Looting from a very different perspective

[blondeatlast]

Sorry to bring this issue up again, but as a municipal employee this occurred to me at work today.

While we are going round and round about this at DU, we fail to ever blame the elephant in the room; the big, stinking elephant.

That being drastically slashed federal and state funds to cities and the resultant absolute necessity to slash municipal budgets. I've been a victim of this myself and I've seen the effect in public libraries after a disaster, so I have a better than average idea of what can happen on a very, very grand scale.

Why are we so quick to accept that there aren't enough first responders in any disaster to cover the inevitable fallout?

Things happen, and the best staffed police and fire would have been in a jam over Katrina. But they would have been far more able to cope with the looting; able to put cops on the street SOONER (sooner is crucial to containing it) in order to control as much of it as possible.

I don't care what your feelings are about the looters and what they might be looting. I do care that while we quibble among each other and say horribly hateful things, one of the most major issues is completely ignored--and it is something we have a degree of control over.

While we argue over the morality of the situation, desperate people on both sides of the issue are, well, doing desperate things--and the real issue at the heart of the matter goes very largely ignored.

And that's not even mentioning the fact that the National Guards of the affected states are largely unavailable due ot an illegal, immoral war...

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

1. Very good point

I just question the values of someone who can defend pornography more easily than a poor destitute person in a disaster...yeah..I got caught up in the fray

[blondeatlast]

2. Holy heck yes. I can't believe some of the stuff I've seen here.

I had the apparently mistaken assumption that progressive=compassionate. :shrug:

[Cleita]

10. Well, some of those posters appear to me to be RW moles

that have coasted under the radar to get large post counts. It's funny though, when things like this happen, they out themselves with their right wing talking points.

[blondeatlast]

13. They've done a pretty good job, but it is not surprising to see just

who is posting the a great deal of the bile.

[bee]

3. the Cops are busy looting

:shrug:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x4514954

[blondeatlast]

4. There are bad apples everywhere, but please consider the issue I posted.

Put aside your feelings either way and think broadly--most of this didn't have to happen.

Acceptance of a situation that we shouldn't have to just "accept" as inevitable--it isn't inevitable, is the issue.

Complacency is the long term disease diagnosed well before the disaster...

[bee]

11. oh I totally agree with you

I didnt mean to give the wrong impression. Having never been in such a situation myself I cant / wont sit here and pass judgement on the looters. I cannot blame someone for wanting to survive and in the case of food, water, etc... Id bet many of us would be right there with them (myself included). As for those stealing jewelry etc.. well... thats another thing altogether. But I agree, if NO had been given the money it needed to protect itself from such a tragedy (it had plans), or at LEAST to prepare, then none of this would be happening. And the fact that 200 billion is spent on Iraq's oil, while a US City was deemed not worthy of funds to prevent this disaster, is the single most dispicable part of the situation.

And as for the looting of non-essentials... I know that NO has the largest housing project in the country SO... perhaps if our govt had paid a bit more attention to the poverty stricken in our counrty... then maybe that wouldnt be happening either.

edited for clarity

[blondeatlast]

14. Sorry as well--my nerves are on edge! One of our branches had

a major disaster earlier this week and I'm relating NO too close to home, I suppose.

Those were just books; we are talking desperate human beings here.

I sympathize with those desperate to survive and the police who must feel almost powerless to be of any help under the circumstances.

With a hundred more cops, a hundred more firefighters; just think of the difference and it really isn't that much...

[bee]

16. I completely understand...

And please dont ever apologize for sharing a compassionate view. People, most of which have just lost everything they own, are being chastised for looting, and the police, who are helpless, are being chastised for allowing it. Its disgusting. Its not exactly as if people in housing projects can expect a payout from their renters insurance. They have NOTHING now... no income, no homes, and Im sure, very little hope. I would like to think that collectively, we as human beings, could try to be a little less holier-than-thou, and a bit more understanding. So much for "bleeding heart" liberals. :cry:

[Skidmore]

15. In terms of the "nonessentials", those items can be used in place

of currency when you don't have access to banks, no longer have transportation or a home, perhaps insurance, and no clue as to when assistance will come your way. It can be used to buy your way out of a difficult situation. To heck with jewelry. For all the misery the mining of gold and gems cause in the world, if for once someone can use them to buy their way out of a miserable situation, I am more inclined to withhold judgment of that person. Are we as outraged when people like Pat Robertson made money on the backs of miners who are obligated to the point of servitude?

[bee]

17. Thank you for making that point.

I would agree that everything is essential if you have nothing.

[blondeatlast]

18. True enough. I really don't give a damn what is being "looted" or who is

doing the "looting."

Anyone who is more concerned with material goods in a situation like this loses any respect from me.

I love life--jewelry is pretty, but it doesn't feed the children.

[ladjf]

5. People are dying that could have been rescued. The City

of New Orleans is on the brink of being obliterated and people are worried about the looting of a few thousand dollars worth of merchandise?

[blondeatlast]

7. Precisely the issue; a lack of first responders plays an immense part.

the issue isn't even really the looting; the issue is that we can do something NOW to prevent such devastation in the future.

[H2O Man]

6. I always liked

Bob Marley's song, "Burning and Looting."

[blondeatlast]

9. Oooh--so very true (had to look them up)

How many rivers do we have to cross,
Before we can talk to the boss? Eh!
All that we got, it seems we have lost;
We must have really paid the cost.

(That's why we gonna be)
Burnin' and a-lootin' tonight;
(Say we gonna burn and loot)
Burnin' and a-lootin' tonight;
(One more thing)
Burnin' all pollution tonight;
(Oh, yeah, yeah)
Burnin' all illusion tonight.

Oh, stop them!
(more)

[Cleita]

8. Salient post.

I too think that lack of planning has created this chaos. It's bad enough to take your licks from mother nature, but when you add the human element, it makes it worse. I think Bush should step down for this. We need to demand it and Cheney too because he's very much involved in this. The Iraq war has immensely enriched his company, Halliburton. Our troops who should be here taking care of keeping order are being used to protect his assets in Iraq instead.

[lildreamer316]

12. Recommended.

I think this is the CORE of the problem stated very well and this explains why I am so God damned angry. Sorry for the language.

[blondeatlast]

19. I'm ashamed of myself, but the point needs made, so...

:kick:

[bpilgrim]

20. it is a convenient old DISTRACTION from their many & growing failures

the Fed.s and their sophist in the media are now blaming the victims for the disaster they are in now :puke:


http://media.globalfreepress.com

peace

[blondeatlast]

21. An AM kick since there are new "looting" threads this morning.

I know it isn't polite to kick your own, but perspective on the issue is so sadly lacking.

:kick: