Hurricane's Trail Of Anarchy

I owe an apology to Denise Bollinger, the tourist from Philadelphia who called New Orleans un-sophisticated. In retrospect, she was being kind.

The behavior of the thugs in New Orleans is inexcusable. I don't want to hear any excuses about slow government response, generations of poverty, hopeless economic situations, Bush did this, Reagan did that, blah, blah, blah. My beef here is with the individuals involved - the shiftless deadbeats who see only an opportunity to exploit a disaster - and I hold them personally responsible for their inhumanity. You don't need a job, money, or material possessions to know right from wrong. Economic class is no excuse to not act like a civilized human being. Shoot to kill is really too good for them.

The Courier-Mail in Australia speaks glowingly of the civilized manner in which the 'urban citizenry' of New Orleans have treated the tourists trapped among them. Without the 'urban residents' courage and devotion to law and order, this tragedy could have gotten out of hand or brought shame on the city of New Orleans.

THOUSANDS of US National Guardsmen were heading for New Orleans last night with orders to shoot to kill as armed African-American gangs terrorised the city devastated by Hurricane Katrina.

The gangs, some armed with AK-47 automatic rifles, had the run of most of the city, raping and looting with impunity and shooting at police, rescue workers and the National Guard.

[...]

Shots were fired at a Chinook helicopter taking part in rescue operations, and a US National Guardsman was shot outside the Superdome.

Rescuers in flat-bottomed boats are refusing to enter parts of the city for fear of being fired on by gangs, leaving to fend for themselves possibly thousands of people who may have survived the hurricane and the flooding that followed.

[...]

Police chief Eddie Compass told tourists to stay clear of the convention centre, after 88 police were forced to retreat in the face of an angry mob when they went to investigate reports of widespread rape.

"We have individuals who are getting raped, we have individuals who are getting beaten," Mr Compass said. "Tourists are walking in that direction and they are getting preyed upon."

[...]

Canadian tourist Larry Mitzel summed up the feelings of visitors, among them 50 Australians, when he said: "I'm not sure I'm going to get out of here alive. I'm scared of riots. I'm scared of the locals. We might get caught in the crossfire."

Police escorted a group of white tourists, including Australian Anthony Hopes, 30, away from the Superdome after they were subjected to race threats. The tourists are now under armed guard in the foyer of the Hilton hotel.

[...]

But Louisiana Governor Louise Blanco said 40,000 troops were needed immediately. She warned that 300 National Guardsmen freshly landed in New Orleans from Iraq would shoot to kill."These troops know how to shoot and kill, and they are more than willing to do so," she said. "And I expect they will."

I'm so very proud of our fine, upstanding 'urban youth'. Their conduct has brought such a positive light to our fair nation. The tourists trapped in the city have certainly noticed how hospitable the "locals" have been. We should thank our 'urban citizens' from the bottom of our hearts for handling this tragedy in a calm and humanitarian way, always mindful of their fellow man.

Ireland On-line has noticed as well.

There have been reports of rapes, beatings and car-jackings. Evacuation attempts were disrupted by gunfire and armed looters are loose on the streets.

Jim Lally, whose son Conor was caught up in the chaotic attempts to evacuate New Orleans, said he had been holed up with thousands of others in horrendous conditions in the city's Superdome theatre.

"There have seen sights which were indescribable to be honest," Mr Lally said.

He added: "There have been rapes, there has been gang warfare in the Superdome because they have all the different street gangs in there."

"It is full of people off the street, people of the night, homeless people and alcoholics so on like that, drug addicts who are not getting their drugs and they are not getting their alcohol. You can only just think of what they could be getting up to you know."