Richard Engel reporting on MSNBC: Looting of gated communities

[eleny]

And their nearby supermarkets and upscale shopping malls.

He's reporting right now that the mob is surrounding the home of the Interior Minister. The army is not taking any action.

[toddaa]

1. Well, isn't that just terrible

Spending all that money to keep the riff raff out and the gates don't work.

[ellie]

13. Bwahahahaha!

[malaise]

14. Tax the rich or

face the poor.

It's uncomplicated.

[gateley]

33. Well put. And something our overlords should take note of. nt

[WingDinger]

2. Let that serve as a warning to the empathy challenged rich.

[OneGrassRoot]

49. Oooh, I like that: "empathy challenged"

:thumbsup:

:hi:

[dixiegrrrrl]

3. I hope people here are paying attention to this.

People who live in gated communities have only an illusion of safety.

Ta dum ta dum ta dum........

[somone]

4. Storming the places where the elite live, not just where they work

Egyptian mansion

[SoCalDem]

20. Gates only work for a while

Once people stop recognizing their validity, the gates come down..

[eleny]

21. There was an article posted here in DU in the past year...

...about how the ultra wealthy are turning to the possibility of living on huge ocean going ships for their safety.

I tried to find the article but haven't found it yet.

[somone]

27. Four Seasons Ocean Residences?

http://www.ameinfo.com/134230.html

[eleny]

29. Thanks! You're fast!

[WinkyDink]

45. Pirates.

[Mojorabbit]

47. First thing that came to my mind also. nt

[barbiegeek]

52. They are making & buying Islands

[eleny]

57. Find an article and post an OP about it!

[barbiegeek]

64. Alot are movie stars too Johnny Depp, Micheal Douglas...

Jay Z, Marlon Brando, Richard Branson, Greek Aristocrats have them in the Mediterranean (Onassis family). The Celebrities talk about them.

These articles are about the Non Famous:

http://moneycentral.msn.com/content/SavingandDebt/P64204.asp

http://tropical-islands.com/2010/09/20/the-best-places-to-buy-exotic-islands/

[JHB]

59. About those islands... they can sink...

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/dubai/8271643/The-World-is-sinking-Dubai-islands-falling-into-the-sea.html

The World is sinking: Dubai islands 'falling into the sea'


By Richard Spencer, Dubai 9:30PM GMT 20 Jan 2011
But the World, the ambitiously-constructed archipelago of islands shaped like the countries of the globe, is sinking back into the sea, according to evidence cited before a property tribunal.

The islands were intended to be developed with tailor-made hotel complexes and luxury villas, and sold to millionaires. They are off the coast of Dubai and accessible by yacht or motor boat.

Now their sands are eroding and the navigational channels between them are silting up, the British lawyer for a company bringing a case against the state-run developer, Nakheel, has told judges.

***

I never understood these things. If rising seas didn't make them unsafe, how about a lot of angry people on boats?

[eleny]

61. Hoisted with their own petard

[eShirl]

74. ugh... looks like a horribly designed sim in Second Life

[northernlights]

69. that's pretty funny

like they'll never have to stop anywhere and re-stock their supplies. I guess they really do think that manna falls from heaven on their blessed heads. :rofl:

[eleny]

73. And they'd have to trust their staff with their lives

[Dennis Donovan]

5. Redistribution of wealth the hard way, I suppose...

[cbdo2007]

6. This makes me want to get a gun.

To protect my family. There is almost always someone out there who has less than you do, so in situations like this, you can always be a target.

[BeFree]

17. Fear? Will a gun displace fear?

Really, it is nothing but karma which one must fear, and no gun will ever alleviate that fearful activity.

[Bumblebee]

26. Hope it's a wicked joke.

[Terry in Austin]

56. Good thing you're able to supress your irrational impulses

Since you know there aren't many ways that plan could go right.

[aquart]

7. This is world-wide job creation in the security industry.

Hooray! Jobs!

[malaise]

40. It doesn't work

Whenever we have general strikes or days of rioting the private security folks don't show up. Most can't show up because public transport isn't moving and private taxis aren't risking damage to their vehicles.

Elites are never capable of defending themselves so they bawl and scream when events like these take place. Of course they always ignore the lack of security available to the poor.

As Marley said - When the rain falls, it don't fall on one man's doorstep.

[lonestarnot]

8. I wonder how many made contributions to charity this a.m.?

[WinkyDink]

46. I did, actually, to charitywater. Link inside. And you, since you're asking?

http://www.charitywater.org/
And I can prove mine.

[lonestarnot]

Yeah. Are you rich?

[lonestarnot]

53. Yeah. Are you rich?

[Gman]

9. Now I feel bad

It involuntarily flashed through my mind when I read the above mobs of unemployed Americans doing the same thing here and I smiled! Will we ever get to this point? If so, when? If not, why not?

[WhiteTara]

10. 3 people died there

[fascisthunter]

11. this is what happens when there is such a wealth disparity

and when the poor are repressed... pay attention right wing billionaires. No wonder you need your guns.

[madmax]

34. Their foot soldiers are the poor who vote

against their own best interests.

[somone]

12. I suspect many have left the country - with their loot

They're probably skiing in Vail, or sitting on a beach sipping a nice beverage.

[lonestarnot]

15. Which country?

:rofl: What about no place to run?

[somone]

16. Many rich Egyptians have already fled

according to news reports

[lonestarnot]

18. Fled to where?

[1776Forever]

23. I heard Mubarak's family went to the UK....

From UK News on-line:

Family and Son of Mubarak Flee to UK

http://www.golf-talk.co.uk/news/family-and-son-of-mubarak-flee-to-uk/124511379

[somone]

37. The elite can go wherever they want

It is very common for the Third World elite to have 'unlimited' visas or even residency permits in Europe or the U.S. - for this type of contingency.

Wealthy And Famous Egyptians Flee Country On Board Private Jets
http://www.businessinsider.com/egyptians-flee-private-jets-2011-1

[lonestarnot]

55. And that accomplishes what?

[WinkyDink]

48. Not Egypt.

Google.

[eleny]

28. There was a follow up saying that some people were trying to defend their homes

But no doubt many are here on the slopes. Aspen "for the season".

[gateley]

35. I just tuned in and am trying to catch up. I was surprised to learn Mubarak is still

there -- I honestly thought he was gone.

[1776Forever]

19. Repub's "What would your life be like if you lived in a gated community surrounded by slums?"

That is what I have always said! Think about it - no police that you can trust, no one that you could let in without wondering if they would attack you and your family for what you have and they don't? Is that what they really want here? Choose wisely!

[lonestarnot]

24. You assume that they haven't already made that choice.

[1776Forever]

25. No yet there is still a chance that we can turn it around in the country. n/t

[gateley]

36. I'm reminded of when Rachel was in Afghanistan -- Afghanistan! A country

that has lived in unrest and occupation forEVER, and she and Richard Engel were walking down a street, looked pretty dire, and WHAM! In your face a million dollar home just sitting there, sticking out like a sore thumb. Apparently the wealthy Afghanis (wealthy from the US) had built these homes, rented them out to wealthy contractors, then jetted off to happily live in some other "more civilized" country.

[1776Forever]

79. Yes I saw that. How can they "close their eyes" to those around them in such dire need? Do they

have no conscience? I guess that is possible because we have it here in our country. It is so heartless and sad. I drove through an area near us in a large city in our state a couple of months ago and told my husband that I could see how those people had lost hope and why there had been over 100 gun deaths that year in that area. So many empty disheveled homes it was like I was in another country and it is getting that way in so many area in the US now. So very sad.......:cry:

[fishwax]

22. not an unnatural response to years of economic injustice

:kick:

[Ozymanithrax]

30. Lots of Gate communities here in the U.S.A.

Imagine the mobs here?

[Desertrose]

31. (Pay attention America)

just sayin'....

[madmax]

32. Been sayin but, we don't have the stones. nt

[gateley]

38. Yet. When people get desperate enough... Although, the Republicans have worked

their Machiavellian Magic to divide the populace so the entire population could never come together and act as one body.

[Hydra]

43. Unity is not required

The top 3% control the message. They can only do that as long as people can relate to the message.

The problem when you dumb people down is "monkey see, monkey do"- all it will take is a few people doing something and the rest will go "oh...YA!"

[gateley]

54. Hmmmm. Interesting. nt

[Beaverhausen]

39. I don't think looting is ever ok- no matter who does it or who it's done to

[WinkyDink]

50. Won't be signing you up for the Revolution! (Is it okay the current way the rich loot the poor?)

[eleny]

51. I also heard it reported that the crowds are shouting something like, "No looting!"

So now people are asking who is actually doing the looting.

[Raschel]

68. I agree. Plus this is just what Mubarak will use to justify use force by the army.

[northernlights]

70. I'm curious what you would do with no work, no money

and starving children?

Remember, too, that looting is just the word a reporter or editor chose to use. Maybe it's stealing back what belonged to someone in the first place. Maybe it's desperation to feed one's babies somehow. Unless we're there, we really don't know...

[BrotherLove]

41. We did the LA riots wrong in '92

We took our anger out on our own community which hurt us.

If there is a next time, we're goin Beverly Hills

(Sung to the tune of the Beverly Hillbillies)

Come and listen to a story about a country named America
A poor Republic, barely kept its citizens fed,
Then one day they was protesting for jobs,
And up through the twitter came a bubblin clue.

Democracy that is, Freedom, Liberty.

Well the first thing you know ol America's a democracy,
Kinfolk said "Throw those rich assholes in jail over there"
Said "a Social Democracy is what you ought to be"
So they loaded up the constitution and gave everyone equality.

Rights, that is. Freedom of Speech, Habeas corpus.

Well now its time to say good by to America and all it kin.
And they would like to thank you folks fer kindly droppin in.
You're all invited back again to this Social Democracy
To have a heapin helpin of their Rights and Equality

Inalienable Rights, that is. Set a spell, Take your shoes off.

Y'all come back now, y'hear?.

[annabanana]

42. Gated communities are UnAmerican in their very concept. . .n/t

[Terry in Austin]

58. Accurate term: "Fortified housing developments"

Not much that's "community" about them.

[WinkyDink]

44. American rich: Take note.

[southernyankeebelle]

60. Just look forward to what is going to happen in the western countries before long because of

corporations and government not listening to their peoples needs. They have screwed the working people. I hope what is going on in those countries doesn't spread to america. But sooner or later the people down the ladder are going to have enough and they are going to start protesting. I hope it will be peaceful.

[eleny]

62. It's bizarre that their greed turns a blind eye to how our buying power makes them wealthier

[Liberal_in_LA]

63. thread title had me thinking this was happening in USA

[eleny]

65. Sorry about that. Too late, I realized that I never included that it was happening in Cairo

Hopefully, Richard Engel reporting was the tip off.

:blush:

[Liberal_in_LA]

67. Los angeles is full of gated communities. I live in one!

[Lugnut]

66. Bummer.

:rofl:

[Odin2005]

71. I have no problem relieving the elites the burden of their wealth.

[moondust]

72. Davos, are you watching?

;)

[mistertrickster]

75. Should have paid the army more. This is what free market capitalism looks like . . .

without the meddlesome gov't interference.

[underpants]

76. Wow they really misallocated their own security forces huh?

I guess there are TWO bad things to come from sending out a paramilitary force to attack protestors

funny how that happens.....all the time

[sylvi]

77. Not all gated communities contain "the rich"

There are at least a couple in my town where the homes start in the 220's to 250's. I would characterize most of the inhabitants as being middle-class.

The really rich probably have little use for "gated communities" anyway. They live on "gated grounds" with their own personal security people.

[AnnieBW]

78. Damn Socialists Redistributing the Wealth!

Send Sarah Palin over there!

[alittlelark]

80. I live in a very protected Silicon Valley community.

We have no gates. We have only 4 exits to freeways and (purposely) limited roads through the cities touching us.

Palo Alto has all roads dead ended aside from the one they choose to allow for through traffic.

I spent 50 minutes trapped in Los Altos Hills back in the '90's. I didn't call anyone, I just followed the few stars I could see.

This region of Silicon Valley has spent SOOOOOOOO much time and $$$$$ on Bullis CHARTER school......


Soooooo much. My kids are now in HS.


They closed all of our schools.

They laughed on tape about us losing our schools


The story is long and I request that no one try to spout shit w/o researching what is going on.