From: riacmt@ubvmsb.cc.buffalo.edu (Carol Miller-Tutzauer)
Newsgroups: alt.hurricane.andrew,rec.pets,udel.bull,rec.pets.cats,rec.pets.herp,rec.pets.dogs
Subject: Re: Violence in FL??? (Re: Pets need help in FL!!!)
Date: 5 Sep 92 16:46:00 GMT
Organization: University at Buffalo
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.41

In article <1992Sep1.192220.16730@sequent.com>, schalene@sequent.com (Schalene Dagutis) writes...
  >been through it already.  Is this true or not?  We thought it
  >interesting that there were no reports of looting in Louisiana.  And
  >couldn't figure out why in one place but not in another.
  > 
  >schalene

Actually, I happened across an article the other day where someone
was asking that same question to Edwin Edwards (governor of 
Louisiana).  He said that in some ways he wasn't surprised that
there was little if any looting in the affected Louisiana areas
given the type of people in Louisiana.  He said something like "
"People are very close-knit and live in close-knit communities.
It would be unthinkable to loot something from one's own 
neighbors.  Perhaps it is just the nature of Louisianians to 
come together and pitch in and help one another at times like
these."  Apparently, also, the first question neighbors have
been asking each other is:  "So how badly were you damaged."
The second question is "So what are you cooking up?"  One person
was interviewed who said he was cooking gumbo because all his
game in his freezer was thawing.  Said he had a huge pot of
rabbit & squirrel gumbo going, and anyone who wanted was invited
to partake -- including the news crews.

Personally, I think there is a big cultural difference between 
the areas hit.  The area affected in south Florida included the
affluent Coral Gables area and because of the proximity of the
entire affected area to Miami and the current economic situation,
I would not be surprised to see looting.  On the other hand,
the heart of Cajun country (Morgan City and there-abouts) was
the Louisiana area hit by the hurricane, and that is a very
tightly-knit culture.  It is more "rural" than urban, and people
would simply go to work immediately after the storm to help
their neighbors rebuilt and get on with life.  

Last year, when I visited New Orleans, I was pleased to see that
in spite of one of the worst economic slumps in their history,
people were still friendly and very helpful.  I imagine that
there might have been some people who would have taken advantage
of the opportunity to loot had the hurricane hit there, but
I think it would have been much less than is being reported in
the southern florida area.  Some of the south florida problems
may also be related to the long delay in getting the florida
national guard deployed.  Apparently in Louisiana, the national
guard was on the scene even before the storm hit.  They had
also been deployed as part of Desert Storm and were well-
prepared to immediately get things orderly and under control.

If anyone doubts what I mean about the laid-back attitude of
folks from South Louisiana and New Orleans, just go to a 
Saints game and watch the behavior of people who get drunk.
You will find that it is extremely rare for the drunks to become
belligerant and cause a scene.  Instead, they just dance around
and have a good time, until they pass out.  Unlike other stadiums,
the New Orleans SuperDome has a full liquor-equipped bar, serves
drinks during the entire game (rather than cutting folks off at
halftime like many other stadiums) and also allows consumption
of alcoholic beverages during all games (lots of stadiums
disallow this at night games or Monday night games).  On the
other hand, as much as I think Buffalo Bills fans are absolutely
great, folks who drink too much just don't seem to be able to
handle it.  They get into arguments & fights, drive recklessly
home (rather than curling up in the back seat to sleep it off),
and get generally rowdy and ill-mannered when they drink too
much (as a rule).  All-in-all, I think Edwin Edwards is on to
something about the personality of Louisianians.  Of course,
I'm biased, since I grew up there. ;-)

Carol
riacmt@ubvms.cc.buffalo.edu