Home Security Information Information Research

Tell a Friend about this Site

Katrina: Lessons Learned on the Nature of Man


For many years, novels and films have given us apocalyptic views of how easily mankind could disintegrate into ruthless barbarity once removed from the constraints of law and order, and the comfortable smooth machinery of "civilization". But all that was just fiction, right? Not really. The reality is in the news.

While the people of New York City responded predominantly with goodwill and a heroic attitude to the World Trade Center attacks, it is important to keep in mind that the basic structure of the city - the services, facilities, and general day-to-day functions - were still intact. The disaster that has befallen the gulf states is an entirely different kind of animal. The entire city of New Orleans has been utterly devastated. Many peripheral communities and cities have been essentially washed away. There is no source of free-flowing fresh water, food sources have been severely depleted, virtually no energy infrastructure remains, although line crews from neighboring states are working feverishly to get power restored to critical facilities like the water supply system. Tens of thousands of people have lost their possessions, their homes, their jobs, and their entire way of life. As some of the survivors have put it, they are literally "adrift".

While many people do have a positive, strong mental and psychological orientation, allowing them to forge ahead and find a way to carry on within the boundaries of law and moral principles, many others do not.

Poverty-stricken communities already have a tendency to have higher crime rates under normal conditions, due to obvious environmental factors. Many people in this environment often become dependant on the "welfare-state", deriving some of their income, access to services, and food allowances from government-sponsored systems. In a "civilization-destroyed" scenario, these systems cease to function. In times like this, people who ordinarily would not resort to outright theft or robbery do so, and the more violently criminal-minded become even more ruthless and barbaric.

A disaster on the scale as that of the gulf states, where the ability of the government (local, state, or federal) to control affairs is seriously diminished, creates a ripe opportunity for the desperate and the criminal to exploit the misfortunes of others. And they're doing it. Armed gangs roaming the demolished landscape, reports of rape inside the overwhelmed astrodome, boundless pillaging of every storefront or home left standing; these are the stark images that tell us just how fragile our domestic peace really is.

America is truly a great nation, populated by many great people. But there is bad among us, too, waiting for the opportunity to seize upon the misfortunes of others, whether for profit or just for plain pathological gratification.

For more information on what you can do to be better prepared to protect yourself and the ones you love, visit http://www.1stdefenseproducts.com .

Jonathan Merritt has over 20 years of experience in the security industry, and has written numerous articles on personal, family and home security. His company site, http://www.1stdefenseproducts.com, provides links to government and community security information, as well as access to his newsletter 1st Defense Network.


MORE RESOURCES:

Robbins Umeda LLP Announces an Investigation of the Acquisition of Brink's ...
MarketWatch (press release)
... by members of the Board of Directors (the "Board") of Brink's Home Security Holdings, Inc. ("Brink's") (NYSE:CFL) , now operating as Broadview Security, ...

and more »


Deputies Offer Home Security, ID Theft Advice Saturday
Leesburg Today
At 10 am residents are urged to attend a home security training class at the Loudoun Valley Estates clubhouse, located at 43636 Lucketts Bridge Circle in ...



Home Security Trend Micro Revamps Hosted E-Mail Security
Channel Insider
Trend Micro Hosted Email Security stands atop a brand new technology platform and will replace the company's InterScan Messaging. It includes anti-malware ...

and more »


Police Discuss Home Security with Residents
WBAY
A spike in burglaries puts homeowners in the Town of Menasha on alert. Police are specifically concerned about home invasions. ...

and more »


Brink's Home Security Holdings, Inc. Reports Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2009 ...
MarketWatch (press release)
On January 18, 2010, Brink's Home Security Holdings, Inc. and Tyco International Ltd. ("Tyco") announced a definitive agreement for Tyco to acquire the ...
Brink's Home Security Q4 profit beats StreetReuters
Brink's Home Security Q4 Profit Increases - UpdateRTT News
Brink's Home Security Q4 Profit Up - Quick FactsRTT News

all 19 news articles »


How to Spend More Money on Home Security
Blogger News Network (blog)
In today's high tech connected world a networked and remotely monitored home security system is the way to go. Keyless Access: Door locks that require a ...



Kansas City Star

Police Flooded With Calls For Home Security Inspections
fox4kc.com
Police say the latest attack has resulted in a huge surge in requests for home security surveys, especially after police said the Waldo rapist used an ...
Worries turn to fear over serial rapist in and around Waldo neighborhoodKansas City Star

all 113 news articles »


Top tips on home safety
Dudley News
DUDLEY residents can get home security tips from a new film launched by West Midlands Police. The innovative new burglary advice film highlights a number of ...



SmarTrend's Candlestick Scanner Detects Bullish Engulfing Pattern for Brink's ...
Trading Markets (press release)
SmarTrend's candlestick pattern scanner has detected a bullish engulfing pattern for shares of Brink's Home Security Holdings (NYSE: CFL | Quote | Chart ...

and more »


Plug-and-Play Security Cam Brings Home Security to the Trailer Park
GadgetCrave.com
But who has time to set up a complex home security system? Now, anyone does. The Swann Digital Guardian ADW-400 is a plug-and-play video camera that plays ...

and more »

Google News



MaineBannerExchange

home | site map
© 2006