D.C. Gun Crackdown Meets Community Resistance

D.C. Gun Crackdown Meets Community Resistance

www.nbc4.com

Police are asking residents to submit to voluntary searches in exchange for amnesty under the District's gun ban. They passed out fliers requesting cooperation on Monday.

The program will begin in a couple of weeks in the Washington Highlands neighborhood of southeast Washington and will later expand to other neighborhoods. Officers will go door to door asking residents for permission to search their homes.

(visit the link for the full news article)

Okay...Seriously...What the hell is going on in the United States right now? ID cards, Tasering like Hotcakes, Airline shock bracelets, Spying on citizens like there's no tomorrow, and now we have cops asking to go door to door in random sweeps to take guns away for no reason! Something is very unsettling in these times...

I seriously hope nobody is stupid enough to actually LET them search their property. Even if you believe the 'amnesty' angle, why on earth would you just want to let them take your protection that YOU PAID FOR away from you?

This is weird.

www.nbc4.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

....as expected, the infamous DimensionalDetective(!) beat me to it, cross-posting these additional quotes from the OP.... seems like the arguments 'heard' in the Supreme Court this past Tuesday are swaying a specific way:

The program will begin in a couple of weeks in the Washington Highlands neighborhood of southeast Washington and will later expand to other neighborhoods. Officers will go door to door asking residents for permission to search their homes.

Police Chief Cathy L. Lanier said the "safe homes initiative" is aimed at residents who want to cooperate with police. She gave the example of parents or grandparents who know or suspect their children have guns in the home.

"Bad idea," said D.C. School Board member William Lockridge. "I think the people should not open your doors under any circumstances, don't even crack your door, unless someone has a warrant for your arrest."

Ron Hampton, of the Black Police Officers Association, said he doesn't expect many in the community to comply.

ap.google.com...
online.wsj.com...

....on the edit: while checking out the 'ol 'program' -- found this in Boston too:

The police department in that Massachusetts city has just launched an initiative that exhibits a cynical disregard for the rights of the citizenry, even as it cleverly cloaks the program in language pretending to protect the people toward whom it is directed. I refer to the “Safe Homes Initiative,” with its slick brochures and smooth rhetoric.

www.ajc.com...




[edit on 24-3-2008 by anhinga]

there's a news piece already posted here:
www.abovetopsecret.com...

since they were identical in timing, I flipped a coin on which to close.

direct all discussion to the aforementioned link.


nevermind, anhinga came here and posted, closing the other.

[edit on 24-3-2008 by Crakeur]

reply to post by DimensionalDetective


...."weird" is an understatement DDetective. Don't you think this could get out-of-hand easily w/ potential 'home invasions' per afoul police?

"If we come across illegal contraband, we will confiscate it," Lanier said. "But amnesty means amnesty. We're trying to get guns and drugs off the street."

Fenty (D) and Lanier announced the plan as part of a new strategy to deal with the prevalence of firearms in a city that has one of the strictest gun control laws in the nation. The Supreme Court will hear arguments next week in a case challenging the constitutionality of the D.C. law.

Residents who agree to the searches will be asked to sign consent forms. If guns are found, they will be tested to determine whether they were used in crimes. If the results are positive, police will launch investigations, which could lead to charges.

Boston police are embarking on a similar program this month. Police in that city have been meeting with residents before the door-to-door effort begins. Philadelphia police are considering such an initiative.

www.washingtonpost.com...
www.abovetopsecret.com...

reply to post by anhinga


Absolutely! They are doing everything to a lesser level that Bush did-Playing up on the murder rates of CRIMINALS to get law-abiding citizens to give up their rights to search and seizure VOLUNTARILY! Just like our gov rammed through through the Patriot act while everyone was living in fear! This is insane!

reply to post by DimensionalDetective


....'great' points, and as per the 'Patriot Act' ref., here's a related clip from a group called the Second Amendment Foundation:

"How dare Mayor Adrian Fenty and Police Chief Cathy Lanier launch this program within days of oral arguments challenging a 31-year-old extremist gun law that has already been declared unconstitutional by a federal court," he continued. "District citizens, as well as members of Congress, should be furious."

"Calling this project the 'Safe Homes Initiative' is an insult to our intelligence," Gottlieb stated. "If District residents allow this to happen, no home will be safe from warrantless fishing expeditions by police, because that's exactly what this thinly-disguised program is really all about. We think Congress should step in immediately and stop this from happening.

"Isn't it ironic that the District heads to the Supreme Court next week in an effort to destroy one-tenth of the Bill of Rights," Gottlieb concluded, "while they prepare to launch the kind of police state exercise the Bill of Rights was designed to prevent."

www.freerepublic.com...

Never and I do mean never consent to a search of your home or property.
Make they obtain a warrent.They have to state what they are looking for!
Do not let them in your home.Once inside they can make you sit and wait for a warrent to be served. I know most people think they have nothing to hide,but a well trained stormtrooper can find contriband,that you don't even know you have.A well motivated stormtrooper can collect enough infractions to cost you your good name ,several hundred dollars in fines and court costs.Not to mention possible jail time.

You know what sucks is that I wanted to write a really long reasoned discussion on what it means to be an American and what a great gift we have inherited but I am afraid that will get misconstrued into a protest speech.

Is it still ok to talk about the Bill of Rights, the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence?

Wrong Is Right

Since they obviously have no respect for the Second Amendment, why bother respecting the Fourth -- or any civil right for that matter?

This is by no means the first time a government has abrogated the Constitution, but it is nonetheless the sort of activity that should be firmly opposed by citizens who respect the law of the land.

ahhh i love the blatent use of new speak "safe home initative" lol just like "patriot act" i dont live in or near dc any more but i used to spend large amounts of time there as i lived in baltimore and dc was just a stone throw away. but i would never ever comply with a warrentless search of my property, get probable cause then get a warrent and knock on my door till you do kindly leave me a hell alone.

reply to post by stikkinikki


Nope, do that and they'll ask "why do you hate America?"

Sadly, there are plenty of people on both the left and right that see the Constitution, especially the Bill of Rights, as nothing more than a set of troublesome technicalities.

Originally posted by DimensionalDetective


Something is very unsettling in these times...

It is a chill wind that now blows. And that chill should be able to be felt down the spines of those who pay attention.

And Krill,
Whether or not any of us lives near d.c. will only matter at the beginning. After that, if this is allowed, it will spread out to the favorite areas of all of us. It would only be a matter of time.

oh i completly agree thats why i said i wouldent comply with it , they can get probable cause and then get there grubby lil hands on a warrent if they want to search my property. enough rights and freedoms are being taken from us that i wont willingly give up more to any form of goverment be it local, state or federal you want to search my property go through the proper channels.

Do what I do. I have day/night vision cameras covering every angle of the house.Someone rings the bell and I look at my PC monitor.

DON"T ANSWER the DOOR !!!!!!!

What's that old expression, "You'll have to pry my gun from my cold dead fingers"

Gotta be willing to die for what you believe in. I'm not a dog so I don't roll over for anyone.

Let's be realistic about laws. There are only laws that they continue to make which benefit them. We have no freedom and never did in this country. It was always an illusion which can no longer be hid.

They know the sentiment of the American people and that's why they are trying to slowly and calmly do it in a discreet way. They don't want an uprising. They would have to bomb this country if the masses snapped and rebelled.

[edit on 24-3-2008 by 19DCW71]

[edit on 24-3-2008 by 19DCW71]

"...governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed; that whenever any form of government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new government,..."

AKA- the revolution clause.

I think its long overdue, but then I'm just a radical constitutionalist.

It was a tiny tiny tax on papers and tea that started the first one, I geuss its gonna take alot more to get this one going? I had relatives in the first, I will gladly do my part in the second.

Also the 3rd ammendment applies in the respect that it tells you some of what was going on back then. Of course the 4th is all but gone, I've had the same brain cancer havin cop do an illeagal search on me twice, go ahaed, ask for a warrent, but only so you know you did your part to defend your rights, don't expect it to actualy happen anymore.

Amendment III
No Soldier shall, in time of peace be quartered in any house, without the consent of the Owner, nor in time of war, but in a manner to be prescribed by law.

Amendment IV
The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.

That's funny you mention that because I was studying this and explaining it to my brother yesterday.I was posting on a topic of illegal immigration.

Sect 4 article 4 of the ammendment states we have the right to a republican form of Gov,and SHALL PROTECT EVERYONE from INVASION.

They violate and continue to on everyaspect.It is time for new management and has been for some time.

Whatya say we run.Elctions coming up soon.LOL

First agenda is to hang them all for treason and beat them like Pinatas as they gasp for air.

i believe the powers that be know a great depression is coming so they are ordering these cities to seize theseweapons so they can keep from being overthrown.

reply to post by proteus33




Not only that, but I believe that Katrina was a trial run for illegal search and seizure. They used a catastrophy to see how far average Americans would push back or resist having their firearms seized by police.

Next time the hurricane won't be needed, they will simply pass a law in the middle of the night stating that it is now illagal to possess firearms and then arrest or kill anyone who doesn't comply while labeling them as criminals or fringe elements.

It doesn't matter if you don't live in D.C. because next will be California, Texas, Virginia, Michigan and so on until somebody makes a stand.

Where the heck is the NRA during this whole debacle?

link

that is the link to this posted a while back. I said this,

"Scary very very Scary.


I am fully convience we are no longer in a free country.

Don't let them in, then what? Go down on a list of being a terrorist, someone who needs to be watched and put into jail over running a red light.

Then they come into your home when your in jail.

Are they going to clean up their mess when they are done ramsacking your home?!"

It really does seem to me everything is changing and we are now under the control of our government. Everything we fight for all our freedoms being taken away more and more even as I type this.