!

 

[LadyLuck]

I am sad to see the behavior of a few in NO. I have also seen many helping others. I am disappointed in the leaders of NO. I know it is a overwhelming job, but they need to go out there where all the people are and talk to them, assure them that they will be taken care of, ask that they all work together, at least get water to them. They can use bull horns, etc. to talk to all the people. Everyone is scared and need to be reassured that someone cares. They need to walk with the people. I know many will say the ones left should have gotten out but many had no way or money to do so. They did not get out and someone has to step up and lead these people.

 

[Mabel]

Does anyone know the logistics of getting the people out of the superdome? I know they're planning to send in 500 buses, but can the buses get there or will the refugees need to be boated out to where the buses are waiting?

 

[heavenlydaze]

Like we need more to worry about, but this has been nagging at me all morning.
When I was down there last year, I went to all the pawn shops looking for records. I was amazed at the number of guns on display in each one. Many more than I’ve seen in any pawn shops outside of Reno or Vegas. Well, it’s a gambling community, so these stores do a whopping firearms business. I’m a gun owner, and I don’t want to start a debate about gun control, but I’m real concerned about these low-life hoodlums who by now probably have enough weapons to outfit several Army divisions.

 

[tybee204]

They have been busing people out of the Dome all day. I heard they expect it to take 2 days.

 

[Casshew]

The looting is infuriating. It feels like we’re all being raped. It’s also embarrassing to me as an American. I’ll admit that when I’ve watched tragedies like this in other countries and seen people stealing, I’ve felt kind smug. Yes...smug. Thinking that Americans would NEVER act like this. Reality check in progress.

It would be worse to see looters shot on CNN and every network around the world *LIVE*

It's a different world now, in the past they could get away with shooting citizens for looting during earthquakes and other diasters - but with the media there 24/7 I don't think they will dare.

 

[lorann]

I am sad to see the behavior of a few in NO. I have also seen many helping others. I am disappointed in the leaders of NO. I know it is a overwhelming job, but they need to go out there where all the people are and talk to them, assure them that they will be taken care of, ask that they all work together, at least get water to them. They can use bull horns, etc. to talk to all the people. Everyone is scared and need to be reassured that someone cares. They need to walk with the people. I know many will say the ones left should have gotten out but many had no way or money to do so. They did not get out and someone has to step up and lead these people.

This has surprised me as well. I kept waiting for bull horns, some kind of PA system. Because nobody has answers, they are not willing to say that. They have been told nothing!

 

[Shadow205]

God Bless Shep Smith, he is trying so hard to get help to the people out on the overpass.

 

[Mabel]

They have been busing people out of the Dome all day. I heard they expect it to take 2 days.

Thank you. I wasn't aware of this. I just read on CNN.com that they're still working out the details.

 

[marrigotti]

I stayed away from this topic yesterday because some people got so touchy about the talk about the looters when people were needing to be rescued. They felt we should not be concerned about the looting after all people need food no matter how they get it. Well I have been watching the video coming in from NO since this started and what I see makes me sick. The pain and suffering, people who have lost everything. But, the worst in people is also showing. I understand that the food is going to go bad, probably has by now. In a situation like this people have to do things they normally would not do to survive. I am referring to taking food from stores which obviously are closed. I am sure I would do the same if I were in their posistion. I also know that I would leave a note to the owner and would repay them when possible to do so. People taking food is not what upsets me. People taking, jewelry, TV's, stereo's and the like is NOT acceptable. I saw one lady kick in the glass door of a video store. I don't think videos are necessary for survival. This is not right people and no amount of justifying it will make it right. What about the owners of the businesses? How would you feel if it were your business? Wouldn't you hope to be able to salvage something? What Katrina didn't take from these poor people the criminals are. Yes, they are criminals, looting is a crime. It is theft.

I agree with your conclusion. Seems to me that these folks are clueless about what their real priorities ought to be right now, e.g. saving their own lives. From many of the pictures I have seen, a certain element seems to think that they are on some kind of a lark.

 

[kato]

I agree with your conclusion. Seems to me that these folks are clueless about what their real priorities ought to be right now, e.g. saving their own lives. From many of the pictures I have seen, a certain element seems to think that they are on some kind of a lark.

Yeah, their lark is gonna turn around and bite them in the *ss! Nasty hoodlums.

 

[NK57]

Watching this unfold is unreal. The impact that this will have on our nation will be large and long I'm afraid. I am glued to the TV when I'm at home. Our local Red Cross is still asking for money but will be deploying supplies from up here early next week. On the topic of gas prices, I stopped on the way home and paid 3.01 in White Plains NY.

 

[BarnGoddess]

Like we need more to worry about, but this has been nagging at me all morning.
When I was down there last year, I went to all the pawn shops looking for records. I was amazed at the number of guns on display in each one. Many more than I’ve seen in any pawn shops outside of Reno or Vegas. Well, it’s a gambling community, so these stores do a whopping firearms business. I’m a gun owner, and I don’t want to start a debate about gun control, but I’m real concerned about these low-life hoodlums who by now probably have enough weapons to outfit several Army divisions.

I would hope that they would have taken the precaution to find a secure location for them, but with the storm, who knows? They may have broken into a locked storeroom. I heard last night that gunmen shot into a police precinct last night with automatic high power weapons. There was a firefight, but they escaped. Just random violence?

 

[nanandjim]

The Red Cross is still asking for monetary donations...

For the record, I used my credit card to make on-line donations to both the Salvation Army and the Red Cross. It was very hard to get the Red Cross website to come up. I hope that is due to lots of folks trying to make monetary donations.

I don't know why Brett Favre would say what he said, especially since a lot of us live nowhere close to the disaster areas. He then added that people could make donations to his charity (which normally is for children), and he would make sure that the money got to the right places. I have no doubt that he will.

However, I have seen the Salvation Army and Red Cross in action and really like both of these organizations.

 

[nanandjim]

...He said it was so dangerous and is urging the President to send in the military...

I hope to hell this is done ASAP. There are always a handful that cause problems and take advantage of the situation.

I also hope that they don't mess around with these criminals. They get what they deserve.

 

[heavenlydaze]

It would be worse to see looters shot on CNN and every network around the world *LIVE*

It's a different world now, in the past they could get away with shooting citizens for looting during earthquakes and other diasters - but with the media there 24/7 I don't think they will dare.

uh, Cass...I’m not saying we should SHOOT the bas*ards (with all due respect to Barn Goddess), I was just hoping that my fairy tale notion of Americans would hold up. Talk about a dream world. Yeah...I look around & see the bars on our windows, the alarm system, the gun under the register (slapping self on head now). O.K...I’m out of La-La land. We’re a bunch of savage carnivores. It’s just sad...that’s all.

 

[tybee204]

WOW they just announced that the gas line from the Gulf that supplies Georgia with 80% of its gas has closed down. The Govenor has asked Georgians to cancel Holiday Driving plans and conserve fuel. Mr Tybee just phoned to say that big gas lines are forming at the 3 gas stations on Tybee Island as they are likely to run out of gas by the end of the day.