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Where is Reuben
Greenberg when we need him? by Gail Paparian
(As seen in: Post & Courier, Record Gazette, Press Enterprise,
Desert Sun)
As my heart goes out to the people who have done
nothing wrong but be in the path of Hurricane Katrina, I think back upon my
terror of living through Hurricane Hugo.
My husband I had just completed building a house in
Charleston,
S.C.
It was September, 1989 and we were just beginning to learn our way around the
Low country.
Hurricane season started in May and concluded in
November. If a storm came, we were advised to: board up windows, make certain we
had a supply of our medications, had day's worth of water and a supply of bug
spray and LEAVE WHEN TOLD TO EVACUATE.
Although still strangers in town, when it was evident
that Hugo was a serious category four storm, we were smart enough to listen to
public officials.
Charleston, like
New Orleans
and other coastal cities is below sea level. A normal rainstorm without storm
surges at high tide was enough to submerge the city during normal
timesŠ. Hurricanes can and did bring more dire
consequences.
Sensing impending disaster, Police Chief Reuben
Greenberg (yes Jewish and also black) and l longtime mayor, Joseph P. Riley,
used the media to delivery their message.
In a matter of fact delivery, he stated his case
simply: he didn't have enough time to call out the national guard or request
backup for what promised, and did, cause enormous devastation. He was heard over
television, radio and newspaper coverage with the same message: looting wouldn't
be tolerated. He had given the orderŠ..
"If you find them looting; beat them."
Reuben Greenberg was a black, Jewish chief of police
in the south, yet nobody challenged him! A stolen
television? Diapers?
Caviar? Nobody thought to see if Reuben Greenberg meant business. He had
taken an oath to uphold the law and protect the citizens of his city. Want to
see if he meant business?. Just try him out. To my
knowledge, there was not a single report of looting in the
Charleston
area!
Natural disasters inflict enough pain; we certainly
don't have to accept low-life's preying on other people's misfortunes. Reuben
Greenberg, where are you?
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