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]

At this time it should be only gangbangers left. Law abiding citizens should have left long after the MANDATORY evacuation, or even before the hurricane hit for that matter.

Boy what do you say to logic like that.

[dimquest]

from what I have been reading there is a portion of NO that is not underwater, passable and safe for the homeowners. There is no reason to go in and make these people leave. I sure wouldn't.
279 Stew Padasso

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Do they have running water and power?
284 rdtf

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Are you implying that it is 'unsafe or unhealthy' to live in a house without running water & power?

I, and many others still alive, some in their 90's, did just that for many years before the 40's. No doubt many thousands across this country still do.

[Sloth]

Sooner or later there will be pressure to stop handing out $ like water after the first few hundred billion and if you haven't gotten yours before that, you probably won't.

Unfortunately, our federal gov't set a horrible and unfair precedent in the $1million+ per head pay-off to 9/11 victims & families. Now Katrina victims will be arguing (with justification) that their lives have been torn apart just as much, and there will be quite a few more of them.

[monkeywrench]

Newby jackboot. LOL!

[RDTF]

Not sure what is safe, but it might be unsafe under those conditions there until they rid it all of disease.

[Nov3]

Do they have running water and power?

Some do and power is being rapidly restored across.

[happinesswithoutpeace]

LOL, You know it is gonna be a rough thread if the words "confiscating firearms" appear.

[Stew Padasso]

Disease in the areas not underwater? This is not OUTBREAK.

[Nov3]

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.

I bet he knows you don't need to register guns in the US.

[longtermmemmory]

fNC is now spining the story of the old lady SHOWING the empty revolver. They are making it sound like she pointed it.

Earlier in the day they reported they took her to the Superdome then released her. It was assumed she returned home to her pets.

I don't see how they can ORDER people out if they want to stay.

[Black Tooth]

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.

What an ugly, scary portrait that is.

[Nov3]

I bet you are just as ugly on the outside.

Does your mommy know you are on the internet?

[RDTF]

Hey if they are determined to stay then they should be able to. But they're gonna need antibiotics.

[Cboldt]

Another swipe at provoking civil unrest. This time, those who resist are likely to be middle class working people who have property they want to defend.

I hope the media does not portray resitance to the forced evacuation as a race thing -- but if wishes were horses, my house would be full of horse poop.

For my money, the first group that should be forcibly evacuated are the thugs and homeless, but they are not quite the easy targets.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1478552/posts?page=637#637

[RDTF]

Ann Coulter on Fox now

[The Antiyuppie]

I predict major legal trouble over this issue alone. Of course, LA is dirt poor anyway, so a lawsuit victory will be pretty hollow. A very, very bad precedent, especially after the governments of NO and LA have spectacularly displayed to the world that they are completely unable to protect their citizens (or citizens of other countries, for that matter) in a crisis, which is exactly when protection is needed.

BTW has anyone heard that guns are selling like hot cakes right now?

I was certain that gun-grabbers would lay low for years after this crisis. Apparently not.

[TXBubba]

Yep. A rough thread. I just had to go back to the 100 posts and figure out why you guys are picking on RDTF. I think you all can cool down now and quit picking on her. She has been politely expressing her opinions and receiving some rather inane flames. I didn't pick up at all that she wanted to defend disarming law abiding citizens.

[Right Winged American]

Hell, I know what the Constitution says. I know as well as anyone that only martial law, declared in accord with the US and Louisiana constitutions, can trump the Bill of Rights for American citizens. That, or taking up arms against the government, which I do NOT, EVER say that this citizens in their homes are doing.

John, I have a lot of respect for you and your opinions on FR. I think a lot of us are upset that you are not out in front of this. Had you said "I don't know for sure, but I'm finding out; and if this is illegal I'm on my way to court" We would be more reassured about your position. Currently, you seem just a bit lukewarm, here.

[justche]

I thought the govenor specifically declined to sign off on mandatory/forced evacuations in spite of the mayor wanting them. I'm not sure what law you're accusing them of breaking.

[longtermmemmory]

ThanKS! for the ANN ALERT!