The terrible disaster of Hurricane Katrina impacted our entire nation. New Orleans and beyond were permanently changed by the powerful forces of nature. As an engineer, I still don’t get building a city below sea level and then being surprised by water. That is a topic for a different day and one that is legitimate to ask, even in the light of the human tragedy that was this storm. There was something else that happened in the Deep South much more chilling than the storm itself as related to our 2nd Amendment Rights to Bear Arms.
Wayne LaPierre expertly describes the events in the context of the 2nd Amendment. Before these historic happenings of forced disarmament of peaceful, law abiding citizens, we never could have imagined seeing it happening live. To the 2nd Amendment body of rights, the post-Katrina disarmament was far worse than the storm.
LaPierre writes:
“That was a choice that was stolen away from many American citizens in August 2005. When Hurricane Katrina caused devastation along much of the north-central Gulf Coast of the U.S., the most severe loss of life and property damage occurred in New Orleans, which flooded after catastrophic failure of the levee system.
New Orleans became the first venue in America to Disarm its peaceable citizens house by house — at gunpoint. Nothing brought home the sheer terror of it all more than two broadcast video segments: one on ABC News and another on Fox News Channel.”
Here is the link to the ABC News report. Please listen to the statements about disarming as though it is simply part of the job.
http://www.livevideo.com/video/9F01C837D6A44D8BA0C545A26DFC1102/military-disarming-katrina-sur.aspx
This seems wrong doesn’t it. A clear violation of rights and Natural Law. Why did they do this? What were they possible thinking?
LaPierre points out what occurred following this clear and present danger to our rights.:
“NRA is committed to ensuring that innocent Americans always have the means to defend themselves in their homes and neighborhoods. NRA has fought to enact laws to prohibit state and federal authorities from seizing firearms from innocent citizens under a state of emergency due to a natural disaster or terrorist attack.
Within a year of Hurricane Katrina hitting the Gulf Coast, Congress passed NRA-backed Disaster Recovery Personal Protection Act. This bill amended federal emergency laws to prohibit federal, state, and local authorities from confiscating lawfully-owned firearms during emergencies or disasters.”
“Never in America”, you like me would think, until these actions were taken by 5 different government agencies acting in unison to disarm peaceful, law abiding citizens.
What position were these disarmed citizens in when they were disarmed? Did the crimals have the advantage? What is the point of the 2nd Amendment if it isn’t to defend our lives, homes and property?
I am very grateful for the many men and women who fight to protect our rights to bear arms. This right was essential to the Founders and is essential today in a world where disaster can strike quickly due to our interconnectedness. Perhaps the disaster won’t be a storm of nature, but a collapse of the economic system. Is this included in the laws? Will the police be charged to disarm us if the system fails and looting is the only way for the unprepared to obtain food?
Arm yourselves is the voice of the Founders. Arm yourselves to protect your liberty.
God Bless You and God Bless America!
