Where's the harm? U.S. Investigates Sale of MREs on eBay

from JoeUser Forums
I'm trying to figure out where the harm is for this one. Really. Seriously. Where's the foul here?

If I understand this right, the story goes something like this: Hurricane battered individuals get MREs. Those individuals decide "ugh!, these things suck" (or perhaps it was more like "these things taste nuthin' like my crawfish and cajun cookin', they gotta go!"), and while they nod their heads and say "thankya Mr. or Ms. gub-ment man/woman for these fixin's", they just take the bags and go on their way to find someone -- anyone -- that will give them money or regular food stuff in exchange for the MREs.

From that point, some enterprising individual takes the collections of MREs and starts selling them on eBay. The world's largest electronic bazaar. Home for the unusual deal. Hoping to turn those MREs back into cold hard cash.

Again, where's the harm here?

If someone got MREs and didn't like them, what would we have them do? Turn down the food rations? Then we'd get social services types involved and claim that these people were mentally deficient for turning down food. Force the recipients to eat them? Again, what right do we have to do that? Make the recipients keep them forever or until they have expired? Just where the heck would these people -- most of whom lost homes and all wordly possessions -- keep them?

It may seem repugnant that food aid that was destined for victims of natural disasters winds up in the hands of others, but we can only do so much to guarantee that aid winds up where we expect to. After that laws of natural selection come into play. Smart people find ways to cheat the system. The rich get richer, and all that jazz.

Anyway, original news report follows. Headline is linked. Please see entire article for complete report.




U.S. Investigates Sale of MREs on eBay

By LARA JAKES JORDAN

WASHINGTON (AP) - Uncle Sam has tried to feed millions of hurricane victims this year with Meals-Ready-to-Eat, or MREs, only to fear that some of them have become Meals-Ready-for-eBay.
The government is looking into whether eBay sellers in Gulf Coast states are trying to profit from military foodstuffs handed out for free following hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Wilma.
Representatives for eBay, the online auctioneer company, say it is impossible to prove that any of the meals were meant for hurricane victims. They note that MREs can be bought in camping stores and Army-Navy surplus outlets.
But at least some of the MREs advertised on the Web site are being sold from Louisiana, Mississippi, Florida and other Gulf states, and are individually packaged with a disclaimer that clearly notes: "U.S. Government property - Commercial resale is unlawful."
"If it's true, that's pretty reprehensible," said Cheryl Guidry Tyiska, deputy director of the National Organization of Victim Assistance. "There are a lot of pretty hungry people down there who could use the food for free."
One seller, identified as from "Louisiana Cajun Country," described being hit "with the eye of Rita." Bidding had reached $50.99 for the seller's unopened case of MREs by Saturday.
"It was very depressing to come back and see that Rita took half our roof with her and left a lot of trees on the fence," the seller wrote. "I am still in a state of shock and a daze. It has really been a mess. I thank God for my solid gold eBay customers. Thanks for your prayers."
Bidding on other MREs, from Biloxi, Miss., to Pensacola, Fla., ranged from 99 cents to over $100. One case, from Lake Arthur, La., was being advertised as "real military issue" for $36.02. Its 12 individually wrapped meals included beef ravioli, chicken with Thai sauce and a veggie burger with barbecue sauce.
E-mails sent by The Associated Press to eBay's MRE sellers in Gulf Coast states went unanswered.


... more at original article (please see original article for entire story)
1,083 views 5 replies
Reply #1 from JoeUser Forums Top
If the good folks of the states hit by disaster do not want the MREs then they should do exactly what you make fun of here... leave them for someone else.

If people from disaster hit areas were taking 3/4 inch plywood meant to restore their roofs, but you found out they were only taking it to sell, would that make you feel any different? What if you learned that some of the people taking that plywood were from Construction Companies and they were turning around and charging people for rebuilding their roof with it?

Disaster supplies are for use, not for resale. "Take What You Need, but Need What You Take" should be posted at every Disaster Relief distribution spot. One of the problems we have in Disaster Relief right now is, there is so much overkill in providing relief funds that waste is rampant. Then you come along and applaud the waste. Hmmmm

"Smart people find ways to cheat the system." No, cheating scum finds ways to cheat the system, at the expense of everyone else.
Reply #2 from JoeUser Forums Top

I understand what Ted is Saying.  And I do agree with him.  But I can also see their viewpoint.  The Noble thing would have been to say "Thanks, but no thanks".  But they did not.  Now they sold them.  I dont see a crime.  They got what they were eligible for.  They did with it what they wanted to.  That is their right.

It is not ethical, but I dare say, I dont see any illegality in it.

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Reply #3 from JoeUser Forums Top
Ted - I'm not applauding the waste. What I'm saying is that I don't see any foul here really. If someone has a case of MREs pushed upon them because that is what the relief center is handing out, and that is what everyone is told they must take (or face charges of failing to provide food to their families, etc.), then what are they to do? These people are damned if they do, and damned if they don't. If they don't take the food, they are seen as foolish, perhaps mentally deficient, and if they have families, seen as abusing their children. If they take the food, but find that to them it's unedible, they could waste it, or perhaps they could (and apparently some did) trade it away.

Look, I'm not forgiving anyone at all if someone robbed a bunch of crates of food from a relief center. If someone steals the food before it hits the supply chain, then hang that bastard. But once the food has been given out, it's no longer property of the U.S. government, and for anyone to be upset because someone is making a dollar or two on selling the rations they were given to me is wrong.

Lets turn it around this way, shall we: if the person selling the food is found to have lost their home and worldly possessions, has no insurance, and will be stuck waiting for another 9 years (exaggeration I know) for FEMA to write them a check, they would be stupid not to sell *any* possessions they have -- food stuffs included -- for any money they can get to help put and keep a roof over their heads (and their families heads).
Reply #4 from JoeUser Forums Top
There are two major reasons for preventing or investigating the sale of MREs.

1. Health and legal reasons. The MRE has a shelf life that appears on the boxed case, but not on the individual package. Without the box, people can and do get sick from eating old MREs that they have bought from an Army Surplus store. These same people then sues the US Government. It has happened, and the Government paid six million dollars. Every time I see a MRE being sold in a Surplus store that is a little bloated or worse in a dark brown package (i.e. at least 10 years old), I tell the store manager. Need less to say, the store employees usually don't remove them. Though the article states the complete case was being sold, the US Government is still legally liable. That's why resale is not authorized.

2. Possible theft. Any sale of bulk MREs are needing to be researched, just to prevent the theft by Government/aid agency employees. People always complain that the government agencies are corrupt, slow and unable to get food to those who in need, so lets follow up on these MREs and find out if we can stop it.
Reply #5 from JoeUser Forums Top
1. Health and legal reasons. The MRE has a shelf life that appears on the boxed case,


Sorry lee but you're wrong on this. They have no shelf life on the box. What they DO have is an "inspection" date and a mfg date. The inspection date is usually 3 years after mfg date. And all that means is that they "need" to be inspected to "see" if they're bad. Not that they're already bad. Once they pass from government hands to private hands the government should have NO say in the matter of their disposal. Do you see the government prosecuting army/navy stores that sell the same thing? Nope. They have "tried" to shut down people on ebay from selling them....to no avail!