Thursday, September 08, 2005

You Knew This Was Coming, Right?

From today's NYT:
New Orleans Begins Confiscating Firearms as Water Recedes

NEW ORLEANS, Sept. 8 - Waters were receding across this flood-beaten city today as police officers began confiscating weapons, including legally registered firearms, from civilians in preparation for a mass forced evacuation of the residents still living here.

No civilians in New Orleans will be allowed to carry pistols, shotguns or other firearms, said P. Edwin Compass III, the superintendent of police. "Only law enforcement are allowed to have weapons," he said.

But that order apparently does not apply to hundreds of security guards hired by businesses and some wealthy individuals to protect property. The guards, employees of private security companies like Blackwater, openly carry M-16's and other assault rifles. Mr. Compass said that he was aware of the private guards, but that the police had no plans to make them give up their weapons.
Ole P. Edwin Compass III runs one hell of a ship, doesn't he? Maybe 200 (or more) of his officers walk off the Job at one time or another during their city's biggest crisis in its history; television has all this video of his officers standing around while people loot and arm gangs pillage in the street; then when the feds finally step in and get control of the street, he pops up and starts confiscating legal guns from some of those same people who used those guns to protect themselves and their neighbors when his police force failed.

Maybe P.E.C. III should consider doing something really useful...let me think a minute here...oh, like resigning!