There may be some important differences in the looting in NOLA. First a huge population has been trapped and cut off from the world for the better part of a week. The media has shown black people as looting and whites as finding. Restoring order has been a stated priority. Some claim this is code for shotting black people. Most of the stuff taken luggage, food, water, coolers, mattress have been necessities. The looting of TV's that I have not seen in any display (doesn't mean that it is not happening) appears to be low frequency and strange in a place without power. Given the suffering looted TV's are the least of the problem. Also police have been involved in the looting. There are reports and video indicating that looting saved lives. But what ever the cost it will not approach
Emron's looting.
There have been reports of an insurgency against the police who have had to hunker down surrounded by people shooting them. It at times looks like Baghdad in the Mississippi. Listening today I found it difficult to reconcile the comments of leadership with on the ground TV coverage. Given that most of what is stolen would be declared lost it would have seemed wiser to have controlled looting. Of course this would not have been possible without more National guard. Those TV's at Wal-Mart would have been discarded and unsalable. It would have had to be hauled away at great expense. It may well be that this is the first time that we have seen an industrial society have these events. Thousands of hard working tax paying people have been deserted and left to fend for themselves in a cesspool. A spokesperson for the salvation army reported that they have been out there alone. Today at last 1k troops arrived.
It may be too late as it was in Baghdad. What are we thinking? Del Kennon Rice wrote:
I've been getting tons of questions about the looting in New Orleans. I know that looting and rioting associated with natural disasters are generally extremely exaggerated, and the press has a history of getting these things wrong and whipping people into a frenzy. However, I am wondering if this case might be an exception. Don't get me wrong, I'm certain that the vast majority of victims are refraining from violence and unnecessary takings. However, might looting be more common in this case than in past natural disasters? After all, it is my perception that the victims of this disaster were disproportionately alienated before Katrina struck and relief workers/administrators have occasionally conducted themselves in ways to alienate them even further. I wonder if I would be naive to believe that looting and violence are widespread, but wonder if it would similarly be naive to believe that individuals as angry and alienated as the victims are likely to feel would behave in the "traditional" manner of other natural disaster victims - particular if the media is telling them that the apocalypse is upon them. Anyone, have any inside knowledge or tips on how to cut through the hype? Kennon Dr. Kennon Rice Department of Sociology Albright College P.O. Box 15234 13th and Bern Streets Reading, PA 19612-5234 (610)921-7881 [EMAIL PROTECTED]
