The "Looting" in Haiti

Tom Scocca: Did we learn nothing from Katrina?
Tom Scocca: “The national police had all but vanished, and officials reported looting at a collapsed grocery store.”
Tom Scocca: “Looting”?
Choire Sicha: UGH.
Choire Sicha: WHO DID THAT?
Tom Scocca: The New York Times.
Choire Sicha: UGH. And. EVERYONE DID. Good job, Meredith Vieira!
Tom Scocca: “Thieves also descended on a half-collapsed supermarket in the Delmas area of Port-au-Prince, carrying out electronics and bags of rice. Others siphoned gasoline from a wrecked tanker.”
Choire Sicha: I’M GOING TO HAVE A STROKE.
Tom Scocca: Electronics, sure. And, you know, nice priorities, guys, without there even being any electricity anymore.
Choire Sicha: MAYBE THEY ARE RADIOS?
Tom Scocca: But I’m sorry, if an earthquake hits Silver Spring, I am more than ready to go scavenge a bag of rice from the half-collapsed Giant.
Tom Scocca: Assuming I’m not a smear of blood-butter inside this pancaked concrete apartment tower.
Tom Scocca: Matt Marek, Haiti country representative of the American Red Cross, said: “There has been widespread looting of collapsed buildings since the earthquake hit. There is no other way to get provisions. Even if you have money, those resources are going to be exhausted in a few days.”
Choire Sicha: I’M GOING TO LOSE MY MIND
Tom Scocca: If there’s no other way to get provisions, it’s not looting.
Tom Scocca: This was also how it went with Katrina, right? Reports of rampant, scary violence. To go with the “looting.”
Choire Sicha: Black people running in the night!
Choire Sicha: WITH THEIR BAGS OF RICE.
Choire Sicha: THAT THEY CAN COOK IN WATER POLLUTED WITH DEAD BODIES.
Tom Scocca: I certainly hope they get law and order established there soon, so store owners can reopen their half-collapsed supermarkets without fear of thieves.