I note the headlines declaring that looting in Haiti is now rampant. Is that what it is? At least to me, looting is what happens during riots when people take advantage of the chaos to steal and plunder. What’s going on in Haiti looks more like scavenging. Seeing what can be salvaged from the wreckage that might provide some food, water, or something else to aid the survival of life. No doubt there are those in the crowd, perhaps many of them, with criminal intent in mind, but if I was there as a survivor trying to survive I would be foraging for whatever I could find.
CP,Good comments. I heard one reporter in Haiti say this morning that they had seen no looting at all.The media needs to be careful here. Tragedy on top of tragedy may make for a good story, but making sure the truth is reported is more important.I am not sure many in the media get that, but then again, I have a bad attitude toward journalism.
Scavenging in these circumstances is both acceptable and understandable. Unfortunately, there have been reports today of 2 aid workers being shot while providing supplies and that should compel us to pray for the safety of all of the heroes that are serving there today.
Might we dare to consider this type of activity in such dire circumstances a form of gleaning?
I would agree with your other commenters. The bottom line is that we can't begin to imagine what it must mean to lose most or all of our beloved family and still have no resource to save maybe one friend or family or ourselves. Tragic.