Four years after Hurricane Katrina wreaked havoc on the City of New Orleans, leaving anarchy in its wake, the Department of Justice is reportedly putting on a full court press investigation of the police in that city, with the main focus being on two shooting incidents that left three people dead.
Let’s be up front about this: Since the Second Amendment Foundation and National Rifle Association (and nobody else!) stepped to file a landmark federal lawsuit to stop authorities in New Orleans from illegally seizing firearms in the hurricane’s aftermath, nobody has been held accountable for that treachery. Now would be a good time for Barack Obama and Eric Holder to demonstrate beyond a reasonable doubt that they respect the Second Amendment by ordering the FBI to find out who issued the confiscation order, and bring them to justice, along with the individual officers who behaved like goons. Their tactics reflected on the thousands of good and decent police officers and sheriff’s deputies all over the country who would never dream of acting without warrant and abusing their authority, no matter what the emergency, and it created a distrust of law enforcement at times of emergency that lingers today.
Privately, officers have groused that the feds are using strong-arm tactics, not offering professional courtesy usually extended to fellow law enforcement agencies.
Specifically, we are talking about the cops, apparently from New York who seized, at gunpoint, two rifles from brothers Buell and Rodney Teel on the waters of Lake Pontchartrain, and the Highway Patrolmen, apparently from California, who body-slammed frail Patricia Konie in her own home just to take away from her the vintage Colt revolver she showed them to prove she could take care of herself. She was hurt so badly by that physical assault that she required surgery.
Right now, NOPD officers are in the crosshairs of this federal probe, and some have complained to the New Orleans Times-Picayune about the "strong-arm tactics" being used by the feds. Well, nobody is forcing them to testify at gunpoint, nor has anyone been physically assaulted. A whine like that is going to fall on deaf ears among New Orleans citizens who were forcibly stripped of their private property.
Mary Howell, a New Orleans attorney representing (one victim's) family in a civil rights suit against city officials, said Monday she understands the Justice Department is investigating several incidents involving the Police Department in the days after Katrina, including the bridge shooting.
Ever since then-Police Superintendent Eddie Compass announced to reporters that nobody but police would have guns, Second Amendment activists have wanted to know who issued that unconstitutional order. A few years ago when I was debating the travesty on a New Orleans talk show with Compass’ successor, Supt. Warren Riley, he dodged the direct question when I told him on-air that I wanted to know who issued the order. To him, it wasn’t important. To millions of outraged American gun owners, it is of critical importance. As my press colleagues are so fond of stating, the public has a right to know.
Simply because there is a natural or man-made disaster, one does not suspend the constitution, or state statute. We’re not talking about just the Second Amendment, but also the Fourth.
More than 1,000 firearms were illegally seized by the police and National Guard troopers, without warrant or probable cause, and with no legal authority under existing statute.
Ginny Simone, a gutsy news anchor for NRA News, put together a video report that today ought to be required viewing for any public official who thinks that in an emergency, he or she becomes a reigning monarch. It is a segment that fully explains the outrage gun owners feel toward the Ray Nagin administration and why, even today, millions of Americans continue their boycott of the Crescent City. They will not travel there, buy goods from there or suggest to anyone else to visit the city.
If Nagin thinks that is unfair, too bad. His administration ignored, stonewalled and outright lied about the gun confiscations until attorneys representing SAF and NRA headed to court with a contempt citation. The city obfuscated for more than a year about those guns, by which time they were in such disrepair that they were worthless. Even after the case was finally settled, New Orleans authorities seemed to drag their feet. Upon investigation, many of the guns were found to have been deliberately damaged.
The FBI is understandably mum on where this investigation may lead; the agency does not discuss on-going cases. The fear is that this civil rights probe will stop with the two fatal shooting incidents, and that those responsible for what authors Gordon Hutchinson and Todd Masson called The Great New Orleans Gun Grab will escape accountability.
In the wake of the Katrina debacle, which SAF founder Alan Gottlieb called a “Constitutional outrage,” several state legislatures adopted laws that specifically prohibit the kind of gun confiscations that occurred. Over the past four years, I’ve heard from various street cops and even a couple of county sheriffs who would, they promise, ignore such orders if they were ever given.
What happened in New Orleans must never again be allowed to happen on American soil.
As NRA’s Wayne LaPierre is quick to remind people when asked what they should do in case of another disaster, “Remember New Orleans.”
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Comments
Dave, what have you been smoking... you really think Obama and/or Holder give a damn about US gun owners rights or most of our other enumerated rights? Now if the FBI gun grabbers were with the CIA in Afghanistan or Iraq and the gun owners were known terrorists... well then it would be a cause for concern for this admininstration to intervene and as you put it to demonstrate beyond a reasonable doubt their respect and concern for the rights of the Moose Limb victims. Hope to see you in Saint Louis in a few weeks.
to view a partial list of crimes committed by FBI agents over 1500 pages long see
forums.signonsandiego.com/showthread.php?t=59139
to view a partial list of FBI agents arrested for pedophilia see
dallasnews.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=3574
Smells like the beginning of a wonderful whitewash. "New Orleans' finest" did everything they could to protect the civilians.
Sadly, with Obama in the White house, and Eric holder as AG, we cannot reasonably expect this to go anywhere. You can expect to see at most a show of something being done to put off the critics. But as a practical matter, unless State of Louisiana people pursue this it will go no farther than FBI HRT sniper Lon Horiuchi's shooting of Vicky Weaver at Ruby Ridge.
And when we hear and pass on "Remember New Orleans" remember to suggest that people look into their own areas laws. If there's an earthquake in your state, what "emergency powers" does -your- governor get? Because in some places that really does equate to "monarchy" like executive power. In some states it is part of law that police -can- confiscate weapons openly carried. And the time to stop that is -before- that next emergency happens. BK425
Here's a couple of places to start for the citizen/victims to file charges against the JBTs who issued and/or executed those unconstitutional and unlawful orders:
TITLE 18, U.S.C., SECTION 242
Whoever, under color of any law, statute, ordinance, regulation, or custom, willfully subjects any person in any State, Territory, Commonwealth, Possession, or District to the deprivation of any rights, privileges, or immunities secured or protected by the Constitution or laws of the United States, ...
TITLE 18, U.S.C., SECTION 241
If two or more persons conspire to injure, oppress, threaten, or intimidate any person in any State, Territory, Commonwealth, Possession, or District in the free exercise or enjoyment of any right or privilege secured to him by the Constitution or laws of the United States, or because of his having so exercised the same;...
My sentiments are with Charelton Heston and Clint Eastwood.
Fool me once...
I won't hold my breath for Obama and Holder to step forward to support the Second Amendment! On the contrary, they support confiscation. They will keep their mouths shut, hoping no one will bring up the subject. That California patrolman should be prosecuted. He's a discredit to his profession, as well as anti-Second Amendment. Reprobate is a good term for him!
BAsed on the length of time that they waited to START ANY investigation, IT IS OBVIOUS that they were HOPING THAT MOST PEOPLE INVOLVED WOULD DISAPPEAR OR DIE, so as to AVOID ANY INVESTIGATION!!!
It is WELL KNOWN THAT NEW ORLEANS MAYOR and MANY of its citizens PLANNED THIS BEHAVIOR in ADVANCE!! They knew that flooding would occur on a regular basis, AND THEY ALWAYS LEAVE SCHOOL BUSES TO BE DESTROYED, ALWAYS TELL BLACKS TO LIE AND CLAIM DISCRIMINATION, and DEFRAUD THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OF FEMA FUNDS FOR THE PURPOSE OF REPLACING EVERYDAY ITEMS THAT WERE ALREADY WORN OUT!!!
WE ALL SAW THE ARMY CORPS. OF ENGINEERS GIVE YEARLY STATEMENTS TO the city of NEW ORLEANS EXPLAINING WHAT REPAIRS WERE NEEDED TO BE DONE BY THE CITY, TO THE PUMPING STATIONS!! The city always MADE UP LAME EXCUSES, such as they could not get parts (which were later made by local companies-- THEY WERE AVAILABLE)!!!!
SHOOT MAYOR NAGIN, and all the rest, FOR TREASON AGAINST THE USA!!!!!
The Mayor and the Police Chief at the time had no authority to confiscate firearms. Then they lied about having the firearms. There is term for this, it's called theft. Why aren't these theives and liars in prison?
If this B.Hussein Obama Aministration is allowed to continue as they are going. America as we know it will crumble. Things WILL change during next years elections, but alot of harm can be done until that time. The only bright note is that he will be a one term president. God Bless America!!
Fantastic article, with one glaring exception: "anarchy" is not a synonym for "chaos" or "lawlessness".
I find it sad that the Mayor of New Orleans didn't have the resources to help the citizens of his city. However he did have the resources to send his goons aroung to steal legally owened guns.
everyone involved in that tresonous episode of stealing people's property while trampling their rights needs to be HANGED and the hangings need to be televised!
oops, I really honestly thought I hit the A in treasonous! ooops
This is outrageous. Don't hold your breath waiting for Obama to do the right thing. He is too busy chasing the CIA down for abusing terrorist. He doesn't have time for administrative and police abuse in New Orleans. His past voting record as an Illinois senator actually shows that he agrees with what was done in New Orleans. This is going to be a long 4 years.
What have we learned here? The 5th amendment protects us against self-incrimination. When asked anything by the "authorities" keep your pie hole shut. Also, have multiple firearms and keep some of them well hidden. Let them take the easily found ones and reserve the others for later when the thugs arrive. And the news media wonders why gun and ammo sales are through the roof!
Ive heard all about this but what i would like to know because i never heard if the guns were ever returned ,I cant believe that anyone would just say here are my guns ,I seen only a couple people protested
The Thune-Vitter Amendment
With all the publicity about health care and townhall meetings, one aspect of “healthcare” is getting short shrift. I’m talking about self-defense. After all, the first line of defense in healthcare is to prevent assaults on your body.
But, recently, in a 58-39 vote for the Thune-Vitter Amendment, Senators Cantwell and Murray voted “No,”adding their 2 votes to ensure a filibuster could be mounted. This amendment would have allowed concealed-carry permittees to legally carry across state lines, and would have had states recognize such permits much like they do for drivers’ licenses.
Concealed carry permittees have been vetted by the FBI and are, on the whole, the most law-abiding citizens in society.
I’m legal in the state of Washington, but our senators have ensured that when I cross state lines, I may be subjected to prosecution, fines, weapon confiscation, lawyers, conviction, and jail---expensive, time-consuming, and unjustified.
Our anti capitalist-anti American president, future terrorist attacks, illegal aliens, drug gangs, (Mexican and domestic),a battered economy with looming hyperinflation and a few other nightmarish realities have pushed our country to the brink of catastrophie rivaling or surpassing that of the Civil War. Gun grabbing elected and appointed officials compromise the ability of U.S. citizens to defend their lives and homes and if tolerated, are likely to facilitate episodes of carnage on our soil.
My hope is that millions more legally qualified Americans will acquire firearms of all types,display them when appropriate, sequester them when prudent, and restore the sense of normalacy to gun ownership in the crime ridden Dreg States and Cities of America.
Fear the government that fears your guns!
None of this intended to take anything away from the many who did in fact risk their lives to save the lives of others.
As an aside, anyone but me wonder why someone in government didn’t think to have airdropped into the flooded disaster zones what nearly everyone desperately needed and could surely have used--
Inflatable rafts?
Just curious.
When National Guard units and other law-enforcement agencies became involved, some of the over-trained and under-brained set out on their assigned ‘mission’ and acted as an armed mob ‘following orders’ to disarm anyone with a gun.
What a pathetic, but nevertheless highly-revelatory testament to what the citizen can expect from gov't.
Speculation has it that minions from various alphabet agencies still hold trophy souvenir guns stolen from citizens. I don’t doubt it.
Beyond the various and sundry other crimes committed, every gov’t official involved with theft, ( and there were many ) receiving and harboring stolen property, especially Norleans locals (since it’s already known who they are) should have already been charged, arrested, tried and sentenced for their crimes.
That they haven’t been, clearly confirms that government picks and chooses what laws to enforce, who to prosecute and who to allow to break the law with no penalties whatsoever.
When the disaster occurred, the mayor and the chief of police, both having a fair idea of what could happen when chaos became the order of the day,--panicked.
Aspects of the nature and character of individuals comprising local law-enforcement officers quickly became evident.
From reports read;
Some of the local LEOS gave in to their sense of futility and abandoned their posts.
Others set out in earnest to do their job to protect and serve,
and tried in earnest to establish some semblance of order.
Other local LEOS became opportunists taking full advantage of the chaos, joined the looters and helped themselves to free merchandise.
Some of the so-proclaimed elite among the local LEOS teamed-up against the citizens and proved beyond the shadow of any doubt the only separation between them and the worst of the common street thugs was a badge and a gun.
Just for the record in case nobody remembers, agents of government disarming law abiding U.S. citizens is an act of war.
No one can argue the agents weren’t breaking the most sacred law there is between government and the people.
Anyone thinking gun owners aren’t peaceable people might think on why at least some of these agents didn’t get shot.
Far as we know no one’s signed a truce yet, and the ones responsible are still walking around as if nothing happened.
Read somewhere at the time that the man in charge of the U.S. Military was asked if U.S. troops were participating in the disarmament of civilians. He said no, that was a civil matter and they were there to distribute water and do other things. Good man.
What will the scenario be next time?
Dave Workman, no need to bring the FBI in to do an invetigation on who issued the order.
It was done with the tacit consent of Nagin, even if Compass' lips moved and HE verbally issued the order.
Both are culpable.
Remember the Holocaust - while Himmler was the architect, he had Hitler's blessing.
So it is with the New Orleans gun confiscation.
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