# WTF? The Astrodome is FULL? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [September 2, 2005, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-the-astrodome-is-full/319699 "2005-09-02T03:54:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**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, 5:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-the-astrodome-is-full/319699/21 "2005-09-02T05:37:09Z")
> [@Contrapuntal](#): > > That refers to the general conditions. Not everything that is horrible is a riot. > Some people are behaving very badly. It is not clear what threat April is fending off. Apparently none of the shots fired struck anyone, if indeed shots were fired. For you to take these examples and suggest that they are in any way representative of the general crowd is offensive, frankly. > > \*ri·ot (rt) > n. > > 1. A wild or turbulent disturbance created by a large number of people. \* > From your cite– > > What part of this sounds like a riot to you, you fucking idiot? When a statistically insignificant number of people under extreme duress behave in a despicable way, you do not have a riot. You do not have a dangerous crowd. What you have is some people acting like giant fucking assholes. You know, like that thing you see in your mirror every day, assuming you are drunk enough when you get up to stomach the sight. > > The only point you have made is that whatever compassion you may have possessed at one time in your life was squeezed out long ago by the largest case of pea-brained dumbass on record. Guess what? You’re not in there. April is. Forgive me if I trust her description over yours, OK? By the way, do you often find yourself “fighting for your life” in peaceful situations? It’s fine by me if you want to defend child rapists…feel free. I think I’ll side with those look down on that sort of behavior, thank you very much. And you know what else? If I owned the Astrodome, I think I’d put out the ‘No Vacancy’ sign after reading about what a great crowd this mob is. ---
**Author:** ![rjung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2005, 5:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-the-astrodome-is-full/319699/22 "2005-09-02T05:38:09Z")
Give **Stephe96** some slack; he’s merely demonstrating “compassionate conservatism” in action. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2005, 5:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-the-astrodome-is-full/319699/23 "2005-09-02T05:38:26Z")
This is degenerating into semantics… ---
**Author:** ![Eleusis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Eleusis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eleusis)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2005, 5:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-the-astrodome-is-full/319699/24 "2005-09-02T05:39:19Z")
[6 Murders, 12 Rapes Inside Superdome](http://www.newsmax.com/archives/ic/2005/9/1/230732.shtml) ---
**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, 5:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-the-astrodome-is-full/319699/25 "2005-09-02T05:40:00Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > This is degenerating into semantics… Or even…a _riot_ ?! ---
**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, 5:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-the-astrodome-is-full/319699/26 "2005-09-02T05:41:06Z")
> [@Eleusis](#): > > [6 Murders, 12 Rapes Inside Superdome](http://www.newsmax.com/archives/ic/2005/9/1/230732.shtml) Aw, they sound like such a sweet group of people! What was I thinking? Heck, they can stay at \*my \* place! ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2005, 5:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-the-astrodome-is-full/319699/27 "2005-09-02T05:41:13Z")
> [@Stephe96](#): > > Or even…a _riot_ ?! It’s more of a donnybrook. > [@Eleusis](#): > > [6 Murders, 12 Rapes Inside Superdome](http://www.newsmax.com/archives/ic/2005/9/1/230732.shtml) So my vote is that it’s not a riot, but that it’s dangerous, violent and that (at least)some people feel there is the threat that this could soon become a riot. ---
**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, 5:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-the-astrodome-is-full/319699/28 "2005-09-02T05:43:36Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > It’s more of a donnybrook. > > So my vote is that it’s not a riot, but that it’s dangerous, violent and that (at least)some people feel there is the threat that this could soon become a riot. Man, if 6 murders and twelve rapes doesn’t constitute a ‘riot,’ then what in the world does? ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2005, 5:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-the-astrodome-is-full/319699/29 "2005-09-02T05:45:09Z")
> [@Stephe96](#): > > I guess I’d say that a riot is a horrible thing. And guess what? From the cite you demanded: _By Wednesday, it had degenerated into horror._ Oops! Here’s more: _“People started shooting last night,” said Stacey Bodden, 11._ You’re not in the Superdome, are you? Wanna know who is? April Thomas, 42. Here’s her quote from the article: _“You have to fend people off constantly,” she said. “You have to fight for your life. I wake up in the morning and the first thing I say is: Where are my babies? Is everyone here?”_ What part of this makes you think it’s _not_ a riot? And why the _hell_ would the Astrodome folks want to welcome this crowd into their building? > > Shall I go on? Or have I made my point, you fucking idiot? You believe that aid should be withheld from fellow Americans due to a very small percentage of criminals who will surely be arrested on return to civilization? You are scum. You are despicable. You are not even human. You snot. You slime. You horrid, hateful, hideous excuse for a thinking being. Follow your putrescent trail back into the ooze that spawned you. ---
**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, 5:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-the-astrodome-is-full/319699/30 "2005-09-02T05:45:33Z")
Jesus Christ, ‘Altamont’ has become a synonym for ‘riot,’ and only _one guy_ got killed there! ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2005, 5:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-the-astrodome-is-full/319699/31 "2005-09-02T05:46:46Z")
> [@Stephe96](#): > > Man, if 6 murders and twelve rapes doesn’t constitute a ‘riot,’ then what in the world does? A riot is an continuous outpouring of violence, not a number of incidents. If people get stuck their longer without the things they need, you’ll see an actual riot. ---
**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, 5:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-the-astrodome-is-full/319699/32 "2005-09-02T05:48:38Z")
> [@This Year's Model](#): > > You believe that aid should be withheld from fellow Americans due to a very small percentage of criminals who will surely be arrested on return to civilization? You are scum. You are despicable. You are not even human. You snot. You slime. You horrid, hateful, hideous excuse for a thinking being. Follow your putrescent trail back into the ooze that spawned you. I believe that nobody should be forced to take in a murdering, raping crowd under _any_ circumstances! Where will they go after the Astrodome is destroyed? Fenway Park? Why don’t _you_ put some of these ‘nice folks’ up in _your_ place? Put your money where your mouth is, jackass. What’s that old saying? “If you want to be loved, act lovable.” ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2005, 5:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-the-astrodome-is-full/319699/33 "2005-09-02T05:49:10Z")
> [@Stephe96](#): > > I believe that nobody should be forced to take in a murdering, raping crowd under _any_ circumstances! Where will they go after the Astrodome is destroyed? Fenway Park? Why don’t _you_ put some of these ‘nice folks’ up in _your_ place? Put your money where your mouth is, jackass. > > What’s that old saying? “If you want to be loved, act lovable.” You are scum. You are despicable. You are not even human. You snot. You slime. You horrid, hateful, hideous excuse for a thinking being. Follow your putrescent trail back into the ooze that spawned you. ---
**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, 5:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-the-astrodome-is-full/319699/34 "2005-09-02T05:49:39Z")
My God, at what point does smearing feces on the walls seem like a sensible thing to do? ---
**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, 5:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-the-astrodome-is-full/319699/35 "2005-09-02T05:52:53Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > A riot is an continuous outpouring of violence, not a number of incidents. If people get stuck their longer without the things they need, you’ll see an actual riot. I guess it was an ‘orderly’ 12 rapes and six murders, huh? ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2005, 5:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-the-astrodome-is-full/319699/36 "2005-09-02T05:53:42Z")
> [@Stephe96](#): > > My God, at what point does smearing feces on the walls seem like a sensible thing to do? After you’ve taken a shit and have nothing to wipe yourself with but your clothes or your hand. I’d use my hand - at least I can wipe it off on on the wall. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2005, 5:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-the-astrodome-is-full/319699/37 "2005-09-02T05:55:02Z")
> [@Stephe96](#): > > I guess it was an ‘orderly’ 12 rapes and six murders, huh? Don’t sprain your nitpicking muscles. I didn’t say the rapes and murders were orderly. I said a series of incidents, awful as they are, within a large population don’t constitute a riot. If 20,000 people were rioting, you’d see worse than six murders and 12 rapes. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2005, 5:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-the-astrodome-is-full/319699/38 "2005-09-02T05:55:39Z")
> [@Stephe96](#): > > My God, at what point does smearing feces on the walls seem like a sensible thing to do? Were they deliberately smeared, or was it an artifact of the situation in which over 10,000 people were stuck in a building without working toilets for several days? It’s not like the people in the Superdome were enjoying creature comforts to rival their own homes or anything. Electricity went out early Monday morning. No air conditioning. The water cut out when the mains in the city broke due to the storm. No water. Oddly, human physiology doesn’t simply shut down production of wastes when there is no sanitary disposal method. Funny, that, no? So I’d think that some feces on the walls was probably the least of the problems they had, and one that isn’t completely incomprehensible as to reasons. While I agree with you that many of the residents of New Orleans who are trapped in the city aren’t the most shining examples of enlightened 21st century humanity, condemning people for getting shit on the walls of a building with no working bathrooms and 10,000 inhabitants is kind of kneejerk… ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2005, 5:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-the-astrodome-is-full/319699/39 "2005-09-02T05:55:52Z")
> [@Stephe96](#): > > I guess it was an ‘orderly’ 12 rapes and six murders, huh? 12 rapists and six murderers seems to you to be good reason to bar 24,982 innocent victims of the hurricane from shelter? ---
**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, 5:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-the-astrodome-is-full/319699/40 "2005-09-02T05:57:09Z")
> [@Stephe96](#): > > Guess what? You’re not in there. April is. Forgive me if I trust her description over yours, OK? By the way, do you often find yourself “fighting for your life” in peaceful situations? She described what happened to her. She did not describe a riot. It is your claim that the crowd inside the Superdome was rioting that is being challenged here. > [@](#): > > It’s fine by me if you want to defend child rapists…feel free. You are descending into incoherence here. Substantiate that charge or retract it. > [@Steph96](#): > > If I owned the Astrodome, I think I’d put out the ‘No Vacancy’ sign after reading about what a great crowd this mob is. Face it. You really have jack shit here. You have made three claims; that the crowd is rioting, that the crowd is dangerous, and that the refugees were turned away because of the preceding two. What you shown is that there are an unspecified, very small number of individuals are behaving in such a way under extreme duress as to create danger for others. You have shown absolutely about the crowd **as a whole**. And you have less than nothing to show that whatever behavior occours under the horrific conditions inside the Superdome would continue elsewhere, under humane conditions, which was your main point. > [@Marley](#): > > This is degenerating into semantics… Actually it isn’t. Go back and look at Steph’s original asseertion, which was that the crowd iside the Superdome was rioting and dangerous and as a result refugees were turned away from the Astrodome. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-the-astrodome-is-full/319699.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-the-astrodome-is-full/319699.md?page=3)