WWL reporting: Armed gangs roaming the city, breaking into homes

[Roland99]

"Looting is out of control"


Groups stole a forklift and used it to raise the storm doors of a Rite Aid and were taking water, ramen noodles, etc.


Where's the National Guard?!? Rush Limbaugh said the remaining 70% was sufficient!

[bleedingheart]

1. Just heard that gun stores are being looted

it is going to get a whole lot uglier.

[northzax]

2. that;s ok, they're just doing what they need to to survive

who are we to judge people in this situation?

[MercutioATC]

14. That's sarcasm, right?

[Roland99]

16. By breaking into homes and running around armed with guns?

[mixedview]

17. lol. yes, they will empty the rite aid and, and.. trade it for food!

..and, and they deserve to take it because, because.. life sucks !

:spank:

[jasmeel]

3. Is stealing water looting?

[ret5hd]

5. or ramen noodles...

god, i'm so jealous...they got free ramen noodles and i didn't...and all just because they were in the right place at the right time!

[uppityperson]

21. you are too funny, thank you

[Stephanie]

7. no it's not looting - it's survival

[Pirate Smile]

8. Stealing water, food and diapers is one thing.

Breaking into people's houses and stealing their jewelry is another thing - yes, they interviewed the owner who saw them leaving and thanked them for rubbing salt in the wound as they ran away.

I certainly wouldn't criticize people stealing food and water but there is some nasty sh#$ going on too.

[Roland99]

23. Exactly. Armed gangs?!?! WTF?

[im10ashus]

25. I agree.

It's one thing to take the necessary tools for survival. But there are a few bad apples stealing guns, from Wal-Mart nonetheless, and shooting people. I saw where an officer was shot in the head - twice. That's not good, IMHO.

[Nothing Without Hope]

4. I suspect the feds are itching for an excuse to declare martial law. n/t

[northzax]

10. it's already been declared in orleans parish

you cannot let the actions of a few overwhelm the needs of the many in this situation.

What were the guys doing with the ramen and water? handing it out to everyone who went by? or hoarding it? it makes a difference.

and I bet within 30 minutes, everything else was gone from the Rite Aide as well, not just the water and ramen.

[Algorem]

6. someone cleared out gun section of a Wal Mart,said on news.

[leetrisck]

15. I would guess a big part of the population are gun owners

they could have come from anywhere

[tanyev]

9. If those looters don't have a plan for getting themselves and

their loot out of the city, they're really wasting their time.

[Roland99]

12. No kidding. No power for many weeks. Will take weeks to dump the water.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=104&topic_id=4526273&mesg_id=4526273

[Algorem]

11. Ramen noodles?GOTTA be hungry.

[Roland99]

13. My daughter loves 'em

;)

[Ms. Clio]

18. Water and ramen noodles?

Am I supposed to have a problem with this?

What are they supposed to do? People die very quickly without water, or they will die just as fast if they try to drink the toxic brew they are wading through.

[lalajohns]

19. thought NO was under 80% of water

So, how could this be happeing?

Also, thought that NO was under martial law!

[shance]

20. We certainly are getting alot of inconsistencies aren't we?

Fear, fear, and more fear.

But no calm and reasonable, objective coverage.

[Roland99]

24. Martial law had not yet been activated

And, there were areas still dry and some areas only a foot or two underwater.

[Synnical]

22. AP: Officials Helpless Against Looters

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/08/31/AR2005083101218.html

By KEVIN McGILL
The Associated Press
Wednesday, August 31, 2005; 12:16 PM

NEW ORLEANS -- With law enforcement officials and National Guardsmen focused on saving lives, looters around the city openly ransacked stores for food, clothing, appliances _ and guns.

<snip>

In the city's Carrollton section, which is on relatively high ground, looters commandeered a forklift and used it to push up the storm shutters and break the glass of a Rite-Aid pharmacy. The crowd stormed the store, carrying out so much ice, water and food that it dropped from their arms as they ran. The street was littered with packages of ramen noodles and other items.

New Orleans' homeland security chief, Terry Ebbert, said looters were breaking into stores all over town and stealing guns. He said there are gangs of armed men moving around the city.

The Times-Picayune newspaper reported that the gun section at a new Wal-Mart in the Lower Garden District had been cleaned out by looters.

more details at link

[Jersey Devil]

26. Umm, exactly how do you cook ramen noodles with no gas or electric?

Throw them into a canal until they soften up?

[Matariki]

27. WATER AND RAMEN NOODLES

that says it all really. this "looting" hysteria is unbelievably racist. it's heartbreaking, and worse to see it perpetuated here.

[northzax]

28. so you think that after the first group

took the 'water and ramen' everything else will simply be left there? no one will raid the ATM, as happened downtown, or try and bust the cage to get pharmaceuticals, or liberate some cases of cigarettes?? I don't know, the images I've seen of downtown NoLa show stores emptied by somebody, clothing, small electonics, jewelry, cash, everything on the shelves is gone, and not just at 7-11, where it might have been foodstuffs and other essentials, but at boutiques, jewelers, milleners, package stores, you name it. Hell, the tourist traps are being cleaned out of "I love New Orleans" merchandise.

It's not a race thing, or a poverty thing. It is a few bad apples making life more difficult and dangerous for everyone else. That is inexcusable.