Empathy is good
I count empathy along with honor, courage and truth as the most important human qualities.
Unfortunately, if empathy is the ability to sense another's feelings, empathy can sometimes turn your stomach.
New Orleans has a huge population below poverty level and there are nearly as many whites in that category as blacks. Since I have not been wired for the past few days, I can't even guess at the racial consistency of the looters, rape gangs and snipers, but I do know that food looting has been tolerated and even assisted by the police.
I agree that referring to the offenders as apes is not helpful since the racial implication is all too obvious.