Looters - The Dregs of Society

I listened to the radio while going from one job to the next. I heard about the heroics going on in New Orleans with people going from house to house making sure that folks had a chance to get out via canoe, row boat and even by helicopter crews dangling from cables. Then I heard about the looting going on, those who take advantage of the misery of others.

I heard one line that bothered me the entire day, enough that when I got home I looked it up to make sure I’d heard it right. I found it in an article written by Allen Breed of the Associated Press, “Looting Begins in New Orleans.” (linked via title bar)

“To be honest with you, people who are oppressed all their lives, man, it's an opportunity to get back at society," he said. This was from a fellow named Mike Franklin who was observing the spectacle; not a part of the looting.”

I’m sure that for years these folks shopped at the local store, maybe even knew the people who worked behind the cash register. Now that the flood waters have all but destroyed the city here they are, brazenly breaking down security gates to grab some things they normally would have to pay for. I’m sure that some of these looters are taking items they would be willing to pay for, food items and such, except there’s nobody there to accept their money. Then there are the folks who are loading up on clothing, jewelry, televisions and anything else not nailed down.

Maybe these looters will enjoy the fruits of someone else’s labors for a while and then have to go steal some more. I hear that the flood waters are expected to last quite awhile, maybe even months before the damaged levees can be repaired and the water pumped out. So, mixed in with all that floating sewage are human garbage, the dregs of society.

I guess for some of the lower life forms, those who believe that wealth is obtained unfairly, that those with money are luckier or born with a silver spoon look at life and say to themselves, “it's an opportunity to get back at society”, as if the items they steal should have rightfully been theirs anyway. Life dealt me a crappy hand and so now it’s my turn to get even with all those who took advantage of things like hard work, an education, long hours away from family to make ends meet. Let’s destroy the fabric of our community, those who have invested their lives in family businesses, inventory and placed those available in the form of grocery stores, clothing, hardware and even jewelry stores. In the blink of an eye Mother Nature decided that these businesses would have major set backs. Now come the looters to finish off what Mother Nature left behind.

“One man, who had about 10 pairs of jeans draped over his left arm, was asked if he was salvaging things from his store.”

“No," the man shouted, "that's EVERYBODY'S store.”

About the only line I haven’t heard, “I’m entitled to it!”, but that’s just the way some folks feel; after all, isn’t that what the “govmint” has been teaching all these years. This is only an extention of that same thought process; at least it is according to the looters.