John, The Head

While, generally, I’m not a big fan of the NRA, they have done something in recent times that I agree with. When the Mayor of New Orleans, Ray Nagin, decided that it would be a good idea for the NOPD to go door to door to confiscate everyone’s firearms, the NRA filed suit to stop and reverse this injustice. The NRA won. Ray Nagin was ordered to return the firearms.

The prospect of a municipal leader disarming me is frightening to say the least. Typically, an ordinance that would make it illegal to possess a firearm in a city would have to be passed by the city council. Not aware of the laws of the State of Louisiana, but aware of the laws of the State of Texas, I could say that this could never (legally) happen in Texas. State law prohibits a municipality from banning the possession of firearms.

My thoughts on this whole subject are tumultuous at best. I do not know what I would do if a police officer showed up at my door to confiscate my legally owned firearms. I would have many options available, none of which are pleasant.

First, I could simply lie and tell him that I don’t have any. It would be hard to deny, though, since there would probably be one on my hip at the time.

Second, I could refuse. This could lead to several outcomes. The officer could just say, “Okay, have a nice day, sir,” and walk away. Doubtful. He could insist, and perhaps use force (more likely) to secure the weapon.

Now, this officer is probably just doing his job. He may or may not know that he is effecting the usurpation of my civil rights. This officer has probably been awake too long, not had enough to eat, and wishes that he were at home with his wife and children, and for the moment we’ll give him the benefit of the doubt, that he did not participate in looting with other members of the New Orleans Police Department. He just knows that his supervisor told him to go out and gather up people’s guns. Not being familiar with the standards of training for the NOPD, I cannot say to what extent they are trained in the concept of safeguarding the rights of citizens as opposed to violating them. I can say that I would have a very hard time dealing with the situation. I have absolutely no desire to harm a peace officer who honestly believes he is doing his job. I also have absolutely no desire to have my rights torn away from me, as if I were a convicted felon. Are your rights worth shedding blood over? Some would say no, but our founding fathers would perhaps disagree. My father, a wise man, has said on more than one occasion, “The only rights that we have are the ones that we insist on.” He was right about that. Would I be able to take the life of a public servant in order to protect my rights under the second amendment? Doubtful. Would I throw a little smack down? More than likely.

So, what’s the answer to this? I haven’t read the entire text of 18 USC, but I think that, somehow, the answer may lie there. 18 USC is the law under which the federal government prosecutes those who violate an individuals civil rights. I think that Mayor Ray Nagin, and his police chief, should be prosecuted under this law. By confiscating, without cause, without due process of law, all of the firearms that were known to exist in the city, they violated the civil rights of those individuals. They deserve to be punished for that, as surely as if they had arbitrarily beaten a homeless man with a baton.

I understand the strain and stress that Nagin and his chief of police must be experiencing. Finding out that a significant portion of your police department was possessed of sub standard moral fiber, learning that you had significantly fewer police officers to protect the streets than was needed, and trying to deal with the general situation is a difficult prospect at best. I will not spend time trying to find fault with every action that they have taken, because I did not lace their boots up onto my feet when I awoke this morning. I will say, however, that the total disregard for the rights of the residents of New Orleans is reprehensible. There was absolutely no excuse for that type of conduct, and they either knew it, or should have known it. That sort of despotic behavior is criminal.

I cannot begin to imagine the mental process that must have taken place in order for them to arrive at the conclusion that the only option was to disarm the public. One of the things that makes this country great is her armed citizenry. It saddens me to no end that such an injustice can take place in my beloved country.

Oorah

-Head