08/31/2005
ACLU goes before Maryland court on behalf of nine same-sex couples that want marriage rights recognized.
Ruby slippers targeted in Grand Rapids Judy Garland Museum break-in. Apparently, someone really needed to get back to Kansas.
Anti-gay incident outside Brooklyn bar leaves victim with head wounds.
Wire services on Katrina desperation: "Finding" vs. "Looting".
Posted 9:35 AM EST by Andy Towle in Elsewhere | Permalink
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What a shame about the ruby slippers! If I was the man who owned them, I'd sue that museum for not having proper safekeeping! And good luck to the ACLU!!!
Posted by: Roy | Aug 31, 2005 11:08:57 AM
"Expropriating" needed food, bottled water, and baby supplies is one thing; "looting" sneakers, blue jeans and household appliances is quite another.
Looters should be shot on-sight as vermin.
But politically, will the Generals give suburban National Guardsmen orders to open fire on the "urban dispossessed"? ....Not in this lifetime. Instead we get excuses and vacuous platitudes from the very political leadership that should be out-there doing something useful.
Posted by: Ted B. | Aug 31, 2005 11:45:16 AM
I unfortunately have lived in Grand Rapids my entire life (moving to Minneapolis soon though....whoooooo)
I guess from what people are saying it was a professional heist. They snipped the alarms, sensors, everything. The guy that owns them has them insured for 1 Mil and lives in L.A.....so you never know.
Posted by: Shorty | Aug 31, 2005 1:05:43 PM
Wonkette seems to be of the opinion AP was in the wrong here for calling their photo "looting." I disagree. It is AFP (Agence France Presse) that used the wrong word here, they too should have called a spade a spade..and looting is looting, and never mere "finding."
Why did AFP make such a bad semantic call? Racism? Well, perhaps, but if so let it be duly noted that this officially FRENCH racism, not American.
Or maybe not. It could just be the effete Frenchie who wrote this was just too culturally overrefined to use the blunt but correct word "looting" and opted for a gutless euphamism so as not to upset anyone (of whatever race). We may never know, really.
BTW, if you look at this AFP photo closely, the female looter is NOT white. Study the facial features carefully; IMO she is likely hispanic, or possibly even creole (mixed race).
And I agree with you, Ted B, 100%. Shoot all looters on sight, no exceptions.
Posted by: Cassius | Aug 31, 2005 2:45:16 PM
Property Rights over human life in a disaster? that's fucked up.
Posted by: timothy | Aug 31, 2005 6:47:57 PM