WWL-BLOG – Col. Henry Whitehorn, chief of the Louisiana State Police, said he heard of numerous instances of New Orleans police officers – many of whom from flooded areas – turning in their badges.
“They indicated that they had lost everything and didn’t feel that it was worth them going back to take fire from looters and losing their lives,” Whitehorn said.
The interdictor interviews “Bigfoot”, a bar manager and DJ on Bourbon Street who is stranded with 10,000 others at the New Orleans Convention Center.
Hour after hour they watch buses pass by filled with people from other areas. The people are so desperate that they’re doing anything they can think of to impress the authorities enough to bring some buses. These things include standing in single file lines with the elderly in front, women and children next; sweeping up the area and cleaning the windows and anything else that would show the people are not barbarians.
The buses never stop.
Related: Delusional, Dysfunctional, Divisive, and Defiant
“You have heard that it was said, An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.” (Matthew 5:38-39) ESV 2001.
As looters break into and vandalize area Walmart stores in New Orleans, the company announced tonight that it is donating $15 million dollars to jump start a nationwide funding effort.
Following President Bush’s announcement today that former Presidents Bush and Clinton will lead a nationwide fundraising effort to help the victims of Hurricane Katrina, Wal-Mart President and CEO Lee Scott contacted President Clinton and the White House and committed $15 million from Wal-Mart to jump-start the effort. As part of this commitment, Wal-Mart will establish mini-Wal-Mart stores in areas impacted by the hurricane. Items such as clothing, diapers, baby wipes, food, formula, toothbrushes, bedding and water will be given out free of charge to those with a demonstrated need. Wal-Mart previously donated $2 million in cash to aid emergency relief efforts and has been collecting contributions at its 3,800 stores and CLUBS, and through its web sites. Through its Associate Disaster Relief Fund, the company will also give displaced associates immediate funds for shelter, food, clothing and other necessities.
A class act.
While many people demonize Wal-Mart, they have shown over and over again that they are America’s department store. I hope that this gift inspires other American corporations to donate relief funds.
An MSNBC photojournalist shot video this afternoon at the New Orleans Convention Center. The agony these people are expressing will rip your heart out. It’s terrible.
I’ve been to that convention center a couple of times on business, and I can’t believe this is the same place.
Something has to be done.
When the cops are criminals, you can flush the rule of law down the toilet.
I wrote about it, someone corroborated it, and now the video proves it.
h/t Crooks & Liars
I can’t imagine the chain of events which took place in order for this to happen.
Mississippi Man Kills Sister Over Bag Of Ice
Police in Hattiesburg, Miss., said a man fatally shot his sister in the head over a bag of ice. Authorities say 35-year-old Antonio Page shot his sister with a handgun on a street corner Tuesday night. Police Chief David Wynn said the woman’s name was not available. Wynn said tempers are short, but he can’t understand why a member of someone’s family could take that step.
Desperation? Selfishness?
Impossible to explain.
Anyone living within approximately one mile of the Mississippi coast can check on the status of their property by viewing these satellite images. They are truly amazing.
Click the little boxes on the map to pull up the high-res photos.
Nordette Adams highlights a report aired on CNN last night about a 20-year-old who allegedly stole a New Orleans Parish school Bus, told people to get on, and drove the refugees to Houston himself. You’d think it would be easy to simply join the convoy of other busses transporting thousands of people from the Superdome in New Orleans to the Astrodome in Houston, so how did anyone suspect that this bus was stolen?
Maybe it was the exit interviews with the media where refugees claimed they hadn’t been inside the Superdome? Or maybe it was the fact that this bus showed up at the Astrodome much earlier than expected?
Nordette wonders what should be done about the young man with skills and initiative.
“Should the busjacker go to jail, or should we clean him up and let him compete on next season’s Apprentice?”
Busjacker, You’re Hired!
UPDATE: The Renegade Bus
You’ve seen the pictures, you’ve watched the television reports, you’ve read the stories. Now, give. Today is the day to help those who have been displaced by Hurricane Katrina, and you can do your part by sending a donation to the American Red Cross.
Police in New Orleans have stopped their search-and-rescue mission in order to focus on looters. Not just your run-of-the-mill looters. No. They’re facing looters with guns. Not BB-guns. AK-47’s stolen from area Walmart’s and other convenient localities.
New Orleans Cops Ordered to Stop Looters – Mayor Ray Nagin ordered 1,500 police officers to leave their search-and-rescue mission Wednesday night and return to the streets to stop looting that has turned increasingly hostile as the city plunges deeper into chaos. “They are starting to get closer to heavily populated areas — hotels, hospitals, and we’re going to stop it right now,” Nagin said in a statement to The Associated Press.
Just how does one loot effectively when you’re waist deep in water? Well, pull up a chair kiddos and receive a lesson in Looting 101.
Amid the turmoil Wednesday, thieves commandeered a forklift and used it to push up the storm shutters and break the glass of a pharmacy.
Yep, a forklift. That’s using your noggin huh? The driver must have been a gifted child.
The crowd stormed the store, carrying out so much ice, water and food that it dropped from their arms as they ran. The street was littered with packages of ramen noodles and other items.
Ah, the hazards of looting without proper tote compartments. A Walgreens down the street has those rubbermaid tub thingy’s with lids. You know, to keep the water out and away from your booty of 1000 ramen noodle packages. (Never mind that there’s no electricity or natural gas to light a stove, to boil the water you need, to, uh…eat the ramen. But we’ll worry about that little detail later.)
Looters also chased down a police truck full of food.
My goodness! It is tough to run in all that debris filled, poisonous, salmonella contaminated water.
The New Orleans police chief ran off looters while city officials themselves were commandeering equipment from a looted Office Depot. During a state of emergency, authorities have broad powers to take private supplies and buildings for their use.
WHOA, Hold on…Wait just one second! The cops can loot too if they need their own ramen noodles? Just what do they say to the criminals they’re trying to stop?
“Freeze mister! Put down that package of chicken flavored ramen! Don’t you know we’re in the middle of a state of emergency? That ramen is needed for official security purposes. Lay that conveniently sealed package combining uncooked noodles with a handy foil pack of chicken bouillon powder on the floor and back away slowly! Do it now, punk!”
Well, according to our man on the street, the men and women in blue serving to protect were enjoying their looting privilege a little more than expected.
“The police are looting. This has been confirmed by several independent sources. Some of the looting might be “legitimate” in as much as that word has any meaning in this context. They have broken into ATMs and safes: confirmed. We have eyewitnesses to this. They have taken dozens of SUVs from dealerships ostensibly for official use. They have also looted gun stores and pawn shops for all the small arms, supposedly to prevent “criminals” from doing so. But who knows their true intentions. We have an inside source in the NOPD who says that command and control is in chaos. He reports that command lapses more than 24 hours between check-ins, and that most of the force are “like deer in the headlights.” NOPD already had a reputation for corruption, but I am telling you now that the people we’ve been talking to say they are not recognizing the NOPD as a legitimate authority anymore, since cops have been seen looting in Walmart’s and forcing people out of stores so they could back up SUVs and loot them.”
So there you have it kids. If you truly wish to learn the ways of the looter, do as the cops do, not as they say.
Oh, and next time…use the SUV instead of the forklift.
UPDATE: Video of police shopping for looting shoes.
Related: Delusional, Dysfunctional, Divisive, and Defiant