August 31, 2005
Looting in Seattle
The horror stories of looting in New Orleans make one wonder if this could happen in one's own community in the event of a terrible natural disaster. This story, from my neighborhood watch captain here in Seattle's Wallingford/Green Lake area is only a hint of what could happen:
Our neighbor R. at xxxx Kenwood Pl N had her purse stolen right off of the front table as the family was in the back yard having a picnic. The brazen young man even said hi to her son as he walked in the door. The man was around 20, dark hair and side burns riding a bicycle. So we think he has been casing the neighborhood. Another reason for keeping our front door closed if we are in the back yard.
Creepy.
Posted by Stefan Sharkansky at August 31, 2005
10:38 AM | Email This
1. That's what he is...a creep. Oh, but he must have "needed" it...just like those looters in New Orleans who are taking 16 pairs of jeans, etc. out of the stores.
2. There has been a rash of car break-ins in Lacey/Olympia/Tumwater lately.
There has also been a rash of shootings directed at people breaking into cars in the same area.
Police Spokesman comment to would-be thieves: "Read the paper, it's not such a good idea."
3. I don't remember any looting in the aftermath of the Kobe, Japan earthquake. I do know that my relatives in Japan see the New Orleans' looting and think we are an uncivilized society of goons.
4. Looting in New Orleans is not surprising.
I could see looting in Seattle if there were a natural disaster. Heck, I could also see looting here in Colfax.
There are uncivilized goons everywhere.
5. Theft is theft is theft. The context only colors the crime, not changing it's basic character. Or lack of it.
A good friend was working on a house in Seattle (while I was working on something else there inside.) He was using a chop saw to cut pieces of trim for a doorway. Made a cut, walked 10 feet to check fit. Went back to the porch to make a small cut...and the saw was gone.
Theft simply happens. The answer is in aggressive prosecution and incarceration. If you can find them.
Crime across the board goes down when you do. It goes up when you don't.
Funny. We keep saying the same thing about terrorism...
6. I agree that there are uncivilized goons everywhere, cc, but the large cities seem to breed that type. Every large American city I've traveled to seems to be overrun with crime, corruption, welfare fraud and social unrest. Those same cities seem to have another common denominator; left-wing socialist governments creating and feeding these behaviors. Social elitists peer down from their ivory government towers and wring their hands at the poverty in the surrounding streets, oblivious to the fact that their policies breed and feed the behaviors that lead to crime and indigence. Single-parent welfare-dependent families, drug-dealing thieves, worthless schools and crumbling inner-city infrastructure are all products of leftist politics. And the very people who could benefit most from conservative ideals and politics continue to feed from the crumbs thrown to them by the social engineers they elect. Lord help Seattle and Tacoma when the big earthquake hits. They will look just like New Orleans without the water.
7. Looters have a special place in my heart. As in the 60's riots with (Chicago) Mayor Daley's orders to 'shoot to kill.' Today, that's gone. Lawyers and interest groups have de-nightsticked the police and public.
Win a sports pennant? Loot. Angry at a jury? Loot. Civility is gone. When they come running down YOUR street, I wonder how many liberals will change their tune about the 2nd Amendment.
Remember Seattle's WTO? Remember the trash cans in the coffee shop windows? Remember Watts? SDS anti-war riots? Did they tell you the rioters shot oven cleaner at the police in the 60's in Chicago? We saw it. The media ignored it.
Actually--our enemies are ourselves--given a chance, the public will resort to animal instincts. Until we get cohesive as an AMERICAN society, (not a conclave of multicultural ethnic groups) we are doomed. I'm an optimist generally, but one who has seen history & human nature. Love everyone but keep YOUR family safe and YOUR powder dry.
8. A crime...awful.
Geez...get a grip. Crimes are everywhere.
What a blog.
9. ok Amy TOnga--let's just give up & roll over & be passive; 'Dismissers' like you get REAL mad when THEY are victims and DEMAND law & order--i know--i've had the pleasure a few times of being on the victim end; it ain't pretty; get a grip yourself--step out of that La La insulated bubble;
10. Amy,
And yet you are STILL here. What a dope.
11. A news report covered the looting of a Walmart something like this: A lady walked up and asked, "Is it free?" to which someone said, "Yes". To which she replied, "TV. TV. TV." as a man filled his van with computers and electronics equipment.
We can only wonder how many floating bodies these lemmings pushed aside to get in the looting line. Another fine moment in American mediocrity.
12. A news report covered the looting of a Walmart something like this: A lady walked up and asked, "Is it free?" to which someone said, "Yes". To which she replied, "TV. TV. TV." as a man filled his van with computers and electronics equipment.
We can only wonder how many floating bodies these lemmings pushed aside to get in the looting line. Another fine moment in American mediocrity.
13. There was looting in Seattle after the Rodney King verdict, the fake Mardi Gras and during the WTO ministerial meetings.
14. Methinks if a business owner put some hot lead in a looter, the likes of Ms Tonga would be whistling quite another tune.
In fact we'd need an industrial winch to unpry her clenched fists from the outrage.
15. Declaring Martial Law and then doing nothing about the looters is ridiculous.....Looters should be shot by the Police and Military.
16. Democrat "progressives" at play. Simply kill them.
17. Was that Maxine Waters and Jesse Jackson walking off with the 42 inch Sony plasma TV? If you even think about stopping the looters you must be racist!!! [hehe]
18. Saltherring,
I agree with you. I would not want to be anywhere near Seattle or Tacoma if a natural disaster strikes. This "gimme" attitude does seem more prevalent in left-leaning areas.
The last "riot" we had here in Whitman County was at WSU and I'm not real proud of the way our deputies handled that one. They did learn from it though and I doubt they would do the same thing again.
19. There is certainly a sense of malaise and angst as one watches all of this. It seems the very nature of an "american" has devolved into an alien none of us care to believe has landed let alone assimilated. Of course in extreme circumstances, of which I cannot from my comfortable chair fathom, people will do desperate things. But it is only in unity and community that people can succeed and overcome tragedy. We instinctely move to help our neighbors. Yet, today, we watch as neighbors eat each other while cat calls from the peanut gallery continue to preach division and hatred as a response. Gawd, the beast the liberal mentality has born is now our soul and amputation is impossible and cure is impossible. For the first time in my life I am truly scared for the future of this country, in a real and unable to reconcile sort of way.