If I owned a grocer in NO, I'd invite everyone to clean it out.

[Just Me]

Under the circumstances, what would you do?

[noahmijo]

1. considering it will be eventually cleaned out by the flood

I would do the same.

[onager]

3. That happened here during the '94 earthquake.

(In Los Angeles.) I live out in the (San Fernando) valley, just a couple of miles from the epicenter of that 1994 earthquake.

There are a couple of little delis/convenience stores near me. The owners were giving away food, especially perishables like the meat and cheese. Hell, they were ASKING passers-by if they wanted a sandwich.

[Rabrrrrrr]

2. Might just as well. It's all fucked anyway.

Even all the shelving and fridges and coolers and freezers and flooring and ceiling and walls and registers and cabinets and stuff will likely have to replaced anyway, if not just raze the entire building. Might as well let the people have whatever they want. As the owner, you're never gonna see any of it again anyway.

[blondeatlast]

4. That might negate any claim on the insurance, but aside from that

technicality, I'd do precisely the same.

There must be a way to say that and still protect one's insurance claim.

God help them all.

[Just Me]

12. Isn't that ridiculous, though: insurance Cos DICTATING a moral decision?

You either choose to help the needy under circumstances beyond everyone's control (waste by "mother nature" or consumption by humanity) or you get fucked by a company you PAID to ensure your loss.

[blondeatlast]

17. True, but what's finance got to do with morals?

Sorry--just feeling particularly snarky in my utter depression over this situation. Humanity at its absolute best and absolute worst; and our "Great Leader" directs the AF1 pilot to go to 25000 feet to survey the damage.

Gee thanks, Mr. President. Thanks for your leadership.

:hi:

[Just Me]

21. Hey, you "snarky" lady,...if financial decisions have no moral basis,...

,...why should our people, our society, our country, our world be subjected to all the laws which regulate our moral behavior?

The laws we have built are based upon common civil and human "morals",...principles orienting upon basic dignity and respect for human life.

Do you believe the fiction of "finance" should be regulated outside the legal and moral principles of humanity?

:shrug:

[blondeatlast]

26. I was being sarcastic. I guess I should have tagged it.

So sorry.

[Just Me]

27. No. I am sorry.

:hug:

[SofaKingLiberal]

5. NO!

I would stand outside with a shotgun and kill anyone who tried to get fresh water, medical supplies or diapers for their baby. They can die for all I care, I would rather let the stock rot than give it away. :sarcasm:

Sorry, that was my attempt at being a freeper. It's hard to believe people actually think like that. I feel so dirty now. I'm gonna go take a shower.

[ReadTomPaine]

8. Not just freepers think that way, sadly. n/t

[SofaKingLiberal]

9. I think some people are freepers but they

just don't realize it.

[CountAllVotes]

6. where I once lived

we were prone to power outages - some very severe resulting in weeks without power at times.

The local store would open it up after it was obvious the power would be out for quite some time. They'd give away free ice cream, frozen foods, etc. to the people in town.

I thought this was a good thing to do and I'd do it myself if I was in such a situation. Wny not? It helps everyone! :shrug:

:kick:

[Just Me]

18. Surely, we haven't become THAT selfish,...

,...that we would choose to SPOIL produce rather than GIVE?

Have we become THAT selfish? Sheesh. Surely, not.

[jaysunb]

7. A couple of them already did.

I saw a short clip of a store owner inviting people to help themselves.
I thought that was the exact right thing to do.

[TerdlowSmedley]

10. Well, it's probably too late now, as most of the food is probably

underwater at this time, but yeah, that would be a good thing to do. I'm tired of seeing "looters" on every news program. Don't these smug bastards understand that this is an apocolyptically tragic and desperate situation that people find themselves in? While some of these sancitimonious newscasters (CNN's Chris Whatsisface comes to mind) allow that "some" are only "looting" water and food and necessities, they make sure that we all know others are taking things they don't need. Now, how the hell do these assholes know what these desperate people need? Something for barter maybe? Who knows? Not me.

[Just Me]

16. They haven't a clue,...they don't want to have a clue.

They do not identify with such desperation,...they don't want to identify with such desperation.

It's HARD WORK to walk in another's shoes,...even for a short while. It's too much HARD WORK,...for those who are repulsed by discomfort.

[fishnfla]

19. Stores in areas that are not flooded are being looted

People on the West bank are finding their businesses that have dodged the hurricane are now being looted.

It aint all underwater

[jmm]

11. After Gloria a store near me did that

The power was out for three days in my neighborhood but one store one my street had a generator. The owner would sit in there all day and instisted people take some free food.

[fishnfla]

13. No east or No west? It REALLY depends

I am desperatly trying to find out the status of my brothers business on the westbank in Gretna, he just opened a retail store. I have just got done surfing discussion forums, reports from police and fireman in the area

On the Westbank of NO there has not been alot of flooding. There was some wind damage and minor flooding and isolated tornadoes but not cataostrophic hurricane damage, like the east bank.

The stores and shops are getting hit hard now by looters. So in other words, what mother nature did not take, the criminals are now destroying. It is the major problem now.

They are not just taking food, its all fair game

I think its complete bullshit

[Stephanie]

14. It's a total loss anyway

But regardless, yes, obviously, the only humane thing to do is open the doors and invite people to take what they need.

[Just Me]

24. I guess that, I just wonder, sometimes,...

,...where are our priorities.

Have we lost our sense of the basics? :shrug:

[Yupster]

15. I would put a sign up sheet on the wall

and say take what you need, write down what you took and we'll settle up when things are back to normal.

I would not do that if I had a jewelry store. In that case I would have a video camera running and after the disaster, I would harrass the police until they prosecuted every greedy selfish thug who took advantage of the disaster to steal my wares.

[donheld]

20. Yes i'd tell them to take it

It would go to waste otherwise, i say take it.

[Just Me]

25. Why are people being so damn selfish under these circumstances?

:shrug:

I hear "screams" about folks carrying off non-essential items. If life were economically just and free and wonderful, why would there be folks who are in torn and tattered shirts carrying off something more than subsistence.

So much denial.

[The_Casual_Observer]

22. That happens all the time.

[VADem11]

23. Some are giving it away

God bless those people. I also saw some police officers breaking into stores and giving it away in an orderly fashion. That is what they need to do.