# 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:** 8
**Author:** ![Stephe96](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Stephe96](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stephe96)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2005, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worthless-shithead-new-orleans-looters/319379/141 "2005-08-31T20:39:05Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > **Stephe96** illustrates the blind squirrel theory. > > [The population of New Orleans](http://neworleans.areaconnect.com/statistics.htm) is over 67% black overall. In the lower-income neighborhoods, where the looting is greatest (and the flooding is deepest), it might well be even higher than that, mightn’t it? Exactly. And I don’t think it’s ‘wrong’ or ‘racist’ to observe what’s happening objectively. And as **Kyla** points out, there are plenty of rescue workers who are also black. ---
**Author:** ![Stephe96](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Stephe96](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stephe96)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2005, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worthless-shithead-new-orleans-looters/319379/142 "2005-08-31T20:40:55Z")
> [@Diogenes the Cynic](#): > > It’s even more wrong to kill people for it or to stop rescuing babies to chase the thieves. I’d like to see some of the looters put down their, uh…loot and help save babies. ---
**Author:** ![holmes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e95f7d/32.png) [@holmes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/holmes)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2005, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worthless-shithead-new-orleans-looters/319379/143 "2005-08-31T20:42:06Z")
> [@Kyla](#): > > As I understand it, most of the _people_ in New Orleans are black. So I have no doubt that most of the looters are black, too. That’s not offensive, it’s just dumb to assume otherwise. > > However, I’d also assume most of the cops and rescuers were black. And the post I quoted in my above post seemed to indicate the opposite. I don’t know, does everyone know that the majority of people in New Orleans are black? She was watching cable, don’t know which station, but that’s the impression she got. Normally you might attribute that to the distortion that most Americans have concerning race, but as a Brit, she doesn’t have the same type of baggage we have. So I tend to trust her impression on what she was seeing. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2005, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worthless-shithead-new-orleans-looters/319379/144 "2005-08-31T20:47:24Z")
I did hear a radio interview with an older woman who was looting a store in her neighborhood, literally crying all the time that she never thought she’d have to resort to stealing. But that’s the only way she could get food. I have great trouble calling her a “worthless shithead”. ---
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2005, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worthless-shithead-new-orleans-looters/319379/145 "2005-08-31T20:49:08Z")
> [@Diogenes the Cynic](#): > > I’m sure the jewelry is insured, but if it makes you happy, I’ll admit that it’s wrong to steal the jewelry. But it’s still not something anyone deserves to be killed for, and its not a problem that justifies pulling resources away from rescue efforts. Didn’t someone state earlier that insurance doesn’t cover looting? Maybe I’m an asshole, but if I owned a shop that was being looted, I’d be defending the place with lethal force. ---
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2005, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worthless-shithead-new-orleans-looters/319379/146 "2005-08-31T20:55:20Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > I did hear a radio interview with an older woman who was looting a store in her neighborhood, literally crying all the time that she never thought she’d have to resort to stealing. But that’s the only way she could get food. I have great trouble calling her a “worthless shithead”. Man this is pissing me off, so I’m going to cap and bold it… \*\*THERE IS NO PROBLEM WITH PEOPLE STEALING FOOD FOR SURVIVAL PURPOSES!!11ELEVEN! FOOD - OKAY NOT FOOD - NOT OKAY \*\* Sheesh, stop mentioning it. [sub]This isn’t aimed at you **Elvis** , just sick of it being constantly mentioned when it’s a non-issue.[/sub] ---
**Author:** ![Tiggrkitty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tiggrkitty/32/17966_2.png) [@Tiggrkitty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tiggrkitty)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2005, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worthless-shithead-new-orleans-looters/319379/147 "2005-08-31T20:57:02Z")
For whatever this is worth, the city of NO will not be “livable” for months. Those that stayed and are looting will have to abandon what they stole. There is no fresh water to drink, and the food will dry up. The flood waters are already becoming toxic with waste, chemicals and in a week, the mosquitos will take over and start feeding and spreading disease. If they aren’t smart enough to abandon the city right now, chances are they won’t survive two weeks in the hell hole that NO will become. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2005, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worthless-shithead-new-orleans-looters/319379/148 "2005-08-31T21:02:03Z")
> [@hillbilly queen](#): > > Huh? yourself. I was refering to the reason why they probably stayed. I don’t approve of the looting of other merchandise, but it’s not hurting anyone. It’s just something that happens when there’s a disaster. The store owners are covered by insurance, and since their buildings are sitting in 10’ of water for who knows how long, they’ll have less to clean up. _Boggle_ Those store-owners will claim on their insurance, which will result in those underwriting the risk losing more money which will result in higher premiums for **you** as those underwriters seek to recoup their losses. ---
**Author:** ![Merijeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f05b48/32.png) [@Merijeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merijeek)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2005, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worthless-shithead-new-orleans-looters/319379/149 "2005-08-31T21:06:40Z")
> [@Quartz](#): > > _Boggle_ > > Those store-owners will claim on their insurance, which will result in those underwriting the risk losing more money which will result in higher premiums for **you** as those underwriters seek to recoup their losses. As a cynic I can’t help but note that premiums keep going up anyways. I also can’t help but notice that Microsoft software keeps going up even though the purpose of “activation” and now “validation” were to ostensibly save me money. The free market is supposed to decide almost everything…but we’re all supposed to pitch in so that the multinational insurance companies come through okay. -Joe ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2005, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worthless-shithead-new-orleans-looters/319379/150 "2005-08-31T21:07:25Z")
> [@Kyla](#): > > So I have no doubt that most of the looters are black, too. > > … > > However, I’d also assume most of the cops and rescuers were black. And sometimes those two groups are indistiguishable. [In this MSNBC video](http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9120777/)) (click on “After the deluge, the looters”), two black policewomen were filmed looting the local Walmart. ---
**Author:** ![joyfool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/df788c/32.png) [@joyfool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joyfool)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2005, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worthless-shithead-new-orleans-looters/319379/151 "2005-08-31T21:15:53Z")
> [@Lissa](#): > > Noble and truly wonderful. I admire you and in many ways agree. I like to envision myself helping others in a tragedy as well, I know I would. One thing, do you think people have the RIGHT to take your stuff or should you be able to give it to them? Just becasue I would give a beggar $5. dollars does not mean the have thr RIGHT to forcefully take it from me… true? I apologize. I didn’t mean to imply that anyone had the _right_ to forcefully take anything from someone who hadn’t given the express permission. I mean, even from me, I’m not sure how I’d bestow them the rights to do so from my own house. All I was saying is that, in the case of things that don’t matter anymore, I’m woefully lacking in understanding why people would care so much. I get it if it’s the pictures of Grandmother’s wedding, even if they’re ruined. But the stereo leaves me at a loss. They are the ones taking absurd and dubious risks to get said items and like in the cases of food being thrown out at the end of the day in a restaurant, I just think those that are most needy could use whatever is being discarded. Because they’re already in a shitty enough position to need all that to begin with. I hope that makes my position more clear. Sorry for any confusion. ---
**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:** [August 31, 2005, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worthless-shithead-new-orleans-looters/319379/152 "2005-08-31T21:40:00Z")
I hope the “ladies” weren’t real cops. Meter maids, security guards, anything other than NO’s finest. If they are cops, well, damn. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2005, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worthless-shithead-new-orleans-looters/319379/153 "2005-08-31T21:49:05Z")
And did I mention that stealing is wrong? ---
**Author:** ![Askia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/96bed5/32.png) [@Askia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askia)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2005, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worthless-shithead-new-orleans-looters/319379/154 "2005-08-31T22:05:13Z")
I’ve just been watching the news – I’m hearing things like: “Power won’t be restored for two or three months.” “This is the largest mobilized disaster relief effort the U.S. has ever faced.” “The death toll is expected to reach thousands and may not be known for weeks.” I still can’t believe the OP was decrying looting and demonizing the looters in the face of such overwhelming loss. And me: so what if the ladies were cops? We’re talking two out of thousands on the force. Big whup. ---
**Author:** ![Stephe96](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Stephe96](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stephe96)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2005, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worthless-shithead-new-orleans-looters/319379/155 "2005-08-31T22:08:19Z")
> [@Askia](#): > > I’ve just been watching the news – I’m hearing things like: “Power won’t be restored for two or three months.” “This is the largest mobilized disaster relief effort the U.S. has ever faced.” “The death toll is expected to reach thousands and may not be known for weeks.” > > I still can’t believe the OP was decrying looting and demonizing the looters in the face of such overwhelming loss. > > And me: so what if the ladies were cops? We’re talking two out of thousands on the force. Big whup. So if you boarded up your house in New Orleans and evacuated your family, you’d have no problem with anyone simply breaking into your home and helping themsleves to whatever they wanted? Wouldn’t bother you a bit? ---
**Author:** ![Stephe96](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Stephe96](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stephe96)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2005, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worthless-shithead-new-orleans-looters/319379/156 "2005-08-31T22:11:33Z")
Oh, and may I point something out here? These looting thugs are _not_ stealing that which “is destroyed anyway.” They are taking stuff that is valuable. Otherwise, they wouldn’t be stealing it, right? ---
**Author:** ![Askia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/96bed5/32.png) [@Askia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askia)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2005, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worthless-shithead-new-orleans-looters/319379/157 "2005-08-31T22:20:36Z")
> [@Stephe96](#): > > So if you boarded up your house in New Orleans and evacuated your family, you’d have no problem with anyone simply breaking into your home and helping themsleves to whatever they wanted? Wouldn’t bother you a bit? I wouldn’t be unduly troubled, no. If the situation were dire enough, chances are I’d have done this to more than one house as soon as I sized up the situation and could secure transportation and gas. I can live with the immorality of finding food, medicine and clothes in private abandoned homes to take care of me and my family. **Stephe96.** Clearly you’re not seeing what I am on the news, or you wouldn’t be saying such silly shit. ---
**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:** [August 31, 2005, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worthless-shithead-new-orleans-looters/319379/158 "2005-08-31T22:25:13Z")
Askia, I see your point, but I can’t help but feel that the looters are doing exactly the wrong thing. In the face of overwhelming loss, in the face of disaster, what’s needed is more order, more cooperation, more concern for one’s fellow man. I see the looters as doing the exact opposite. Maybe we’re not getting the whole story. As I said, I acknowledge media bias. Consider this, though. What if the black folks looting the hospitals, or attempting to loot the hospitals before they were stopped, caused a lot of black folks to die unneccessarily? Am I allowed to be outraged then? Or do I just say that folks can’t help themselves? If the hospitals can’t provide the neccessary treatment because all the supplies have been looted, who is to blame? What if the powers that be say, “We’re not sending you anymore aid because we can’t trust anybody, not even the cops, not to steal it.” ? Am I exaggerating? Am I identifying with the oppressor? I hope not, but then I really don’t know what to think. ---
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2005, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worthless-shithead-new-orleans-looters/319379/159 "2005-08-31T22:31:41Z")
> [@Askia](#): > > I wouldn’t be unduly troubled, no. > > If the situation were dire enough, chances are I’d have done this to more than one house as soon as I sized up the situation and could secure transportation and gas. > > I can live with the immorality of finding food, medicine and clothes in private abandoned homes to take care of me and my family. See post #146 please ---
**Author:** ![Jurhael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/cab0a1/32.png) [@Jurhael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jurhael)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2005, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worthless-shithead-new-orleans-looters/319379/160 "2005-08-31T22:37:49Z")
Am I the only one who sees a difference between looting a store and looting a home? One of my biggest fears in the aftermath of Ivan was looters and it’s generally well-known that I don’t care for them, but believe me, I wouldn’t have been as concerned for stores as I would have been for homes. However, if I were not in the home, then there’s probably no way of knowing if loss of stuff was due to the storm or looters. I guess I’m just more concerned with myself rather than my stuff. That being said, I saw on TV cops keep order by helping people just go ahead and take essentials from stores. One of the cops made it clear that, “You do what you have to do to survive.” I seriously doubt these cops are letting people in other people’s homes. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worthless-shithead-new-orleans-looters/319379.md?page=7) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worthless-shithead-new-orleans-looters/319379.md?page=9)