Twenty years ago, as the residents of New Orleans were reeling in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans Mayor C. Ray Nagin and Police Superintendent P. Edwin Compass III ordered law enforcement officers to seize lawfully owned firearms from civilians stating at the time “Only law enforcement will be allowed to have guns.”
The Second Amendment Foundation, along with the National Rifle Association, filed suit against the city and, 20 years ago today, were granted a consent order forcing law enforcement to immediately stop confiscating firearms. Thanks to the continued work of SAF and the NRA after Katrina, President George W. Bush signed the Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, which included provisions prohibiting the seizure of legally owned firearms during emergencies.
“In the aftermath of one of the worse natural disasters this country has ever seen, the mayor and law enforcement in New Orleans unthinkably decided to go door-to-door confiscating firearms when citizens needed them most,” said SAF founder and Executive Vice President Alan M. Gottlieb. “This case serves as a great reminder of why SAF must continue its critical work. The Second Amendment rights of American citizens cannot be wiped away just because a handful of people want to disarm a population.”
In the 20 years since the unthinkable Second Amendment violation in New Orleans, SAF continues to fight those who wish to trample our right to keep and bear arms. The organization currently has more than 50 active lawsuits across the nation challenging unconstitutional firearms regulations such as “assault weapon” bans, magazine capacity bans, young adult carry laws, “sensitive places” restrictions, red flag laws without due process protection, and many, many more.
Most notably, SAF and its partners recently filed suit challenging the constitutionality of the National Firearms Act and have petitioned the Supreme Court to review two cases challenging an “assault weapons” ban and the 18-20 handgun purchase prohibition.
“The New Orleans firearms confiscation fiasco is a perfect example of why SAF continues to work across the nation to defend, secure and restore our Second Amendment rights,” said SAF Executive Director Adam Kraut. “We want to make certain constitutional violations like what happened after Katrina are never repeated. In the past 20 years we have secured numerous victories, but there is still much work to do. All it takes is to look at our more than 50 active cases to see that there are those in this nation who wish to make the Second Amendment a second-class right, and we will continue to fight to ensure that doesn’t happen.”
As a comparison for the anti-gun… such firearm confiscation by a government entity is the same horrendous thing to 2A rights gun owners as it would be If they went door to door confiscating left wingers. Both are very grevious and hostile violent acts of tyranny and intentional violation of constitutional rights.
“…as it would be If they went door to door confiscating left wingers. Both are very grevious and hostile violent acts of tyranny and intentional violation of constitutional rights.”
Far too dangerous to be released, they should be humanely euthanized with a round to the base of the skull, and grieved like a four year old would grieve a dead goldfish.
(If that’s appropriate ‘humor’ for Jimmy Kimmel to broadcast on the air, it’s funny enough for me… 🙂 )
Hey, Geoff……..,
Excellent dark humor!
.40,
As usual, agree.
My buddy, Barley, says “When the Founders included the 2nd Amendment, they did s7o knowing we would continually have to defend it”.
I have several very small guns. Very easy to hide. Because the time may come when that is necessary.
And they can be used to get larger more effective guns. If that sadly all comes to that.
A survival firearm is I think a necessary investment.