New Orleans Begins Confiscating Firearms as Water Recedes (incl leg reg)

[UpInArms]

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/09/08/national/nationalspecial/08cnd-storm.html

NEW ORLEANS, Sept. 8 - Waters were receding across this flood-beaten city today as police officers began confiscating weapons, including legally registered firearms, from civilians in preparation for a mass forced evacuation of the residents still living here.

No civilians in New Orleans will be allowed to carry pistols, shotguns or other firearms, said P. Edwin Compass III, the superintendent of police. "Only law enforcement are allowed to have weapons," he said.

But that order apparently does not apply to hundreds of security guards hired by businesses and some wealthy individuals to protect property. The guards, employees of private security companies like Blackwater, openly carry M-16's and other assault rifles. Mr. Compass said that he was aware of the private guards, but that the police had no plans to make them give up their weapons.

Nearly two weeks after the floods began, New Orleans has turned into an armed camp, patrolled by thousands of local, state, and federal law enforcement officers, as well as National Guard troops and active-duty soldiers. While armed looters roamed unchecked last week, the city is now calm. No arrests were made on Wednesday night or this morning, and the police received only 10 calls for service, a police spokesman said.

<snip>

"I know the risks," said Renee de Pontchieux, as she sat on a stool outside Kajun's Pub in the working-class Bywater neighborhood east of downtown. "We used to think we lived in America - now we're not so sure. Why should we allow this government to chase us out and allow people from outside to rebuild our homes? We want to rebuild our homes."

...more...

Where's the NRA on this? What happened to the 2nd Amendment? How are the FReepers taking this one?

[mrbill]

1. this is getting out of control......

lot of mini-wacos to come?

[ChairmanAgnostic]

4. ". . . from my cold dead hands."

OK. the Second amendment vs. martial law.

Who will win? I can only imagine what the freepers will say about this. (But I cannot stand the idea trying to find out personally)

[MADem]

8. WRT the GUN issue, what is NO law on carrying weapons?

Is it permitted? Can you have guns in the home? Will they be confiscating and returning them later, or confiscating stolen weapons that were acquired during those unregulated blue light specials?

[grasswire]

9. freepers are quite unhappy

I was over there last night to look at the reaction. Several hundred posts were on the thread. Some of them blame local officials for the gun grab -- a "liberal" endeavor. Nearly all realize the Constitutional prohibition against taking guns from people who are on their own property.

[UpInArms]

13. here's the FR thread link

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1480533/posts

they seem to be a bit upset :eyes:

[R Hickey]

2. The Republicans are taking the guns away.

Guess the NRA never saw that one comming. Bet they still back the GOP.

[Spinzonner]

5. Guess FEMA has to be added to the Jack-booted list

[okieinpain]

18. that's why they are not screaming holy hell. they are hopping that

the mindless freepers will blame the dems in the area. blanco, and nagin better get their pr people in gear and start getting their side of the story out.

[Paladin]

29. You Don't Have To Go To Frei Republik......

for some mindless howling about this situation. Just check out our very own Gun Dungeon right now for the oh-so-predictable Democrat bashing......

[DavidMS]

32. Sounds more like a due process issue than a 2nd amendment issue

and somthing that on the left we should be screaming about...

Cause some cognative dissonance.

[QC]

3. Vote for Bush or the Democrats will take your guns away! n/t

[nookiemonster]

6. Fuck that.

Good luck.

Many won't surrender their guns and I certainly don't blame them.

[MADem]

7. If they turn New Orleans into Disneyland, there will be

a major backlash. Of course, with the recent Supreme Court decision that basically says if I do not like the style of your house, the type of fence you use, I can declare it blighted and bulldoze it all to build something fancy for wealthy folk.

What I find amusing is that the right always portrays the left as a bunch of godless, with a small g, commies, who would love to do that very thing--steal the land and property from the individual for the "greater good." Funny how they are the ones who are actually doing it, for the greater good of their rich pals. It's sort of like "Whoever smelt it, dealt it" writ large, with greater consequences than a slight stink in the air.

[Ready4Change]

10. People of New Orleans have been demonized.

All the reports of looting, riots, rape. Of people having to be forcibly evacuated. Of shooting at helicopters and rescuers. All these things paint a picture of a city composed of dangerous criminals.

Demonization.

That's all it takes for the simple minded fools following this administration to right off an entire cities 2nd Amendment rights. To those fools, the people of New Orleans are no longer Americans. Barely even human. To those fools, the people of New Orleans are the enemy.

[0007]

11. NEXT! is the land grab

Americans are being fucked and YOU could be next

[scarletwoman]

12. I am highly suspicious of the forced evacuation in general.

If I were down there, and living on dry ground, I think I would resist also. What right does ANY government entity have to force you from your home?

I believe there must be some DUers who are members of the NRA -- I hope they will raise the issue about the gun confiscations immediately!

What I'd really like to see -- and I have to make the caveat that this is not possible for me, personally to do, so I'm more or less talking out of my ass -- but what I really wish is that a huge movement of people would arise to march on New Orleans for the express purpose of holding the city for the citizens. A "citizens occupation", in other words.

Otherwise, I fear that the city is being taken away from her people. And the intentions of those who are doing the taking are NOT benevolent.

sw

[Jawja]

16. I see a coming together

over common issues here. When it comes to the Bill of Rights and the right to own guns and protect property, I see a united front AGAINST what is going on in NO.

We must come together to work to understand the truth of who is doing this and why.

[UTUSN]

14. 2nd Amendment Being Violated under Shrub. Rich Irony Soup.

But of course the NRA will continue to support Shrub.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

15. Also confiscating all kinds of cameras

http://www.craigslist.org/sfc/pol/96042255.html

No shooting, period.

[Secular Agent Man]

17. When cameras are outlawed, only outlaws will have cameras.

;)

[Bernardo de La Paz]

20. Well Stated!

I don't think there is any law which allows them to confiscate cameras.

It is my understanding that they can ask a photographer to leave a scene if the photographer may be in the way or at risk, but they can't confiscate a photographer's tool of the trade, their engine of freedom of expression.

[Nihil]

19. Oh, what a surprise ...

> But that order apparently does not apply to hundreds of security
> guards hired by businesses and some wealthy individuals to protect
> property. The guards, employees of private security companies like
> Blackwater, openly carry M-16's and other assault rifles. Mr. Compass
> said that he was aware of the private guards, but that the police had
> no plans to make them give up their weapons.

"Fuck that - they might shoot back!"

[-..__...]

21. But, but, but... the anti-gun zealots keep telling us...

firearms registration does not equal confiscation.

Sarah Brady can go shove it.

[Mairead]

22. Anyone still unable to see the naked, arrogant classism in the US?

If you can't see it, report to your local emergency room for drugging, because you're a daftie.

Rightwing democracy: one dollar, one vote. The money you have determines what rights you have.

[orleans]

23. who is ordering this? the feds or the la governor? n/t

[moof]

24. They showed a frail woman tackeled on PBS tonight.

She was saying they would have to shoot her to get her to leave her home and then a quick close up of a folded hunting knife and a small revolver in her left hand and the next thing crunch this big guy in gear that likely weighed more than the woman knocked her to the floor the camera and screen went black with the womans legs flailing in the air.

For the record the guy was at least 180 the gal was maybe a hundred lbs.

This was in the gal's own kitcken.

[UTUSN]

25. Where's the NRA? Ted NUGENT? Charleton Hes...Oh, Nevermind

Why isn't Judicial Watch filing for restraining orders? Questions, questions, questions.

[formercia]

26. Charlton Heston,next mayor

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/images/0790742802/ref=dp_product-image-only_0/102-0375190-6691366?%5Fencoding=UTF8&n=130&s=dvd

[Indy Lurker]

27. Time to get a $5 badge

"...But that order apparently does not apply to hundreds of security guards hired by businesses and some wealthy individuals to protect property. The guards, employees of private security companies like Blackwater, openly carry M-16's and other assault rifles. Mr. Compass said that he was aware of the private guards, but that the police had no plans to make them give up their weapons..."

[mahatmakanejeeves]

28. In the Washington Post,

this Reuters photo (linked from the NYT) was captioned with words to the effect, "officers prying open a door." In this case, "prying" means using an axe and a battering ram.

[debbierlus]

30. Against the constitution!

They always said the dems would take away their guns!

[Indy Lurker]

31. don't look now but it is the dems...

In the photo above, the uniforms say "POLICE" that means City or State, there are no Federal Police.

[Pastiche423]

33. But under whose orders?

[JackieO]

34. hell, they're confiscating the whole city

:grr: