With looting so rampant in New Orleans, I got to wondering … what is the proper response? The legal response, of course, is to do nothing, since there isn’t enough law enforcement manpower to stop/arrest them (the cops/NG can watch them loot clothing stores, but not stop them). The authorities have declared that they will not stop people who are looting grocery stores, etc., since these are hungry people who need food (makes sense). Still, I think I would find it hard to stand by and watch people just plain stealing crap so they can fence it later (i.e., not stealing a loaf of bread to feed their starving family). Especially if it were my store (although, granted, it seems every store owner has evacuated the city).
So what’s the best way to deal with this? Shoot on sight? Do nothing, because that’s the way the law is set up and it’s ultimately right (i.e., you don’t shoot someone for strealing something, only for threatening someone’s life)? Do nothing, because the stuff in the stores will be destroyed by the flood waters anyway, so why not let someone get some use/profit out of it?
Ask them nicely to cease and disperse. Then a warning that deadly force is about to be used. Then…blammo ! You have to put these looters down, no question. They are breaking the law and stealing somebody else’s property. It’s a mob mentality. You have to start cutting them down as lawlessness breaks out, otherwise you’re allowing criminals to run the city. A show of deadly force is sometimes needed to get a mob’s attention.
It probably doesn’t matter right now but the part above is untrue. Louisiana is one of the few states in which you can shoot to kill to defend property. That right has stood up in court many times. If looters find themselves robbing a home that is occupied by the owner of a .357, then they have problems on their hands.
For your main question, that is a tough one. These people aren’t just stealing stereos and CD’s. Many are also extremely dangerous hooligans. News stations are reporting that they are breaking into homes and robbing people to get what they want. Many are also armed. People are being carjacked. One police officer has already been shot. I used to live in New Orleans. There is a very dangerous and impoverished subculture there. That is why it has been historically one of the nation’s most violent cities.
I am getting fed up with people assuming that the worst that can happen is that some electronics will get stolen. Not true. The same people doing the looting can and will kill others. Rescue efforts can be hampered. Things will get even more desperate as people run out of food, water, and places to sleep. They will steal all the food and supplies from other groups taking much more than they need.
From that perspective, I say shoot them.
However, it would not be safe for the police and National Guard to start shooting right now. There are too many people for them to try to control. Police have given up trying to enforce any laws right now. Even if they catch someone, there is no place to take them. Once more National Guard troups arrive then a very strong show of force should be made. The policy should be to warn and pull a bead and pull the trigger if the behavior continues.
Yeah, okay. What is this, Stalinist Russia? Thankfully you’re an anonymous wierdo posting on a webboard and not in Congress or some other position of relative importance.
Let the looters take what they want. That’s why businesses have insurance.
Unless the law enforcement officials or the people they are trying to help and evacuate are being threatened, they can and should ignore it. It’s just not the right thing to focus on at this point. A lot of these looters are in heavily-armed gangs - since the first thing they did, I guess, was go to the sporting goods store and steal the guns - and a big firefight would hamper rescue efforts even more.
This is like the other thread. Do we have to resort to these kinds of ridiculous comments every time? Nobody wants to be robbed and these pseudo-sarcastic remarks don’t add anything. If you had to leave your home and your store because the flood waters were coming in, and you were likely to lose both anyway, I don’t think you’d be very worried about your stuff either.
Think about it: they’re only gonna steal stuff that’s still valuable ! If you left your home in New Orleans and evacuated to higher ground, do you really think you’d like just sitting back and watching your house be ransacked by roving bands of criminal thugs? It’s private property, pal. They have no right to be breaking in and stealing anything.
Okay, the parts about the police officers getting shot and the homes getting broken into; yes, a homeowner is probably justified under such circumstances to shoot a looter and a police officer (or anyone for that matter) is certainly justified in shooting for self defense when they believe their life is in danger. My original point related to stores, however. Under no circumstances should a store owner shoot anybody – anybody – to protect his or her property. Just because Lousiana supposedly authorizes the shooting of an individual in defense of property doesn’t make it right. If that’s actually the case, and I doubt it is, then shame on Louisiana.
A home is not comparable to a store, but I would not KILL a person for stealing my shit in any caee. Theft is not a capital offense. The idea that we should start mowing down people in the street is so over-the-top depraved that I can’t believe anyone is actully serious about it.
Looters have tried to break into Children’s Hospital, they have stolen generators from an emergency post, they are breaking into home.
I agree that I don’t care about them stealing tv’s but I hope you realize anyone shooting at guardsmen or police or hampering rescue efforts and medical locations needs to be stopped.
No, stealing a television is a minor nuisance. Killing somebody over it is an inexcusable act of depravity. Perhaps you would be happier in a country like Saudi Arabia or Iran where people share your values.
Okay, see here is the logic behind kiling someone stealing property. They will kill you in order to take it. So you must kill them first so there is no chance of it. They chose the life.
Stop concentrating on the items and start thinking about the behavior . You can not let lawlessness run rampant without any fear of punishment. You have to draw the line somewhere and stop this mob mentality. They’re already stealing guns and raiding childrens’ hospitals. A cop has already been shot in the head. Where do you stop this? How long do you let it escalate before you retaliate? Are rapes OK during these desperate times? Do you simply allow rival gangs to start killing each other indiscriminately? What about the destruction of property not already damaged by Katrina? Do you let that go on?
Put it this way: is there any behavior that you would feel justified using deadly force to stop?