Posted on 09/08/2005 3:40:23 PM PDT by RDTF
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, the superintendent of police. "Only law enforcement are allowed to have weapons," he said.
But that order apparently does not apply to the hundreds of security guards whom businesses and some wealthy individuals have hired to protect their property. The guards, who are civilians working for private security firms like Blackwater, are openly carrying M-16's and other assault rifles. Mr. Compass said 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 police received only 10 calls for service, a police spokesman said.
The city's slow recovery is continuing on other fronts as well, local officials said at a press conference late this morning. Pumping stations are now operating across much of the city, and many taps and fire hydrants have water pressure. Also, tests have shown no evidence of cholera or other dangerous diseases in flooded areas, though health officials have said the waters contain levels of E. coli bacteria and lead 10 times higher than what is considered safe.
Efforts to recover corpses have also started, although only a handful of bodies have been recovered so far.
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
Just saw this on ABC news...they are taking guns away from Americans in their own homes! And I'm not talking about gang members. This doesn't sit well with me.
What??
I thought there was no declaration of marshal law?
So, there is no Second Amendment in New Orleans?
Not good. Not good at all.
Is this even legal?
ESPECIALLY registered firearms!
What was that Charleton Heston said, "out of my cold dead hands?"
Things must be proceeding nicely if this is the worst the NYSlimes can make it sound.
Time for a cold dead hand uprising or something, this is nuts.
including legally registered firearms, from civilians in preparation for a mass forced evacuation of the residents still living here.
If Eddie Compass was Ecru, they would be calling for him to resign.
those are the guns they are taking.
La has the concealed gun law that allows people to carry guns.
The police state has begun.
Wait a minuite, stop the presses, the NYT is coming out supporting a pro firearm stance!
The criminals will be happy. However, if ever a place warranted martial law, NOs at this time does.
The people they showed were in their own homes with guns for their own protection. Not only did they tell them to leave but the took their guns! Okay, my blood pressure is going up right now. It's the Nat'l Guard or military that is doing this.
These j@ck@$$e$ were concerned about being sued if they issued a mandatory evacuation order. Didn't they think about the liability they have created for themselves by violating people's Second Amendment and Fourth Amendment and Fifth Amendment rights?
This action, if those whose weapons are being confiscated sue, all but guarantees the death of New Orleans -- so I guess there is a silver lining in every cloud system including a Category V hurricane.
Ummm...No! Not unless Blanco dclared martial law or a state of emergency or whatever it's called in Louisiana.
Yeah, I'll bet they don't. If a Blackwater Security Guard and a New Orleans Keystone Cop got into a shooting match, guess who would come out on the short end? It is a lot easier to take guns from grannies and old men. More damn feel-good politics without doing anything to address the root causes of the lawlessness-- looters and other assorted scumbags allowed to roam about with impunity.
I seriously doubt it.
I wouldn't give up mine.
Ping...2nd Amendment Sister alert
So you can bear arms to protect someone else's property, but not your own? If someone hires armed guards to protect their house, do they still go to the house and confiscate the owner's weapons?
I think "Marshall Law" has been declared and they can do whatever they want!
I didn't think Martial law had been declared yet.
2. It disproportionately affects the poor and middle and even upper-middle class -- those who would protect their own property and cannot afford private security and don't trust the police to protect their property (wisely).
3. The upper class and businesses that can afford private security can still protect their property by hiring armed guards.
THIS SUCKS, BIG TIME!!!
Ping
The feds are still not in charge, right? If not, then it's coming from the state level. Anyone know what the law is on this?
It wasn't the locals they were showing on TV unless you are referring to the Guard being under the state.
Welcome to Nazi Germany
the bad guys are lickin their chops..it's now open season on whoever is left..
If they are confiscating weapons from peaceful, legal citizens in their own homes...this is wrong and must not be tolerated.
As I said before, if an individual is well provisioned and can take care of themselves, if they are on dry ground, then they have every right to be armed on their own property and to defend said property against looters and criminals.
Plain and simple...end of story.
During the course of the emergency if the authorities want to say that no citizen can be on a public street carrying...I can live with that. But to go to the extent of confiscating private citizen's weapons from their homes...that is a step too far.
Nor with me
If they are still in NO then they are law breakers, lawbreakers should not be armed.
As I understand it - I'm no expert - Louisiana does not have a martial law statute, but the declaration of a formal "state of emergency" is pretty much the same thing in that it allows the Governor to do a lot of things she couldn't have without it. Blanco did declare a state of emergency before the storm. Apparently, she didn't use her powers to seize buses in time to be on any help, but is now using it to seize guns.
Almost everyone is armed and will hold a grudge.
So9
Exactly.
Unbelievable.
Yeah. They are NOT and never really did go into housing projects to arrest people for guns or drugs. The police are afraid or they are on the take and grant them(dealers) protection. So take the guns from grannies so the looters can really control the city once NO is up and running. Not that it would be any different.
looks like these folks need help forming delaware corps.
Maybe this is the reasoning? And by taking their guns they are preparing to forcibly evacuate them (with no fear of being shot) and also maybe if their guns are gone they won't feel safe so they will leave?
There was a good 20% of the city not flooded...and now 40% is dry ground. If a citizen is at his/her house or property, if they are not in the flood waters, and if they are well provisioned and can take care of themselves, then they have every right to protect their property from the criminals who are there in the city and should be left alone.
That does not make them a criminal.
The folks I saw were in very dry "Mansions" in the middle of large areas of land. How close into town they were I couldn't tell. They weren't floating in any water though. And they weren't threatening the guys coming to the door. They handcuffed them and everything. One guy said, "they were mad because our guns were bigger than their guns."
What law did they break? Remaining on their own land?? How is that a crime??
- plewis1250
The article says "in preparation for mass forced evacuations". It sounds like those aren't their own homes anymore, they just don't know it yet.
We now have the example we need whenever undecideds say gungrabbing "can't happen here."
This is obscene.
ping
If they threatened the police officers, NG...that would be one thing. But to force them to leave their property on dry ground, where thewy are well provisioned, and to confiscate their arms in the process...IMHO, is just plain wrong, illegal, unbconstitutional, and a crime itself and should not be tolerated.
Is physically removing property owners from their homes legal?
I don't believe so, and the judge on Fox news said yesterday, that forced removal under these circumstances is NOT. (no martial law declared, no eminent domain issue and no legal condemnation of properties) allows home owners to stay if they chose. The disarmament issue is even worse. I understand trying to disarm the thugs with stolen weapons, but law abiding citizens who chose to stay and protect their lives and property should be left alone. If they chose to stay behind and wallow in toxic sludge, they have a constitutional right to do so and with a 2nd amend. guarantee.
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