The Other Legacy of New Orleans
Published February 03, 2006
Wayne LaPierre of the National Rifle Association made a pretty remarkable speech in the aftermath of the gun seizures which promoted the rallying cry 'remember New Orleans' as a response to those who would argue against gun owners rights.
The next time anyone says to you: 'Are you just afraid or paranoid?' Look them straight in the eye and say: Remember New Orleans.If they ask you, 'Why does anyone need to own a gun?' Remember New Orleans.
If they say to you, "Why does anyone need a high-capacity magazine?" Look them straight in the eye and say: Remember New Orleans.
What's wrong with a 15-day waiting period? Remember New Orleans.
What makes you think the government would ever confiscate your gun? Remember New Orleans.
Is the second amendment relevant in the 21st Century? Remember New Orleans.
Texas State Representative Suzanna Gratia-Hupp summed up the battle we're faced with when she said "How a politician stands on the Second Amendment tells you how he or she views you as an individual... as a trustworthy and productive citizen, or as part of an unruly crowd that needs to be lorded over, controlled, supervised, and taken care of." A great reminder of why those in power really want to control gun ownership despite the pretexts they swear by.
I hope that as time passes we'll all remember New Orleans and the lesson it should teach us. The next time a politician comes to you and asks for your vote and your money, think about where they stand on your right to defend your home and your family, and about whether they would have stood with you or against you if you'd been there in New Orleans during hurricane Katrina.
Dave Nalle has been a magazine editor, freelance writer, capitol hill staffer, game designer and taught college history for many years. He is an activist for libertarianism within the Republican party. He now designs fonts for a living and lives with his family just outside Austin. You can find his writings on politics and culture at Republic of Dave, on conspiracy theories at IdiotWars and on design and fonts at The Scriptorium.
- The Other Legacy of New Orleans
- Published: February 03, 2006
- Type: Opinion
- Section: Politics
- Writer: Dave Nalle
- Dave Nalle's BC Writer page
- Dave Nalle's personal site
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Pat, check out the video link in the text. It's the first link under 'going house to house'. It shows the national guard going into a wealthy neighborhood where there's no need to evacuate people because there's no flooding, and seizing their firearms for no reason at all. These people were targets of looting and were staying int heir houses at great personal risk. The police had largely abandonned the city, and here come the national guard taking away their one means of defending themselves. Totally outrageous.
Someone hadda be nuts. I'd love to know who gave that order.
Basically, the governor authorized it, but the decision was made by the NO police chief, who has since been removed from his job.
dave
And I might add removed with good reason. If you watch that video there's a really chilling quote from him.
Dave
Wow. I'd missed this story the first time around. Thanks for posting it.
I only posted it last night, Baronius, so you didn't miss it for long. I really should have written it last fall, but in a way it's even more timely now because we've had time to forget about some of the abuses that happened in the wake of Katrina by now.
Dave
Add your comment, speak your mind
(Or ping: http://blogcritics.org/mt/tb/43116)
I'm supposing, not that this makes it right, but I would think that this stupid action was taken to avoid some sort of civil war type of situation in NO.
IE...the cops didn't know who was good who was bad, so the position was to get rid of all firearms held by private citizens lest they get shot while defending their homes and property.
It was, I must agree, a really, really dumb thing. I do recall reading about this but the order was stopped very quickly.
Per the mantra, "remember New Orleans", I'd have to say it while pointing my gun at whoever was trying to take it, warning them to leave the property.
I'll be damn if I'd be there defenseless while hoodlums roamed unfettered and natural disasters left me vulnerable.
Someone hadda be nuts. I'd love to know who gave that order.