NRA Sues Mayor Ray Nagin

[brunota2003]

Fairfax, VA-The National Rifle Association (NRA ) has filed a motion for contempt against the City of New Orleans, the mayor and the acting chief of police for failure to comply with a temporary restraining order, handed down September 12, 2005, ordering an end to all illegal gun confiscations.
"With looters, rapists and other thugs running rampant in New Orleans, Ray Nagin issued an order to disarm all law-abiding citizens," declared Wayne LaPierre, NRA executive vice president. "With no law enforcement and 911 available, he left the victims vulnerable by stripping away their only means of defending themselves and their loved ones. Now Ray Nagin thinks he's above the law, and that's just wrong."
Attorneys for NRA have exhausted all efforts to cooperate with the defendants, Mayor Nagin and Chief Riley, who repeatedly ignored the court's permanent restraining order against their illegal gun confiscations.
"Ray Nagin is a colossal disappointment," said Chris W. Cox, NRA chief lobbyist. "During a federally declared emergency, he abused his power and abandoned the very people he was sworn to protect. He took away the victims' freedom and their basic means of self-defense during an ill-fated and perilous time."
The motion also includes an order that all seized firearms must be returned to their rightful owners.
-nra-

Sorry if this ends up being political, will try to stay away from that, its about time someone did something about that mayor... I thought you guys would enjoy the article. We were listening to the news the other day and it sounds like, according to the press, that only New Orleans got hit by Katrina and that was it...it developed over the city and died over the city...oh...how is Waveland and Gulf Port (and everywhere else) coming along? I havent heard any news from there since Mark Sudduth's last visit... (by the way, the NRA is the National Rifle Association, and we get their monthy newsletters and emails from them, their newsletters include articles on PETA, hunting, the right to bear arms infringements that they are tackling...etc)

[TSmith274]

Let me preface this by saying that I am a member of the NRA. But, this suit is ridiculous. Let's not act like we don't know who the city was trying to disarm. It was the criminals and gang members. It needed to be done. And now, the NRA wants the guns returned to their owners. Great... lets give the criminals their guns back. Great idea, NRA. Let's start using a little common sense, please.

[Pearl River]

Yeah, they are also sueing St Tammany Parish too. My brother-in-law works for the sheriff's department. He said those fine upstanding citizens from New Orleans would either walk over to Slidell on the five mile bridge or swim across Lake Pontchartrain, and as soon as they got here, the deputies would take the weapons from them and let them on their way. The NRA is going to step into something they shouldn't.

[Audrey2Katrina]

Agree, I am an NRA supporter; but this sounds kind of crazy.

A2K

[ROCK]

All Im going to say is "right to bear arms."

[Ixolib]

its about time someone did something about that mayor...

Interesting statement...

Thankfully, HE did something about the criminals when he needed to. Something more mayors ought to do.

[brunota2003]

its about time someone did something about that mayor...

Interesting statement...

Thankfully, HE did something about the criminals when he needed to. Something more mayors ought to do.

He didnt evacuate people when he needed to though...and there wouldnt of been enough criminals to cause him to break a constitutional RIGHT to get the situation covered...if I was defending my house, and they walked up to me and took away my only weapons of protection...I would be so mad...he just left the people there...

[Ixolib]

its about time someone did something about that mayor...

Interesting statement...

Thankfully, HE did something about the criminals when he needed to. Something more mayors ought to do.

He didnt evacuate people when he needed to though...and there wouldnt of been enough criminals to cause him to break a constitutional RIGHT to get the situation covered...if I was defending my house, and they walked up to me and took away my only weapons of protection...I would be so mad...he just left the people there...

Well, we could probably debate that issue for years - and probably will. But I believe that no mayor of New Orleans - be it Nagin or anyone else - would have had much of a different result. In my viewpoint of the whole Katrina situation in N.O. and elsewhere is that the "officials" - all of 'em - were simply overwhelmed by the extreme catastrophe brought on by the storm. Obviously, no one had any previous experience in dealing with extremes of this nature, including evacuation.

As for taking away your gun, I'm not sure they were going house to house taking guns from law-abiding citizens. Although I'm not well versed on the particulars of this story, it is my understanding that the guns were taken from those who were deemed as dangerous to the community, i.e., the criminals, thugs, and gangs. If you have a link to the credible news coverage on this, I'd like to have a look.

[TSmith274]

its about time someone did something about that mayor...

Interesting statement...

Thankfully, HE did something about the criminals when he needed to. Something more mayors ought to do.

He didnt evacuate people when he needed to though...and there wouldnt of been enough criminals to cause him to break a constitutional RIGHT to get the situation covered...if I was defending my house, and they walked up to me and took away my only weapons of protection...I would be so mad...he just left the people there...

Well, we could probably debate that issue for years - and probably will. But I believe that no mayor of New Orleans - be it Nagin or anyone else - would have had much of a different result. In my viewpoint of the whole Katrina situation in N.O. and elsewhere is that the "officials" - all of 'em - were simply overwhelmed by the extreme catastrophe brought on by the storm. Obviously, no one had any previous experience in dealing with extremes of this nature, including evacuation.

As for taking away your gun, I'm not sure they were going house to house taking guns from law-abiding citizens. Although I'm not well versed on the particulars of this story, it is my understanding that the guns were taken from those who were deemed as dangerous to the community, i.e., the criminals, thugs, and gangs. If you have a link to the credible news coverage on this, I'd like to have a look.

Ixolib, excellent points. I agree. And, no, guns were not taken from law abiding citizens. Believe me... in south Louisiana, had that happened... there would be hell to pay. These guns were taken from criminals. That's just the truth.

[HoumaLa]

All I know is after Katrina we slept with 2 guns by our beds loaded and ready. With a neice and a sister in law working for the law in forcement couldn't take a chance.
I wouldn't want anyone coming to take them away.

[Lindaloo]

its about time someone did something about that mayor...

Interesting statement...

Thankfully, HE did something about the criminals when he needed to. Something more mayors ought to do.

He didnt evacuate people when he needed to though...and there wouldnt of been enough criminals to cause him to break a constitutional RIGHT to get the situation covered...if I was defending my house, and they walked up to me and took away my only weapons of protection...I would be so mad...he just left the people there...

You saved me the trouble of typing. Well said!

[Pearl River]

ROCK wrote

All Im going to say is "right to bear arms."

There is a difference between "right to bear arms" and convicted felons possessing "arms". It's called "Illegal".

[stormcrow]

it the NRA what more can you say.

[ROCK]

ROCK wrote

All Im going to say is "right to bear arms."

There is a difference between "right to bear arms" and convicted felons possessing "arms". It's called "Illegal".

I didn't know that....thanks for clearing that up.

[Pearl River]

ROCK wrote

Pearl River wrote:
ROCK wrote

Quote:
All Im going to say is "right to bear arms."


There is a difference between "right to bear arms" and convicted felons possessing "arms". It's called "Illegal".



I didn't know that....thanks for clearing that up.

Not a problem. Have a good one.

[SouthFloridawx]

Right to bear arms... except for the convicted felons. I'm sorry i'm not givin up my firearms in time of need for the to protect my family. I'm not a convicted felon.

I just think that hurricane prep. is going to be different from now on or at least i hope it will.

[Lindaloo]

After 9/11 people were buying firearms. The hurricane part makes no difference.

Nagin has enough problems and worries, like getting re-elected.

[southerngale]

But I believe that no mayor of New Orleans - be it Nagin or anyone else - would have had much of a different result. In my viewpoint of the whole Katrina situation in N.O. and elsewhere is that the "officials" - all of 'em - were simply overwhelmed by the extreme catastrophe brought on by the storm. Obviously, no one had any previous experience in dealing with extremes of this nature, including evacuation.

I'm not so sure about another mayor not having much of a different result. Of course there's no way to ever know, but when you have the President of the United States and the director of the National Hurricane Center calling you and begging you to call for an evacuation, and you still wait until Sunday, that's pretty bad. I won't even get into the school buses just sitting there in flood waters after the storm, etc. There should have never been that many people in New Orleans.

[Audrey2Katrina]

. There should have never been that many people in New Orleans.

Absolutely agree. Not with what that thing was just 24 hours before landfall. I know hindsight is 20-20; but foresight is what saves lives, and I feel the lack thereof has done just that in this case.

A2K

[Ixolib]

But I believe that no mayor of New Orleans - be it Nagin or anyone else - would have had much of a different result. In my viewpoint of the whole Katrina situation in N.O. and elsewhere is that the "officials" - all of 'em - were simply overwhelmed by the extreme catastrophe brought on by the storm. Obviously, no one had any previous experience in dealing with extremes of this nature, including evacuation.

I'm not so sure about another mayor not having much of a different result. Of course there's no way to ever know, but when you have the President of the United States and the director of the National Hurricane Center calling you and begging you to call for an evacuation, and you still wait until Sunday, that's pretty bad. I won't even get into the school buses just sitting there in flood waters after the storm, etc. There should have never been that many people in New Orleans.

Wishing I were more schooled in the circumstances of that Saturday & Sunday in N.O., what WERE the reasons for the evacuation being delayed? I mean, Nagin must have been reacting in the way he did for some reason...