MUTUAL SHAME Do you feel it?
We all share a portion of national shame which comes over us when we continue to see American men, women and children looting on the scenes of tragic flood conditions along the Gulf Coast.
Thousands of lives have been lost; unequaled loss of property and unheard demands on people who have never had to face such dire conditions before. They are openly and eagerly engaged in committing a common crime and they go unapprehended and undisturbed. No one impedes their illegal actions.
The fact that those persons designated as “police” have plainly and openly failed to even try to apprehend, much less punish, looters wantonly and openly stealing thousand of dollars worth of valuable merchandise is a national disgrace. These stalwart minions of the Law have made themselves shameful misfits among us, by declaring that the prevention and control of looting was “an impossibility.” This is a sad commentary on the dregs into which our law enforcement people seem to have fallen!
It can’t be, we insist! And yet, we sit there watching on our TV screens and plainly see adult men and women, as well as children of all ages – save, perhaps, toddlers. They are, obviously, taking valuables which are not theirs to possess. They are not taking “ just essentials.” They are no emaciated, starved shells of humans; they are able-bodied people showing themselves to be quite capable of physical work when necessary.
We have “progressed” from older methods of preventing looting. The simply method used to be an under standing that police were authorized to “shoot to kill”. Such an understanding – simple and direct -discouraged looting and other such crimes promptly.
We, of course, do not use such harsh methods today. There are new tricks available. Equip our limited police personnel with small pellet guns which send a charge off brightly colored indelible ink, dye or plastic. Looters, so marked, can be picked up later by enforcement personnel. Looters can be tried by reason of the colors the wear, the site determined and materials stolen.
Let's clean up this looting scandal-in-the-making right away! I,for one, am ashamed we let it happen.
A.L.M. Sept. 1, 2005 [c374wds]
