| FEMA Record on Gun Rights Not Improving |
|
|
|
| Written by Daniel White | |
| Thursday, 13 October 2005 | |
|
Lead submitted by Tom McNaughton According to an AP story by Kevin McGill, the Federal Emergency Management Agency is now coming under fire from the NRA and Second Amendment Foundation for banning firearms at temporary housing trailer encampments set up for hurricane Katrina evacuees. Finally, FEMA may actually be reconsidering their position. "We've got attorneys who are looking at that as we speak and they're trying to figure out who wrote the rules, what the intent was," FEMA spokesman Butch Kinerney said. Those of you who have heeded our call and contacted FEMA regarding their outrageous actions appear to be having an effect. Keep up the good work! (Click 'READ MORE' for the entire press release...) Firearms ban at FEMA trailer park has gun rights group up in arms 10/12/2005, 3:20 p.m. CT By KEVIN McGILL The Associated Press BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Amid complaints from gun-rights groups, FEMA said Wednesday it is reconsidering a ban on firearms at emergency housing parks built in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. "We've got attorneys who are looking at that as we speak and they're trying to figure out who wrote the rules, what the intent was," FEMA spokesman Butch Kinerney said. The dispute arose at a nearly 600-trailer encampment that opened last week near Baton Rouge. Katrina evacuees will be allowed to stay there rent-free while they try to find permanent housing. Similar encampments are scattered across the hurricane zone, but this was the first big one to open. The Federal Emergency Management Agency said it has been general policy at FEMA for several years to prohibit guns at such parks anywhere in the country. But the National Rifle Association threatened to sue, and another gun rights group, the Second Amendment Foundation, said it, too, was looking at legal action. "Whether it's a national disaster, whether it's by nature like Katrina, or a flu pandemic or an earthquake, the Constitution can't be thrown out the window," said NRA leader Wayne LaPierre. He said the NRA was outraged, and he warned that the organization would take its case all the way to Congress and president. The East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff's Office had asked that guns be banned at the encampment because the trailers are close together and have thin walls, according to spokesman Deputy Fred Raiford. "If a gun was discharged in any of those trailers, it probably would go through three or four other trailers before it stopped," Raiford said. But FEMA spokesman James McIntyre said guns would have been prohibited even without the Sheriff's Office request. |