September 10, 2005
Gun Confiscation in Louisiana
This past week Louisiana officials began taking registered firearms from law-abiding citizens.
"Taking" and "confiscating" are euphemisms for stealing. City officials are arguing that taking firearms away is necessary to restore order. I haven't had a knee-jerk reaction, but I do consider it interesting on a lot of levels.
Much of the order was restored by these same gun toting citizens... but now the officials will dictate their version of order! Where were these same officials a few days ago... not doing their jobs... that is apparent!
Federal law 18 USC § 241. "Conspiracy against rights", The Gist: If two or more people conspire to injure, oppress, threaten or intimidate any person in the free exercise or enjoyment of any right or privilege secured under the Constitution or laws of the United States, they shall be fined, or imprisoned up to ten years, or both. The same penalty applies if two or more people go, in disguise, on the highway, or on the premises of a person, with similar intent to prevent or hinder such rights or privileges.
If death results from such acts, or if such acts include kidnapping, attempted kidnapping, aggravated sexual assault, attempted aggravated sexual assault, or an attempt to kill, they may be fined, imprisoned for any term of years up to life, or put to death.
What's ironic about this is that firearm ownership is most needed in times where reason sleeps. Indeed, just a few days ago the police were part of the lawlessness.
State and federal officials argue that because there isn't any order, only the police may have guns. But those same officials were responsible for the Katrina-related aftermath. The same government responsible for the carnage now expects Louisiana citizens to surrender their right to self-defense on "Trust us" grounds. How deliciously ironic!
What's also funny is that the ACLU is nowhere to be found.
If the government censored speech or separated people by race, arguing both were necessary to preserve order, the ACLU would be outraged.
Here, the government is infringing on a constitutional right in a concrete way: Where is the ACLU?
The recent government action is a scary precedent. One commentator aptly noted, "We are all living just 72 hours from the 18th century."
The gun-confiscation order showed us that we are all living one natural disaster away from martial law. I learned that there is a federal law, "18 USC 241" that provides a ten-year prison sentence for anyone who interferes with, and I'm quoting, "the free exercise or enjoyment of any right or privilege secured to him by the Constitution or laws of the United States."
Where do you think Louisiana Senators would stand on indicting the apparently illegal gun confiscators? Would Louisiana Senators support disarming the public during emergencies? Apparently so.
The aftermath of the hurricane has featured prominent stories of citizens legitimately defending lives and property.
New Orleans lies on the north side of the Mississippi River, and the city of Algiers is on the south. The Times-Picayune detailed how dozens of neighbors in one part of Algiers had formed a militia.
After a car-jacking and an attack on a home by looters, the neighborhood recognized the need for a common defense; they shared firearms, took turns on patrol, and guarded the elderly. Although the initial looting had resulted in a gun battle, once the patrols began, the militia never had to fire a shot.
As happened in the riots of Los Angeles, likewise in the Garden District of New Orleans, one of the city's top tourist attractions, was protected by armed residents.
The good gun-owning citizens of New Orleans and the surrounding areas ought to be thanked for helping to save some of their city after Mayor Nagin, incoherent and weeping, had fled to Baton Rouge. These same citizens are being victimized by a new round of home invasions and looting. This time by their own government, these government organized gun collection teams search houses solely for the purpose of firearms confiscation.
Thanks,
iBear
Gun Confiscation in Louisiana
This past week Louisiana officials began taking registered firearms from law-abiding citizens.
"Taking" and "confiscating" are euphemisms for stealing. City officials are arguing that taking firearms away is necessary to restore order. I haven't had a knee-jerk reaction, but I do consider it interesting on a lot of levels.
Much of the order was restored by these same gun toting citizens... but now the officials will dictate their version of order! Where were these same officials a few days ago... not doing their jobs... that is apparent!
Federal law 18 USC § 241. "Conspiracy against rights", The Gist: If two or more people conspire to injure, oppress, threaten or intimidate any person in the free exercise or enjoyment of any right or privilege secured under the Constitution or laws of the United States, they shall be fined, or imprisoned up to ten years, or both. The same penalty applies if two or more people go, in disguise, on the highway, or on the premises of a person, with similar intent to prevent or hinder such rights or privileges.
If death results from such acts, or if such acts include kidnapping, attempted kidnapping, aggravated sexual assault, attempted aggravated sexual assault, or an attempt to kill, they may be fined, imprisoned for any term of years up to life, or put to death.
What's ironic about this is that firearm ownership is most needed in times where reason sleeps. Indeed, just a few days ago the police were part of the lawlessness.
State and federal officials argue that because there isn't any order, only the police may have guns. But those same officials were responsible for the Katrina-related aftermath. The same government responsible for the carnage now expects Louisiana citizens to surrender their right to self-defense on "Trust us" grounds. How deliciously ironic!
What's also funny is that the ACLU is nowhere to be found.
If the government censored speech or separated people by race, arguing both were necessary to preserve order, the ACLU would be outraged.
Here, the government is infringing on a constitutional right in a concrete way: Where is the ACLU?
The recent government action is a scary precedent. One commentator aptly noted, "We are all living just 72 hours from the 18th century."
The gun-confiscation order showed us that we are all living one natural disaster away from martial law. I learned that there is a federal law, "18 USC 241" that provides a ten-year prison sentence for anyone who interferes with, and I'm quoting, "the free exercise or enjoyment of any right or privilege secured to him by the Constitution or laws of the United States."
Where do you think Louisiana Senators would stand on indicting the apparently illegal gun confiscators? Would Louisiana Senators support disarming the public during emergencies? Apparently so.
The aftermath of the hurricane has featured prominent stories of citizens legitimately defending lives and property.
New Orleans lies on the north side of the Mississippi River, and the city of Algiers is on the south. The Times-Picayune detailed how dozens of neighbors in one part of Algiers had formed a militia.
After a car-jacking and an attack on a home by looters, the neighborhood recognized the need for a common defense; they shared firearms, took turns on patrol, and guarded the elderly. Although the initial looting had resulted in a gun battle, once the patrols began, the militia never had to fire a shot.
As happened in the riots of Los Angeles, likewise in the Garden District of New Orleans, one of the city's top tourist attractions, was protected by armed residents.
The good gun-owning citizens of New Orleans and the surrounding areas ought to be thanked for helping to save some of their city after Mayor Nagin, incoherent and weeping, had fled to Baton Rouge. These same citizens are being victimized by a new round of home invasions and looting. This time by their own government, these government organized gun collection teams search houses solely for the purpose of firearms confiscation.
Thanks,
iBear
