Although Hurricane Ida has passed, it had a number of low points. Ida ended up being downgraded to a tropical depression, but Dr. Joel N. Myers of Accuweather estimated that the total economic damage brought about by the tropical storm will range from $70 billion to $80 billion.
The hurricane, which resulted in over 100 deaths, featured its fair share of looting after it subsided. A number of thieves were ransacking stores in the wake of the Hurricane’s strike. In addition, these criminals have taken advantage of the energy lines going down to have a total field day across the state.
Ariel Zilber and Brian Stieglitzat the Daily Mail covered some of the criminal activity that took place after the storm struck, which included a group of men attempting to rob an ATM machine in the burnt down remains of a market in a New Orleans neighborhood.
The scenes of looters taking advantage of disasters like Ida are nothing new. Hurricane Katrina, which also struck New Orlean 16 years ago, was filled with criminal activity and looting after the storm rocked the Big Easy.
New Orleans Mayor Latoya Cantrell declared at a press conference back in September that she would be laying the hammer down on looters and those caught will receive a state felony.
She added, “My directive has been very clear: lock ’em up. We will not tolerate and we have not tolerated it.”
It remains to be seen if Cantrell actually followed through with her tough talk. What’s clear is that cities like New Orleans are still filled with lots of toxic social behavior. It is a perennial top 10 city when it comes to its murder rate.
The latest spate of criminal activity in New Orleans goes to show how there are large segments of the American populace who will go on lawless rampages. Civilization is only skin deep, and when order breaks down, some people go back to their primordial instincts of crass violence and looting.
Many of the problems that the US faces are foundational in nature and won’t be so easily solved through the political process. One of the best ways liberty conservatives can position themselves as promoters of public order is for them to get involved in troubled communities and find individuals who are tired of the squalor and rampant crime to form community watches that keep criminals and other miscreants in check.
Bringing back some semblance of order is instrumental in rebuilding our nation.
