www.gunowners.org/pr0505.htm

For Immediate Release
September 9, 2005
Contact: Ellie McDaniel
703-321-8585

"Simply outrageous!"

That was the reaction from Erich Pratt, Director of Communications for Gun Owners of America, after learning that the city of New Orleans had begun confiscating legally-owned firearms from New Orleans' residents.

"By what authority can the mayor order these confiscations?" Pratt said. "You can't legitimately suspend the God-given rights of American citizens who have committed no crimes.

"These confiscations will not make the people of New Orleans any safer. Privately owned firearms were the only thing which prevented good people from becoming victims in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, when few policemen were to be found anywhere in the city.

"There have been many stories of self-defense, where stranded survivors were able to use firearms to protect what little they had, against the criminal thugs who had been released from the prisons. To take away their firearms now is simply adding 'insult to injury.'

"Unfortunately, we have yet to learn the lessons from previous dark episodes in our recent history," Pratt said. "We need to remember those lessons, such as the riots of Los Angeles more than a decade ago."

For several days in 1992, Los Angeles was in complete turmoil as stores were looted and burned. Motorists were dragged from their cars and beaten. As in New Orleans, police in L.A. were very slow in responding to the crisis. Many Guardsmen, after being mobilized to the affected areas, sat by and watched the violence because their rifles were low on ammunition.

"But not everybody in Los Angeles suffered," Pratt said. "In some of the hot spots, Korean merchants were able to successfully protect their stores with semi-automatic firearms. In areas where armed citizens banded together for self-protection, their businesses were spared while others -- which were left unprotected -- burned to the ground."

Interestingly, press reports in the aftermath of the riots described how life-long gun control supporters were running to gun stores to buy an item they never thought they would need -- a gun. Tragically, they were surprised (and outraged!) to learn there was a 15-day waiting period upon firearms.

"Will we never learn?" Pratt said. "It is a fact that firearms save millions of lives every year. So if Mayor Ray Nagin really wanted to help the decent citizens of New Orleans, he would be issuing them firearms instead of taking them away. Nagin's actions will put people in further jeopardy -- and if one citizen dies in New Orleans because he was deprived of the ability to defend himself or his family, there will be blood on the Mayor's hands."

GOA is already looking to draft legislation at both the state and federal level to preclude authorities from imposing ANY firearms restrictions during emergency response activities. Please stay tuned for further updates.

-- GOA --

Erich Pratt is the Director of Communications for Gun Owners of America, a national gun lobby with over 300,000 members located at 8001 Forbes Place, Springfield, VA 22151 and at http://www.gunowners.org on the web.

He is the author of a forthcoming civil government textbook, The Constitutional Recipe for Freedom: Twelve Principles of Liberty Today’s Politicians Don’t Want You to Know.

Either Erich Pratt or another GOA spokesman is available for press interviews.

As well they should!!!!!!!!!!!!!

outstanding!! now they need to offer their support to the tens of thousands of new gun owners that the refugees have "created".  

BRAVO!!!

Police weren't slow to act during the Rodney King riots, they were overwhelmed. Bad analogy.

finally someone is saying it, I think it's time I gave GOA some money


ETA, fuck it I bought a membership and donated.

Does someone have pictures of the Korean store owners with their firearms?

Those pictures really tickle my fancy, I think the one I saw showed a guy with a 7.62 caliber HK

Jews For The Preservation of Firearms Ownership, Inc. have also come out with a brief alert:

www.jpfo.org/alert20050909.htm

September 9, 2005
IF YOU DON'T LIKE THE TRUTH,
DON'T READ THIS ALERT!
"Police Begin Seizing Guns of Civilians - Local police officers began confiscating weapons from civilians in preparation for a forced evacuation of the last holdouts..."

It sounds like a headline from _Unintended Consequences_. But it's happening now -- today -- in New Orleans. Law enforcement officials are confiscating the legally-owned firearms from law-abiding citizens without due process, without warrants, and without cause, leaving their owners utterly defenseleses and at the mercy of looters and thugs.

According to an article in the New York Times (http://tinyurl.com/9ot44), the police superintendent P. Edwin Compass III decreed that no civilians in New Orleans will be allowed to carry firearms of any kind, even if they possess permits to do so. "Only law enforcement are allowed to have weapons," he said.

(Well, not quite. The New Orleans police department will not be confiscating the weapons of private security personnel, guaranteeing that only those wealthy enough to afford a private bodyguard can be assured of protection).

Second Amendment advocates have long warned that such confiscations would undoubtedly occur in the event of major catastrophe. That they were right is not a surprise. Sadly, neither is the fact that few gun owners have resisted the confiscations.

Over the years, Americans have become increasingly ignorant about what rights they really have. Inalienable, individual rights have given way to "junk rights" -- privileges to be granted or withheld at the whim of the government. So if the government demands that they give up their guns, it's only natural that they should comply. The police officers and soldiers who are confiscating the firearms are either equally ignorant about citizens' rights ... or _simply don't care_ about following unConstitutional orders.

We've stated repeatedly that we must restore a Bill of Rights culture in this country. Until the populace knows all of its rights _and insist those rights be respected_ , the "brown-shirting" now in New Orleans will only get worse.

{EDITED TO REMOVE ADVERTISEMENT}

We MUST educate our fellow citizens about the Bill of Rights, or what's happening in New Orleans today probably will happen in your town tomorrow.

Wanna bet the brownshirts aren't lusting to do it?

- The Liberty Crew

Quoted: finally someone is saying it, I think it's time I gave GOA some money

The NRA actually takes the time to verify facts before they go jumping up and down criticizing every offical.  That's the difference between the NRA and the other groups...the NRA actually works with people to get things done...instead of just standing on the sidelines yelling at everyone about everything they like while accomplishing nothing.  The NRA always takes a couple days to prepare a response...so they get it right.

Unless you tell me you all of a sudden believe every single word a reporter wrote about guns...it's better to check your facts first.

And the NRA said what ??

Form the Oregon Firearms Federation:

OFF ALERT 9/08/05
No Jokes. Gun Confiscation Begins In New Orleans.



The New York Times is reporting that the "authorities" are confiscating  
legally owned firearms in New Orleans.

<http://www.nytimes.com/2005/09/08/national/nationalspecial/08cnd-
storm.html?
hp&ex=1126238400&en=efe0a58b7fc8e12c&ei=5094&partner=homepage>

This link may require registration, so if you cannot see it, let us  
know and we will send you the story as a PDF,

The top of the story reads as follows:

" NEW ORLEANS, Sept. 8 - 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."


This is madness. The "authorities" have shown no ability to deal with  
this crisis and now want to disarm people in a place where dangerous  
criminals have been freed and packs of thugs wander at will.

The "authorities" however, are not disarming everyone. The Times goes  
on to report:

"But that order apparently does not apply to hundreds of security  
guards hired by businesses and some wealthy individuals to protect  
property. The guards, employees of private security companies like  
Blackwater, openly carry M-16's and other assault rifles. Mr. Compass  
said that he was aware of the private guards, but that the police had  
no plans to make them give up their weapons."

Gun owners have often been accused of being "paranoid."  Clearly, their  
fears have been realized.

And now we are facing the appointment of two new Supreme Court Justices  
who will be able to have a profound effect on our gun rights for years  
to come.

Please, don't ignore the lesson from New Orleans. Disasters can happen  
anywhere. Prepare yourself.

Quoted: And the NRA said what ??

All it takes is a press release to impress you guys?

Geez Louise...

While I'd like for the NRA to do the same, if all you want is a press release to make you happy...  

Edit: I did like this though:

GOA is already looking to draft legislation at both the state and federal level to preclude authorities from imposing ANY firearms restrictions during emergency response activities. Please stay tuned for further updates.

Whoever's first on this one, the rest of the gun rights groups should pile on...

I will deffinetly have to contribute to the GOA for that.

Quoted: I will deffinetly have to contribute to the GOA for that.

+1 nice to see an orginization is doing something.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Quoted: I will deffinetly have to contribute to the GOA for that. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- +1 nice to see an orginization is doing something.

Do what? What have they done to stop the National Guard from taking firearms?

Email responses coming in from the NRA

Thank you for contacting the NRA-ILA. Numerous media sources are reporting on an apparent campaign by New Orleans city authorities to confiscate lawfully-owned firearms from people in the city. Louisiana statute does grant the government, during a state of emergency, broad powers in regulating and controlling firearms.
However, we have seen not just with Hurricane Katrina, but other similar situations, that when police are unable to control the criminal element, people turn to the one freedom that protects all others-the Second Amendment.

While one can certainly understand the dire predicaments of all those affected by Hurricane Katrina, as we have learned throughout history, campaigns to disarm the lawful do nothing to disarm the criminal. And in truth, these restrictions make citizens less safe. Despite the valiant efforts of many law enforcement officers and rescue workers, too many of those left in the wake of Katrina are ultimately responsible for their own security and safety and that of their families and loved ones; especially when communication is virtually non-existent and police can't be quickly summoned to respond to calls for help. At these times, lawful gun ownership is paramount to personal safety.

Of course, the entire situation in New Orleans is constantly in flux. But rest assured NRA is monitoring this situation very closely and will address any activity by the government that unduly infringes upon the rights of lawful gun owners at the appropriate time. As we learn more, we will report to our members accordingly. In the interim, however, we join with all Americans in offering our thoughts, prayers, and assistance to the victims and survivors of this terrible natural disaster.

Sincerely,

Amanda Millward

But rest assured NRA is monitoring this situation very closely and will address any activity by the government that unduly infringes upon the rights of lawful gun owners at the appropriate time.

If you were waiting for the opportune moment, that was it.

Cool.  I see that the GOA, JPFO, and the Oregon group are doing the same thing as the NRA, exactly nothing.  I will give the first 3 groups credit for better inflamatory rhetoric than the NRA, though.

Who has called the superintendent and DEMANDED that he rescind his order?  No one.

Who has called the Governor or Mayor and demanded that the order be rescinded?  No one.

Who has called the feds?  No one.

Who has filed a class action lawsuit on behalf of the law-abiding citizens of New Orleans who are being denied their Second Amendment rights?  Right again.  No one.

Why?