Looting vs. Survival?

Photo by Cheryl Jones of the Grapevine photo project

In Haiti, is this Really Looting?

I really need some clarity on the definition of looting from the media. I do not understand how this fits in Haiti in which for the last week government has for all purposes collapsed. If there is no way to get supplies in and people are starving and need water, how is it looting if they go in and "take" those items from stores. I asked friends at the National Coalition for the Homeless to define looting and they seemed to believe that it was the theft of extraneous items that have nothing to do with the emergency (plasma tvs, furniture, house decorations, etc.). So, the theft of items for survival should not be considered looting. I have also heard that theft associated with violence would be considered looting. But this blanket statement about looting seems misguided in the case of Haiti. A guy stealing materials for clothing or night time covers or to make a tent for shelter as pictured in the Washington Post does not seem to be looting to me.

I heard some discussion about this on NPR yesterday, but have not seen much discussion in print about looting with a definition. The report today was that 1.5 million people are now homelessness in Haiti or half of the Port-au-Prince.

Brian
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