National Rifle Association

The National Rifle Association, or NRA, is a highly organized 501(c)(4) group for gun promotion in the United States. It sponsors firearm safety training courses, as well as shooting skills and sports. The organization is sometimes considered to be the most powerful single non-profit organization in the United States and was established in New York in 1871 as the 'American Rifle Association'. It often refers to itself as the oldest civil rights organization in the U.S., defining gun ownership as a civil right protected by the Second Amendment of the Bill of Rights.

The NRA and New Orleans Gun Confiscation

In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, multiple reports of confiscations of civilian weapons by law enforcement began coming out of New Orleans. Warrantless weapon searches of evacuees were carried out prior to allowing them into evacuation centers http://www.khou.com/news/local/houstonmetro/stories/khou050902_mh_domelatest.1aad400d.html, house-to-house weapon confiscations were reported http://www.columbiatribune.com/2005/Sep/20050909News015.asp http://www.fortwayne.com/mld/journalgazette/12600933.htm, and the superintendent of police was quoted as saying "only law enforcement are allowed to have weapons" http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/news/articles/0909katrina09.html.

Related Topics:
Hurricane Katrina - New Orleans

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

On September 12, 2005, National Rifle Association executive vice-president Wayne LaPierre spoke out against these confiscations. "What we?ve seen in Louisiana - the breakdown of law and order in the aftermath of disaster - is exactly the kind of situation where the Second Amendment was intended to allow citizens to protect themselves, " LaPierre said. The NRA filed suit in the United States District Court for the Eastern District in Louisiana.

Related Topics:
September 12 - 2005

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

On September 23, the court issued a restraining order barring any further gun confiscations.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~