New Orleans Begins Confiscating Firearms as Water Recedes

Ny Times ^ | September 8 | ALEX BERENSON and TIMOTHY WILLIAMS

[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.

[Nov3]

His point was they don't have 'special rights', no matter who they are or what they do.

Tghe Iraqis weren't sufficiently cowed like Americans are.

[Xenophon450]

"including legally registered firearms"

Last I heard the police were so sorely out gunned they told citizens to leave they're firearm for police use. Now that same force is disarming the law abiding populous? This is sickening.

[monkeywrench]

Really! I'll defend myself as is my right. Freedom is so inconvenient for some.

[nothingnew]

We've seen the BITS, now it looks like it is FMCDH time.

We haven't seen anything yet as far as BITS...but it is beginning. It took a natural disaster to bring the scum out and surface to the top, along with the "elected" marxist leaders in our own government.

I'm getting old now, but you mark my words. "We ain't seen nothing yet"....yet the fact remains, there is "nothingnew".

I fear for my Republic due to marxist influence in our government. Open eyes/see

FMCDH(BITS)

[Hank Rearden]

The right to personal weapons for self protection predates the Constitution and the 2nd amendment (and there is a Supreme Court decision that states that). If there was ever a time these people need it, it is in a time of near anarchy when the political powers have failed to protect it's citizens.

Best posting I've read today.

[michigander]

State Constitution of 1974

ARTICLE I. DECLARATION OF RIGHTS

§11. Right to Keep and Bear Arms

Section 11. The right of each citizen to keep and bear arms shall not be abridged, but this provision shall not prevent the passage of laws to prohibit the carrying of weapons concealed on the person.

[Iscool]

That's how it starts...As long as your guns are registered, they know where to get them...

[Jeff Head]

The only thing that makes it that way is our willingness to go along with it. If a citizen is in their home, on their proerty, has committed no crime, is not a health or other hazard to others (as evidenced by their own good health and provisions), and is there to protect said property, IMHO, the criminals are those who force them off and disarm them in the process.

It is not a crimne to be bothering no one, self sustaining on your own proprty and potectingsaid property.

They are asking for trouble in doing this and there will is a greater chance for additional bloodshed where none is required. In fact, those citizens are a boon to local governments and law enforcement. Because of their good citizenship and preparation, they are apt to be an anchor in their neighborhood to disuade looters and criminals, thus allowing more resource to be applied to where it is really needed.

By doing this, the government (as is particularly the case with leftists, librals, and RINOs) has gotten things bass-ackward as they normally do and is creating a problem where none exists and is in fact taking a good thing and ruining it.

As I said. I do not believe it is "legal" because it is in abject violation of the constitution of both the state as I understand it, and the nation. It should not be tolerated.

[Hank Rearden]

Yeah? Well, it's being abridged right the hell now, it seems.

[ebiskit]

Most of the NO Police Dept, not all mind you, reminds me in many ways of criminal UN peacekeepers.
One must recollect that there were some substantial CORRUPTION prosecutions ongoing involving a number of higher-ups in the NO Police dept. before they we're so rudely interrupted by 'Katrina' Vanden Hueval. Sounds like a damn-ol-crat/enviro-freak conspiracy to me. /sarc/
But seriously, I understand those being prosecuted we're involved in crimes such as murder(s) for hire, bribery, etc. . .
To have these foxes warden over the hen-houses for an indefinite amount of time makes a CITIZEN shudder if he is denied the right of lethal/projectile force.

ABLE DANGER
ABLE DANGER
ABLE DANGER . . . it aint over, just slightly postponed

[Congressman Billybob]

You DO understand Judge Napolitano correctly. That's what he said, and meant. In this instance the good judge is wrong. He also has some errors in his book on constitutional law.

He's a bright guy, and speaks well. But he ain't no scholar on the history and details of the Constitution, from 1787 to 2005. Nor has he practiced in the Supreme Court, as I have for 32 years.

So, not only do I sometimes disagree with the judge, I feel I have at least an equal claim to have the ideas down correctly. That don't mean I'm always right. LOL.

John / Billybob

[NYCVirago]

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.

I'm assuming that this means that the media still get to have their armed guards. Of course, you won't hear the media caterwaul about that double standard.

[Calpernia]

More on your original heads up.

You troll you ::teasing::

[dimquest]

Congressman Billybob wrote:
If there is no declaration of martial law, then grabbing anyone's guns is illegal, unless the person is committing a crime with the gun at the time.
On the other hand, forcibly moving people out of their homes on public health grounds to prevent an epidemic of several dozen available diseases in that fetid water is legal under civil law. All states have some legal provisions for cutting off epidemics when they first threaten. (The Center for Disease Control provides information and support for any such effort. But the legal authority belongs to the state Health Department.)

---

Hmmmm, -- who just wrote something to the effect that:


'I think most of the people will be able to to tell the difference between the subject under discussion, and another subject that is not currently on the table.' - ?

[Black Tooth]

Will the legal owners be able to get them back once martial law has been lifted or is that a stupid question?

There is another damn hurricane brewing out there right now.

And these idiots want to disam the good citizens, those that are not breaking laws?

This is getting damn scary.

[Revel]

don't you think you are a bit full of yourself?

[LoneRangerMassachusetts]

The legally armed citizen knew this was coming 24 hours ago. If they thought about it, they could have formed a militia in short order. The police would have thought twice about going against an organized militia. The state politicians would have to think long an hard about sending troops in to kill and evict people from their property to save themselves from disease. As it turned out, they didn't even have to divide to conquer.

Next time people, call yourself to arms. You, the middle-class petty bourgeois, are toast unless it puts up a massive front. The wealthy elite can hire a few private soldiers and pay off the bureaucrats to protect themselves and continue to steal your property.

[papertyger]

don't you think you are a bit full of yourself?

You're kidding, right?