Both:hurricane aftermath

[akodo]

was just getting home when the npr 5 minute 'top of the hour' news was being broadcast. Of course it mostly involved katrina. Apparently there is major looting going down in the big easy. Reporter said looting was for 'electronics, booze, and guns' also noted firefights developing. Went on to say Bush is being asked if he is going to bring in the military. Not the national guard, the military. Apparently there is some provision where a special MP force can be deployed to restore civil authority. Exactly how this jives with other laws (posse comatotis? (sp?)) I don't know, but maybe you do.

anyways i also bring this up because some people seem to think that while the right to bear arms was important during pioneer days vs indians and bears and bandits, etc, those conditions no longer apply (unless oyu live in alaska, montana, etc etc, i like to remind them, where law enforcement may be 1 hour away). The right to bear arms is important IMHO because you many not need it now, but who can see the future. History shows us that even the most civilized areas can turn into chaos where the means to defend yourself is very very important.

Last year at this time, peoples most prized possessions would have been their new car, plasma tv, computer, fancy artwork, etc etc etc. Right now, people attempting to move out of New Orleans are conserned with the 3Fs. Family, Food/water, and Firearms.

I had a college proff who said 'the skin of civilization is only 9 meals deep' as in, your family hasn't eaten for 3 days, yes, there is a high degree of likelyhood you would kill another human being to take that can of green beans he has. Nevermind taht a year ago you could buy the very same can of green beans for 39 cents, 3 for a dollar.

[[Political] Slayer]

Well, martial law has been declared, or at least that is what I heard, I don't know what it means for the people openly brandishing firearms, or for the ones who are looting, but I am sure the NG won't take any shit.

[akodo]

i hear people have been looting right in front of the new orleans police and the national guard with no action taken. And we are talking TVs not foodstuffs. I guess the best we can say is so far, unlike the N.O. police, there have been no reports nor any airing on news broadcasts of national guardsmen actually looting things themselves

[Mr.P]

At this point, I really don't think it matters. The people who were left behind in NO are, in general, the lower class, lower educated who didn't have the facilities to leave town. They're angry, have no food, and are taking their frustration out on whatever they can.

In the grand scheme of things, someone taking a TV really doesn't make a difference. By the time any of the store owners can get back to their shops all the goods will be ruined and water logged anyways. If looting keeps people occupied enough to stop from killing each other, well, hell. At least until we can get a sizeable guard/police force there to really combat it, there really isn't any point. If I'm a NO police officer with little food or water myself, my home is probably destroyed, and haven't heard from my own loved ones, am I going to risk my life for some guy with a Sony on his shoulders? HELL no.

Beyond that, how do you police the situation? What's the threat? We'll evacuate you to a nice warm jail with food and a bed if you steal that? Are we going to start shooting desperate people for looting? Once people realize how little good that TV is going to do them when they have NO POWER, I think you'll see some decrease in the looting. Other then that, just get people out of the situation and into something sane.