Fema Reverses No Guns Policy Following Saf Whistleblowing

[dasmi]

http://www.saf.org/viewpr-new.asp?id=166

For Immediate Release: 10/24/2005

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) today reversed a policy of prohibiting firearm possession in emergency evacuee trailer parks – so-called “FEMA villages” – and other temporary housing provided by the agency. The reversal followed complaints by the Second Amendment Foundation that the original policy violated the Second Amendment civil rights of evacuees and that it was discriminatory as well.

“Victims of natural disasters should not be victimized a second time by FEMA or other relief agencies,” noted Alan Gottlieb, founder of the Second Amendment Foundation. “A citizen doesn’t give up his or her civil rights simply because a disaster strikes.”

The issue first came to light when the News Hour with Jim Lehrer aired an episode about the opening of a “FEMA village” in Baker, Louisiana. In the broadcast a local official noted that guidelines for residents included a “no guns” policy. SAF immediately called the official, then tracked the origin of the policy back to FEMA. Following SAF’s calling attention to the issue with several FEMA officials, the agency’s legal counsel reviewed the policy and suggested the reversal.

The FEMA action follows the successful lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court in Baton Rouge by SAF to prevent the City of New Orleans and nearby parishes from confiscating firearms and forcing the return of those already taken from Hurricane Katrina victims.

“FEMA should have known better after the lessons of New Orleans.” continued Gottlieb. “Protection of homes and businesses fell on the shoulders of private citizens as law enforcement and other emergency services were overwhelmed. We saw this in the Los Angeles riots in 1992 where Korean-American storekeepers guarded their businesses with firearms, as well as the protective use of privately-owned firearms to arm neighborhood patrols in the aftermath of Hurricane Andrew in Florida that same year. One of the purposes of the Second Amendment is to ensure that citizens retain the ability to provide their own security and family safety in the event of any crisis.”

The Second Amendment Foundation (www.saf.org) is the nations oldest and largest tax-exempt education, research, publishing and legal action group focusing on the Constitutional right and heritage to privately own and possess firearms. Founded in 1974, The Foundation has grown to more than 600,000 members and supporters and conducts many programs designed to better inform the public about the consequences of gun control. SAF has previously funded successful firearms-related suits against the cities of Los Angeles; New Haven, CT; and San Francisco on behalf of American gun owners, a lawsuit against the cities suing gun makers and an amicus brief and fund for the Emerson case holding the Second Amendment as an individual right.

 

[Standing Wolf]

“Victims of natural disasters should not be victimized a second time by FEMA or other relief agencies,” noted Alan Gottlieb, founder of the Second Amendment Foundation. “A citizen doesn’t give up his or her civil rights simply because a disaster strikes.”

I predict the next time F.E.M.A. defines policies, people's Second Amendment civil rights will be infringed again. Bets, anyone?

 

[ScottsGT]

I sometimes wonder if anyone at FEMA is even smart enough to turn on a TV or read a newspaper to see what is going on in the country. You would think they are living in a hole and discover the disasters and the outrageous rule violations they are making up is coming from someone at FEMA that took a vacation in a disaster area by accident.

 

[Waitone]

I hope the pro-second amendment community continues to flex its muscles. The ACLU and a large assortment of marxist environmental tribes learned long ago how easy it is to intimidate organizations. It takes one public court action to have an effect that lasts long into the future. Effectiveness wearing off? Throw in another suit and you're good to go.

 

[Andrew Rothman]

The AP even ran a story.

Gun Possession Now OK at FEMA Housing
By KEVIN McGILL, Associated Press Writer

NEW ORLEANS (AP) - Following complaints from gun-rights groups, FEMA said Monday it is lifting a ban on firearms at temporary housing parks built in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.

Under the new federal policy, residents can possess and store firearms. Use of weapons is still prohibited in the parks, said Butch Kinerny, a spokesman for the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Gun rights groups had sought the change, saying the original policy violated Second Amendment protections for gun ownership. Kinerny said FEMA made the change after consulting with lawyers.

FEMA said it has been general policy for several years to prohibit guns at such parks anywhere in the country. But two gun rights groups - the National Rifle Association and Second Amendment Foundation - said they found out about it only this month as a 600-trailer encampment opened near Baton Rouge.

NRA executive vice president Wayne LaPierre praised the change. "It is wrong to force citizens to give up their constitutional rights in order for them to get a needed federal benefit,'' he said in a news release.

Col. Greg Phares, chief sheriff's deputy in Baton Rouge, had asked for a firearms ban at the park.

"I never looked at it, and I don't look at it now, as a Second Amendment issue,'' Phares said Monday. "We had asked for FEMA to say firearms would not be permitted on site, just as you can't bring firearms into the federal building, into the Legislature in Baton Rouge, into an LSU football game.''

Meanwhile, the Red Cross on Monday said about 235,000 Katrina victims are still living in hotels around the country.

The organization also said it is turning administration of the hotel program over to FEMA, which is supposed to be paying for the rooms.

The Red Cross has not yet been reimbursed, spokeswoman Devorah Goldburg said. The total cost of the program was expected to reach between $225 million and $250 million by month's end.

Also Monday, a judge temporarily blocked New Orleans landlords from evicting tenants unless hearings are held in, or very near, the city. The judge acted in a suit filed by community activist groups.

Landlords have been filing eviction suits, saying they have thousands of apartments that could help remedy a severe housing shortage cited as a major obstacle to getting employee-hungry businesses running. Many tenants who fled the region have not contacted their landlords.

Since shortly after Katrina battered the city, the court has been operating in Gonzales, roughly 60 miles west of New Orleans. The suit said thousands of renters do not have personal transportation to Gonzales.

 

[XavierBreath]

One of the problems we are facing though is FEMA will not release info on the evacuees to the CLEO of the parish.

 

[gezzer]

One of the problems we are facing though is FEMA will not release info on the evacuees to the CLEO of the parish.

This is America why should they? Papers please!

 

[svtruth]

2A Issue

Maybe the Deppity didn't see ity as a 2A issue because he can carry in all those places?

 

[HankB]

I predict the next time F.E.M.A. defines policies, people's Second Amendment civil rights will be infringed again.

And I predict the .gov bureaucrat who's responsible will suffer NO repeat NO consequences to his finances, career, or freedom.