Hurricane fury and human fault

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9063708/

Hurricane Katrina has hit the Gulf Coast and left unfathomable damage in her wake. Mississippi and Alabama had extensive damages that broke records of Camille and all other storms past. New Orleans, endearingly termed the Big Easy - is not having too easy of a time with 80% of their city flooded. With increasing number of missing people, the levees on the brink of breaking and water levels rising with no clear draining outlet, one wonders if there would be much to be jovial about when Mardi Gras would come around next year.

http://today.reuters.com/news/newsArticleSearch.aspx?storyID=27395+31-Aug-2005+RTRS&srch=looting+in+New+Orleans

While some search their loved ones and stand dumbfounded as they find their houses underwater, there are those who take advantage of this situation and break into stores to loot items. TV coverage showed people, apparently unfazed of this disaster, with shopping carts filled to the brim - going through the Wal-Mart aisles like they do any given shopping day. They had no regard to the reporters, nor the handful of law enforcers who remained helpless as they carted merchandise worth hundreds. A reporter tried to talk to a looter and commented indirectly about his disregard to this grave situation. To this, the "shopper" replied: "Times like these, I got do what I can to survive, you know?" He got a New Orleans Saints football jersey and a cart filled with bags of Lay's potato chips.

Nothing but the necessities, huh - Mr. Survivor?

Makes me sick to even imagine this. I pray not, but should I be put in a moment of desperation, I hope to be reminded that karma will come around to haunt me if I gave in. It is appalling that while shock, loss, and recuperation is to be taken on by some, there are those who see opportunities for wrongful gain. There are far bigger effects that this hurricane has - effects in the economy that would transcend the borders of where Katrina landed - most of which will cause chain reactions we are yet to discover. Stealing, while many others suffer through the aftermath adds another layer of severity. Despite all the trouble it brews among humans when used to justify a cause, human nature just cannot be attributed to this.