'It's Like a War Zone Here.'

[beetbox]

'It's like a war zone here. There was shooting and looting'

As toxic waters rise, the desperation and fear grow

Julian Borger in New Orleans
Thursday September 1, 2005
The Guardian


Chaos spread across New Orleans along with the brown, toxic floodwater in the early hours of yesterday morning, and the thousands of stragglers still trapped awoke to find themselves in a city with few laws, little mercy, and no clear way out.

The police seemed to have all but evaporated in the course of a night of looting and gunfire, in which at least one police officer was badly injured. A few camouflaged national guard trucks could be seen moving through the downtown area in convoy, but there were no guardsmen on the streets to deal with the wreckage of the city.

<>

Nine out of 10 of these remnants were black. All were destitute, dressed in rags, and carrying what was left of their possessions in plastic bags. They had survived the hurricane and the floods and a terrifying night, and now they were wandering the streets, looking for a way out.

<>

"It was like a war zone here. There was shooting and looting, and I saw people beating women; it's fucking ugly," said a man with bare, tattooed arms, carrying an empty water canister. He identified himself only as Jason, pointing out he had been in trouble with the law himself. "I'm just trying to get to a bus stop so I can get out of here. Which way are you going?" he wanted to know.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/usa/story/0,12271,1560376,00.html

[rocktivity]

1. The "stragglers" aren't trapped. They're DOOMED.

Elisha James...her boyfriend and his seven-year-old daughter...had been trying to get to the Superdome since 5am, but were turned back by police manning checkpoints, who told them it was too dangerous.

"The police said you were on your own," Ms James said. "If you're not in the Superdome, you're on your own."

You're on your own, you're out of food, but you're not allowed to loot? Okayyyyy....

:crazy:
rocknation

[Eloriel]

2. Kick

:kick:

[SammyWinstonJack]

3. Great leadership, george, you scumbag!

[KittyWampus]

4. they're not looters. they're disadvantaged youths.

vandalism and escalating violence is just a dented hubcap.