Looting and Death

The coverage has kept me glued to my computer, as I don't have cable to watch the hourly news. But I hope to inject some common sense into this situation.

1. Looting and Stress

First, it's not the situation that is causing people to suddenly become looters. These people are the disgusting drivel of humanity that for some reason, we keep letting live among us. A police officer in Mississippi was quoted as saying that the looters arrested were their "unusual clientele we have even when we don't have a storm." Yes, they were revolting criminals who didn't care for humanity even before this. Now I hear rumors of gangs setting up snipers and police being shot at. They are out to get revenge, not to get food.

Unfortunately, the cops are unable to control them. I bet they were given orders to not use force at first. The police aren't dying in gunfights-this is good. They don't have the personel to start a gunfight right now. A couple of self-defense pot shots, a few dead looters, and the riots against the police will be unstoppable. The police are doing the right thing to save their life. Unfortunately, it's costing other lives in need of rescuing.

2. Deaths around town

We're hearing about a few deaths here and there in the Superdome and those waiting to be rescued again. But some of those deaths, especially the elderly, were simply their time to go. Now, I'm not saying all of them. But there will always be people dying from age and heartattacks no matter the situation. It is sad that they died stuck in a shelter rather than at home with family.

Secondly, I know that there's gotta be a shovel and a broom somewhere. Why are those dead bodies still at the Superdome? Some man with some balls needs to get a shovel and bury the poor people. Somebody ought to sweep that place. I wouldn't let my area get that bad, no matter the situation. A lack of air conditioning doesn't mean you need to live a trashy life.

3. The lack of food at the Superdome

I saw video of MREs being passed out and eaten on the very first day of the events at the Superdome. Today, I saw a man holding up a 3 week old baby, crying that he didn't have any food for her. As I recall, the order was given to BRING YOUR OWN FOOD to the Superdome, and a 5 day supply of it. It has only been 3 days since the hurricane and they should still have had plenty of food. Did they really think that they would be able to go back right away? Sure, we thought some could but really, a bit of foresight, common sense, personal responsibility, and listening to the local leaders you elected are all parts of staying ahead of the game.

4. It was going to happen

Frankly, the levee bursting and the great flooding of New Orleans was merely a matter of time. Maybe we should be calling up the people from Holland to rebuild. I think the quote "engineering nightmare" pretty much sums it up. If they could GET a boat or barge somewhere near it, we might be able to start trying to plug the hole. This airlift thing to drop sandbags and cement seems to be more of a publicity stunt. They knew it wasn't going to work, but they are trying this merely for hope, while they work on clearing a way to make a real patch.

Please, take a moment and think about how what you need to keep in your house to be ready for a simple 3 day power outage. Remember, the city needs electricity to pump water so you would run out of water pretty fast.