Following are excerpts of an article by NRA Executive Vice President Wayne LaPierre published in the January issue of
American Rifleman, official publication of the National Rifle Association:

In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, TV news brought images of chaos and anarchy into millions of American homes. The storm surge of violence was profoundly frightening to all of us. It could happen anywhere when catastrophe strikes.

Yet amid all that chaos, the media also brought the ultimate voice of misplaced authority in New Orleans - P. Edwin Compass (now long gone), the superintendent of police - issued the edict: "Nobody will be able to be armed. We are going to take all weapons!"

With that, Americans saw television images of ordinary, law-abiding people just like themselves, being held at the point of automatic rifles. We saw video images of doors of homes being pushed in by police and guardsmen with orders to disarm residents. And we saw images of burly California Highway Patrol troopers body slamming an elderly woman who showed them an antique pistol she proudly said she would use to defend herself and her home.

LaPierre continues: In defending the rights of Louisiana citizens, NRA marched into federal court and successfully sought immediate relief for gun owners who had been disarmed. Our filings asked the court "to vindicate the constitutional rights of the law abiding citizens of Louisiana to keep and bear arms to protect themselves from criminal violence....."With our motions before him, United States District Court Judge Jay Zainey prohibited further gun confiscations by the government and ordered the return of seized firearms to their lawful owners".

LaPierre continues: Gun-ban bureaucrats must never be empowered to seize firearms from peaceable citizens in the lawless days after any disaster strikes.

To stop such civil disarmament - the greatest threat of all - will require massive NRA member pressure at every level of government. In these upcoming legal and legislative battles, our battle cry must be REMEMBER NEW ORLEANS! Never ever forget!

I can only add, AMEN! <img src="/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" />