# Worthless shithead New Orleans looters. **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [August 31, 2005, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worthless-shithead-new-orleans-looters/319379 "2005-08-31T02:46:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 18
**Author:** ![Random](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/57b2e6/32.png) [@Random](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Random)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2005, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worthless-shithead-new-orleans-looters/319379/341 "2005-09-02T01:21:32Z")
Damn. [http://www.cnn.com/2005/WEATHER/09/01/katrina.impact/index.html](http://www.cnn.com/2005/WEATHER/09/01/katrina.impact/index.html) ---
**Author:** ![Belowjob2.0](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Belowjob2.0](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Belowjob2.0)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2005, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worthless-shithead-new-orleans-looters/319379/342 "2005-09-02T02:07:59Z")
Although it does pain me to have started a thread that might bring out the closet racists - not accusing anyone, just noting that this is a possibility - I still think that swarming the city with armed military personnel, and authorising them to shoot to kill after first warning would have saved the lives of many black people. Not to imply that their lives are more important than anyone else’s, of course. Just pointing out that “shoot to kill” may actually have helped more black folks than it would hurt, and is not necessarily racist. With a strong show of force, the military could commandeer the food stores and supervise orderly food and water distribution. A-get-itwhilethegetting-isgood approach tends to guarrantee that the weakest, the children, the aged, won’t get their fair share. In times of starvation and drought, food and water can be exchanged for sex. The same men who stole guns and jewelry may well be hoarding food that should have gone to women, children, and old folks. After this whole affair is over, a lot of people’s hoods will be showing. It will be that much harder to get resources to help the black poor of NO get jobs, education, health care. People already inclined to hate will find plenty to justify their bigotry. I don’t think that this is in any way fair, or just, but I do believe that this is how it works. ---
**Author:** ![Random](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/57b2e6/32.png) [@Random](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Random)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2005, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worthless-shithead-new-orleans-looters/319379/343 "2005-09-02T02:40:22Z")
> [@Belowjob2.0](#): > > Although it does pain me to have started a thread that might bring out the closet racists… If this was directed at me, please explain yourself, in innuendo-free language. > [@Belowjob2.0](#): > > I still think that swarming the city with armed military personnel, and authorising them to shoot to kill after first warning would have saved the lives of many black people. Not to imply that their lives are more important than anyone else’s, of course. Just pointing out that “shoot to kill” may actually have helped more black folks than it would hurt, and is not necessarily racist. > > With a strong show of force, the military could commandeer the food stores and supervise orderly food and water distribution. A-get-itwhilethegetting-isgood approach tends to guarrantee that the weakest, the children, the aged, won’t get their fair share. > > In times of starvation and drought, food and water can be exchanged for sex. The same men who stole guns and jewelry may well be hoarding food that should have gone to women, children, and old folks. I agree. Do you think that means my hood is showing? ---
**Author:** ![Belowjob2.0](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Belowjob2.0](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Belowjob2.0)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2005, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worthless-shithead-new-orleans-looters/319379/344 "2005-09-02T02:51:07Z")
I also said that I wasn’t accusing anyone, just noting that this was a possibility. It wasn’t a reference to you. There are white supremacists all over the net shouting, “Kill 'em all!” Some board members may see my posts as expressing the same sentiment. I wanted to make it clear that my position and my concerns are quite different from Stormfronters and their more genteel fellow travellers. For the record, I’m not at all shy about making accusations of racism. If I think it’s an issue, I’ll call it out. Why use innuendo, especially in the Pit, when you can call anyone a fucking idiot right to their face? (I’m not calling you a fucking idiot, just using that expression as an example.) ---
**Author:** ![Stephe96](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Stephe96](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stephe96)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2005, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worthless-shithead-new-orleans-looters/319379/345 "2005-09-02T03:20:54Z")
> [@Belowjob2.0](#): > > I also said that I wasn’t accusing anyone, just noting that this was a possibility. It wasn’t a reference to you. > > There are white supremacists all over the net shouting, “Kill 'em all!” Some board members may see my posts as expressing the same sentiment. I wanted to make it clear that my position and my concerns are quite different from Stormfronters and their more genteel fellow travellers. > > For the record, I’m not at all shy about making accusations of racism. If I think it’s an issue, I’ll call it out. Why use innuendo, especially in the Pit, when you can call anyone a fucking idiot right to their face? > > (I’m not calling you a fucking idiot, just using that expression as an example.) It’s probably worth pointing out that, according to reports I’ve read, most of the victims of the violence happen also to be black. I think we can safely leave cries of ‘racism’ out of this one. ---
**Author:** ![Monstre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e274bd/32.png) [@Monstre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monstre)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2005, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worthless-shithead-new-orleans-looters/319379/346 "2005-09-02T03:50:43Z")
> [@Duke of Rat](#): > > You jumped to the conclusion that she meant shoot somebody with a box of diapers. Man, I certainly wouldn’t want to get shot with a box of diapers. At least, not used ones… ---
**Author:** ![OliverTwistofLime](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/b487fb/32.png) [@OliverTwistofLime](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OliverTwistofLime)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2005, 7:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worthless-shithead-new-orleans-looters/319379/347 "2005-09-02T07:35:32Z")
> [@Anaamika](#): > > Goddamn, I can’t believe I’m getting involved in this rip-roaring fight but I guess I gotta grow a thicker skin sometime. > > **Dio** , you keep setting up emotional strawmen and I for one am sick and tired of it. “Oh, what happens if there’s a baby in the way? Or five babies? Oh dear, oh dear!” > > It is \*not \* ok to loot. What you end up with is disorder, chaos, and lawlessness, wherein, as has been stated, the rescuers can’t do their job. You get a whole bunch of tough strong guys that can loot and steal, and then on the other side there’s the seniors, the sick, the injured, the weak, and the children who can’t loot and steal and who aren’t getting what they need. > > The city is in chaos and we sure as fuck need martial law, and if that means shooting people, SO BE IT. I’m not implying we should shoot people simply for running down the street with a TV. But damnit, if they’re blocking a hospital, or interfering with rescue operations, sure as shit they should be warned, then shot. Do it a few times and people start to realize someone’s in charge. Right now everyone’s running wild because no one’s in charge and a lot of them are just scared. Another poster said, “If you’re not part of the solution, you’re part of the problem”, and I can’t see a clearer case than this one. > > I cannot believe anyone is defending these scumbucket looters. It was 24 hours after the storm! They were not starving, they did not immediately need their stupid TVs or their DVDs…they should have been making plans to get out. If you’re gonna steal, steal backpacks & camping equipment along with your food for use in getting out. > > No way, these people didn’t steal because they needed to, or because they were desperate for this stuff. They stole because they’re greedy rotten thieving bastards who wait for their neighbor to go down before kicking him in the head. my sentiments entirely…you said it all. ---
**Author:** ![Contrapuntal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e274bd/32.png) [@Contrapuntal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Contrapuntal)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2005, 7:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worthless-shithead-new-orleans-looters/319379/348 "2005-09-02T07:47:47Z")
> [@Anaamika](#): > > “If you’re not part of the solution, you’re part of the problem”, and I can’t see a clearer case than this one. That was me! I said it! I kinda stole from this other guy. You may have heard of him. Eldridge Cleaver. I’m not really a big fan anymore but I do think it applies beautifully here. He probably would not agree. So there was a touch of,how you say, \*frisson \* in that post. Just for everwho’s keeping score. ---
**Author:** ![calm\_kiwi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9fc348/32.png) [@calm\_kiwi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/calm_kiwi)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2005, 8:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worthless-shithead-new-orleans-looters/319379/349 "2005-09-02T08:47:32Z")
Looters stealing TVs etc are wankers but jeeeeez where is the frigging govt? Four days later and people are still stranded. Watching this on the news from the other side of the world, America is looking like a 3rd world country. ‘The richest country in the world’ with the ‘most sophisticated armed forces in the world’ and four days later people are stranded and dying? How the hell is this happening in America…happening when there was PLENTY of warning! (petrol prices went up almost a week before this because of estimated losses!) Bush is going to “tour” the area tomorrow? WTF? Those looting TV’s on day one need to be in jail. Anyone looting now should be looting the Whitehouse. How fucking useless is the US govt that they can coordinate a war in Iraq yet can’t help people in their own country. Why are there still 15,000 people in a convention centre not to mention those at the many many thousands at sports dome? ---
**Author:** ![BabaBooey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/dfb087/32.png) [@BabaBooey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BabaBooey)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2005, 8:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worthless-shithead-new-orleans-looters/319379/350 "2005-09-02T08:56:38Z")
Although I agree with most of your post, there are no jails to put them in and few vehicles that haven’t been flooded so as to contain them. The only option is to shoot looters (of non-essential products) and troublemakers, something I support, but many others don’t. ---
**Author:** ![Contrapuntal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e274bd/32.png) [@Contrapuntal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Contrapuntal)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2005, 9:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worthless-shithead-new-orleans-looters/319379/351 "2005-09-02T09:06:49Z")
> [@calm kiwi](#): > > How fucking useless is the US govt that \*\*they can coordinate a \*\* \*\*war in Iraq \*\* yet can’t help people in their own country. (Bolding mine) You want to run that by me one more time? ---
**Author:** ![calm\_kiwi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9fc348/32.png) [@calm\_kiwi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/calm_kiwi)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2005, 9:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worthless-shithead-new-orleans-looters/319379/352 "2005-09-02T09:20:37Z")
They DID coordinate a war…they just were reallllllllly shit at the aftermath. I believed they would be able to better at home. America looks like a 3rd world country on the News right now. ---
**Author:** ![Contrapuntal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e274bd/32.png) [@Contrapuntal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Contrapuntal)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2005, 9:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worthless-shithead-new-orleans-looters/319379/353 "2005-09-02T09:24:22Z")
> [@calm kiwi](#): > > They DID coordinate a war…they just were reallllllllly shit at the aftermath. It is hard for some of us to make that distinction. It still kind of looks like a war. > [@calm kiwi](#): > > I believed they would be able to better at home. America looks like a 3rd world country on the News right now. Spot on. ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2005, 9:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worthless-shithead-new-orleans-looters/319379/354 "2005-09-02T09:44:20Z")
> [@calm kiwi](#): > > I believed they would be able to better at home. America looks like a 3rd world country on the News right now. How many 3rd world countries can vote on, and cough up 10.5 billion dollars without even blinking? If this happened in a third world country, the death toll would probably already be in the tens of thousands, with most of the survivors doomed to starvation & death by disease. Ain’t gonna happen here. ---
**Author:** ![Xploder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/a183cd/32.png) [@Xploder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xploder)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2005, 9:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worthless-shithead-new-orleans-looters/319379/355 "2005-09-02T09:50:45Z")
Somebody plesae tell me that this is a joke: [http://www.news.com.au/story/0,10117,16466908-23109,00.html](http://www.news.com.au/story/0,10117,16466908-23109,00.html) It sure looks like one. I’m all for shooting armed looters but seriously… ---
**Author:** ![Contrapuntal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e274bd/32.png) [@Contrapuntal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Contrapuntal)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2005, 9:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worthless-shithead-new-orleans-looters/319379/356 "2005-09-02T09:57:48Z")
> [@Xploder](#): > > Somebody plesae tell me that this is a joke: > > [http://www.news.com.au/story/0,10117,16466908-23109,00.html](http://www.news.com.au/story/0,10117,16466908-23109,00.html) > > It sure looks like one. I’m all for shooting armed looters but seriously… Can this part be true? _But he admitted that a number of police officers, who had lost everything in flooding after Hurricane Katrina which roared ashore last Monday, had handed in their badges, unwilling to take the fight to looters._ ---
**Author:** ![calm\_kiwi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9fc348/32.png) [@calm\_kiwi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/calm_kiwi)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2005, 10:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worthless-shithead-new-orleans-looters/319379/357 "2005-09-02T10:02:13Z")
> [@levdrakon](#): > > How many 3rd world countries can vote on, and cough up 10.5 billion dollars without even blinking? > > If this happened in a third world country, the death toll would probably already be in the tens of thousands, with most of the survivors doomed to starvation & death by disease. Ain’t gonna happen here. But that is what is so shocking! The death toll is raising, the bodies are floating, people are starving and 1000’s seem to have no way to escape and your elected official seems to be barely blinking! ---
**Author:** ![Contrapuntal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e274bd/32.png) [@Contrapuntal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Contrapuntal)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2005, 10:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worthless-shithead-new-orleans-looters/319379/358 "2005-09-02T10:05:04Z")
> [@calm kiwi](#): > > But that is what is so shocking! The death toll is raising, the bodies are floating, people are starving and 1000’s seem to have no way to escape and your elected official seems to be barely blinking! You don’t get it. We’re going to \*\*Fedex \*\* those dollars to New Orleans. And those folks can **eat 'em**. And wipe their **asses**. Yeah. That’s the ticket! ---
**Author:** ![calm\_kiwi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9fc348/32.png) [@calm\_kiwi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/calm_kiwi)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2005, 10:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worthless-shithead-new-orleans-looters/319379/359 "2005-09-02T10:26:49Z")
Bum! I thought they got to eat his “charm” for lunch…ooops still hungry. ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2005, 10:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worthless-shithead-new-orleans-looters/319379/360 "2005-09-02T10:32:57Z")
> [@calm kiwi](#): > > But that is what is so shocking! The death toll is raising, the bodies are floating, people are starving and 1000’s seem to have no way to escape and your elected official seems to be barely blinking! The death toll is rising yes, but people aren’t starving. For heaven’s sake, it takes a couple weeks at least to starve to death. Dehydration they might die from, but it would seem water is available, but the pesky looters with guns are making it difficult to distribute it, because they’ve watched Mad Max too many times. As for their not being able to escape, well what can I say? New Orleans has a unique geography. It’s a big bowl beneath sea level. People knew it was a gamble living there, and now we’re scrambling to save them.We will save the vast majority of them. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worthless-shithead-new-orleans-looters/319379.md?page=17) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worthless-shithead-new-orleans-looters/319379.md?page=19)