Remember New Orleans!

[red-beard]

http://xavierthoughts.blogspot.com/2005/12/gun-story-of-2005.html

THE Gun Story of 2005

Apparently overshadowed by a parade of Creole loonies gnashing teeth and pointing fingers before Congress and fears of FEMA trailers harboring wanton sex offenders, lies the story of hurricaine Katrina, the gun story of 2005, and quite possibly the greatest oversight of constitional rape our country has ever witnessed. I am writing, of course, about the New Orleans Gun Grab Saga.

In September, 2005, somebody gave law enforcement officers orders to confiscate legally owned firearms from New Orleans homeowners. Homeowners who had broken no laws, threatened no person, and who desperately needed those guns for self defense were the target of this confiscation edict. The big question that gun owners had pondered for years was finally answered. When given the order to seize weapons and trample on the US Constitution, many officers did not question the legality of the order. Instead, they willingly carried it out. Armed peace officers entered private homes like storm troopers, forced citizens to the floor, seized their only means of protection, and then loaded those defenseless citizens in military trucks for processing and shipment elsewhere. The unknown answer to the most fearful question was supplied to gun owners by the very actions of the officials involved. Undeniable actions yielded an undeniable answer. Yes, armed law enforcement officials will act on illegal orders from God knows where if the order is given a cloak of authority. Gun owners can no longer trust law enforcement to abide by the US Constitution over an illegal edict declared by rats who will later run and hide any trace of having given the order. Innocence was lost in New Orleans. Reality was seen.

Edwin Compass, disgraced NOLA police chief, has resigned. Compass was quoted as stating, "Only law enforcement are allowed to have weapons." The rumors surrounding Compass' strange resignation were exposed graft, phantom officers, and a host of other shenanigans, but not a damned thing was said about crapping on the US Constitution.

Compass' second in command, Warren Riley, who now commands the NOLA police force as an interim commissioner, was quoted as saying "No one will be able to be armed. We are going to take all the weapons." Riley is still running the NOLA department. His stand against the US Constitution has not been questioned. His reward was promotion.

The source of the illegal gun confiscation order has been obscured. Not surprisingly, in documents filed in federal court in Baton Rouge, La., New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin, Police Chief Edwin Compass and St. Tammany Sheriff Jack Strain denied ordering the confiscation of firearms. Governor Kat Blanco is not widely suspected of giving the illegal order. The possibility of Blanco's involvement is covered up by a huge blanket of incompetence thoughout the entire disaster, and beyond.

The illegal confiscations of legally owned firearms, in the wake of the greatest natural disaster we have faced as a nation, have been ignored by the mainstream media. It has fallen off the radar on gun forums. Bloggers have let it be swept under the rug. Gun magazines write glowing reviews about the latest advertised firearm. Yesterday, at a gun counter in Louisiana, I heard doubts that these confiscations ever occured. When Bubba doesn't believe, we are all in trouble! The fact is, these acts DID happen, they were not isolated incidents, and when ordered to seize weapons from disaster victims, many police officers donned their body armor, fired up their tactical vehicles, and willingly obliged.

The United States District Court for the Eastern District in Louisiana agreed with the National Rifle Association (NRA) and issued a restraining order to bar further gun confiscations from peaceable and law-abiding citizens in New Orleans.

Attorneys have been hired to prosecute those involved.

Wayne LaPierre has vowed to make this issue the flagship issue in getting legislation passed to prevent this kind of constitutional desecration from occuring at any other time in the future.

Wayne LaPierre even gave gun owners a rallying cry....Remember New Orleans. He said, "With your help, the National Rifle Association is going to make sure it never happens again. We're going to go state-by-state and change every state law that has some type of emergency powers statute that allows authorities to regulate or confiscate guns from law-abiding citizens when an emergency is declared ...

The example of New Orleans is going to become the worst fear of those who want to ban guns in the good old U.S.A. Never again can the anti-gunners claim that honest citizens don't need firearms because the police and the government are going to be there to protect you ...

And we've got a good slogan that you're going to hear from one end of the country to the other. And that slogan is: Remember New Orleans ...

The next time anyone says to you: 'Are you just afraid or paranoid?' Look them straight in the eye and say: Remember New Orleans.

If they ask you, 'Why does anyone need to own a gun?' Remember New Orleans.

If they say to you, "Why does anyone need a high-capacity magazine?" Look them straight in the eye and say: Remember New Orleans.

What's wrong with a 15-day waiting period? Remember New Orleans.

What makes you think the government would ever confiscate your gun? Remember New Orleans.

Is the second amendment relevant in the 21st Century? Remember New Orleans.

That's our battle cry and let's never, ever let them forget it.”


It's shameful that many gun owners themselves, in four short months, have forgotten. It's disgraceful that some gun owners are actually in denial. It's time to kick your gun owning friends in the ass and get this damned mule train rolling again! The NRA cannot get legislation passed without our support. If we forget, our cause is lost.

These events could be the seminal force for greatest strides in gun owner rights in US history. Do not let the bastards take that possibility away from us! Do NOT forget New Orleans!

[Jeff Higgins]

And just imagine if they had registration lists to go off of.

It's too bad Sarah Brady wasn't in New Orleans at the time, stranded in some backwater neighborhood, unarmed, with no police in sight. Looting, raping mobs running loose all around her...

[red-beard]

They do. Each FFL has a list of people and the guns, with serial numbers, that they have sold and transferred. This information is to be made available to the ATF upon request, 24/7.

[Instrument 41]

This another rumor that just isn't true. There were plenty of gun owners armed to the hilt on the west bank, as well as the Bywater community. The facts are that every pawn shop that was inspected after the storm and flood were found to almost no guns left.

But Walmart and Acadamy in Baton Rouge and surrounding areas packed up all there guns and sent them out of state. Walmart has still not returned to selling any thing other than pillet guns.

[Tobra]

If this is true, it is disturbing and not terribly surprising. I am skeptical if it is as represented, or you would be hearing from someone who had it happen to them, not Mr LaPierre.

BTW, why exactly is a reasonable waiting period wrong? If you want or need a weapon, enough time for the purchaser to be adequately checked out beforehand seems both reasonable and prudent.

[Moses]

Both FEMA and the Red Cross publish detailed lists of items needed for a "disaster preparedness" kit. They have lists to help people prepare for flood, eartquake, tornado and even biological weapons attack. Somehow, firearms are not mentioned in any list.

In a true large-scale emergency, you will not keep your provisions very long without a gun. It should be at the top of the list.

[techweenie]

Of all of the causes for hysteria over New Orleans, this has to be down the list quite a ways. For the most part, during the disaster, guns were 'confiscated' from abandoned houses, reducing their value as looting targets.

Weapons confiscation as a policy appears to have begun 5 days after the hurricane -- something the NRA kinda left out.

I'd like to see independent verification of citizens forced to the floor and disarmed in their own homes.

It's interesting the NRA is exploring culpability at the local and state level and fails to mention the Federally-appointed disaster management head, Gen. Honoré and his successor, Maj. Gen. Mason.

Weapons confiscation was undertaken by Federal agents and National Guardsmen as well as local police. Gov. Blanco had requested the Feds to take the lead as of 8/27, so how can the NRA point fingers anywhere but at the Federal government? Simple, because La Pierre had claimed the 'NRA would have an office in the white house in the Bush administration.'

[RallyJon]

Not to question the obvious, but wasn't this an ideal opportunity to remove guns from crime-ridden inner-city battlefields? Is the NRA against that? I've heard the "if owning a gun is a crime than only criminals will have guns" line, but I guess New Orleans exposed that hypocrisy, huh?

So the NRA goes on record as opposing confiscating guns from punks and looters?

[Moses]

Originally posted by RallyJon
... wasn't this an ideal opportunity to remove guns from crime-ridden inner-city battlefields?

Without due process, of course not! The law-abiding poor folks in the "crime ridden inner-city battle fields" need firearms for protection more than most of us. To confiscate weapons from inner-city residents without evidence of wrong-doing would properly invite charges of rascim and constitutional breach.

[RallyJon]

Look, I'm in complete agreement with the concept that a homeowner in a bad neighborhood should have a gun for protection. Why? Because there are a bunch of bad guys out there with guns. Makes perfect sense.

BUT, when you have the fairly unique opportunity to sweep through and disarm the bad guys, what kind of narrow minded idiot would argue: "those gang members have every right to those guns"?

[Moses]

Originally posted by RallyJon

BUT, when you have the fairly unique opportunity to sweep through and disarm the bad guys, what kind of narrow minded idiot would argue: "those gang members have every right to those guns"?

If they are in the act of committing a crime, no problem. If they just happen to live in the inner-city and "look" like thugs, BIG problem.

[Dantilla]

In October I was in New Orleans doing volunteer construction work.

A couple of co-workers walked down the street looking at all the devastation when a guy came out of a house with a large revolver strapped to his waist. Come to find out, he was the nicest guy. Invited my friends in to see the damage done on the inside of his house. He was happy to have someone to talk to in this deserted neighborhood. He was in his home, had no other place or reason to go, but never let his gun be farther than arm's reach.

Every building had spray painted markings that the National Guard had been through, checking for bodies.

[kach22i]

With Blackwater's mercenaries running around it's hard to tell the good guys from the bad guys.

I'd keep my guns on me in that situation, there is something in the constitution about that - not making this up.

http://www.commondreams.org/views05/0914-25.htm

They first arrived in the employ of private corporations and local millionaires who wanted their property protected. A week or so into September, however, Jeremy Scahill and Daniela Crespo of Democracy Now! found the hired-guns of Blackwater cruising the streets of New Orleans, carrying assault weapons, claiming to have been deputized, insisting that they were working for the Homeland Security Department and that they were sleeping in camps the Department had organized. ("'When they told me New Orleans, I said, "What country is that in?,"' said one of the Blackwater men.") Then, on September 13, the Washington Post reported that "Blackwater USA, known for its work supporting military operations in Iraq, said it would provide 164 armed guards to help provide security at FEMA sites in Louisiana."

[red-beard]

Confication started on September 9th, but the restraining order stopping confication and requiring the return of firearms did not get issued until the 23rd of September.

http://www.nraila.org/News/Read/Releases.aspx?ID=6539

Major Victory For Firearms Owners And Freedom In Louisiana

Friday, September 23, 2005

(Fairfax, VA) -- The United States District Court for the Eastern District in Louisiana today sided with the National Rifle Association (NRA) and issued a restraining order to bar further gun confiscations from peaceable and law-abiding victims of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans.

“This is a significant victory for freedom and for the victims of Hurricane Katrina. The court’s ruling is instant relief for the victims who now have an effective means of defending themselves from the robbers and rapists that seek to further exploit the remnants of their shattered lives,” said NRA Executive Vice President Wayne LaPierre.

Joining LaPierre in hailing the U.S. District Court decision was NRA chief lobbyist Chris W. Cox. “This is an important victory. But the battle is not over. The NRA will remedy state emergency statutes in all 50 states, if needed, to ensure that this injustice does not happen again."

The controversy erupted when The New York Times reported, the New Orleans superintendent of police directed that no civilians in New Orleans will be allowed to have guns and that “only law enforcement are allowed to have weapons.” ABC News quoted New Orleans’ deputy police chief, saying, “No one will be able to be armed. We are going to take all the weapons.”

The NRA also pledged that it will continue its work to ensure that every single firearm arbitrarily and unlawfully seized under this directive is returned to the rightful law-abiding owner.

[red-beard]

For those who will not read an NRA website, here is the same info from the Washington Times:

http://www.washtimes.com/national/20050922-111326-6278r.htm

Groups call arms seizures 'arbitrary'
By Joyce Howard Price
THE WASHINGTON TIMES
September 23, 2005


Two national gun rights groups yesterday joined individual Louisiana gun owners in a federal lawsuit to stop authorities from confiscating firearms from private citizens in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.
The National Rifle Association (NRA) and the Second Amendment Foundation (SAF) filed a motion in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana, seeking a temporary restraining order to halt the seizures of guns from law-abiding citizens. They described the confiscations as "arbitrary," "without warrant or probable cause" and thus "illegal."
New Orleans Police Superintendent P. Edwin Compass III "completely overstepped his bounds ... when he announced two weeks ago in the New York Times that only law-enforcement personnel are allowed to have weapons," Wayne LaPierre, executive vice president of the 3-million member NRA said in an interview yesterday.
The police superintendent's comments were echoed by the city's Deputy Police Chief Warren Riley, who told ABC News: "No one will be able to be armed. We are going to take all the weapons."
SAF founder Alan Gottlieb called the gun seizures "outrageous" and "illegal." He said New Orleans officials have refused to tell gun rights groups why they are now leaving citizens, already devastated by the Category 4 hurricane, "defenseless against lingering bands of looters and thugs."
They "left us with no recourse" but litigation, Mr. Gottlieb said.
Mr. LaPierre noted TV news coverage showing law-enforcement personnel going door-to-door to seize guns from New Orleans-area residents -- an action he said is unprecedented in U.S. history. The NRA official said he's talked to "hundreds of people who are enraged" about the new policy.
Given the lawlessness in New Orleans, residents who remain in the storm-ravaged area there need their guns for protection, said Mr. LaPierre.
"Things are worse at night, and people say their gun is the only source of comfort they have, the one thing they can depend on to save themselves and their families," Mr. LaPierre said, noting that a "third of the New Orleans Police Department walked off their jobs" during the Katrina emergency.
"In fact, the Second Amendment has really been the underpinning for [New Orleans] citizens to stay alive," he said.
Opponents of private gun ownership often say that public safety is their goal, "but in New Orleans, there was a complete collapse of government's ability to protect anyone," Mr. LaPierre said. "Citizens could only count on the looters, robbers and rapists."
Attempts to reach the New Orleans Police Department yesterday about its gun confiscation policy were unsuccessful.
Plaintiffs in the suit against the City of New Orleans are two local gun owners. One, whom Mr. LaPierre identified as Buell Teel, was on a boat rescuing people. "To protect himself, he had a firearm on the boat," which police saw and seized, Mr. LaPierre said.

[techweenie]

Originally posted by red-beard
For those who will not read an NRA website, here is the same info from the Washington Times:

LOL!

There's a difference?

[Hugh R]

[targa911S]

So if I'm looking for a deal on a nice Holland & Holland, Purdey, or Smith...I should be heading to NOLA for the police auctions??? Right! Like those guys don't own some of those prizes they stole. It just sucks. Where is the NRA on this issue? Where is Moses when we need him (no NOT you )