New Orleans: No guns allowed (well, except for some)

Yes, I know they have the power to do this. But still, it bothers me:

To reduce the risk of violent confrontation, the police began confiscating firearms on Thursday, even those legally owned.

And from yesterday's NYT (login required):

No civilians in New Orleans will be allowed to carry pistols, shotguns or other firearms, said P. Edwin Compass III, the superintendent of police. "Only law enforcement are allowed to have weapons," he said.

But that order apparently does not apply to hundreds of security guards hired by businesses and some wealthy individuals to protect property. The guards, employees of private security companies like Blackwater, openly carry M-16's and other assault rifles. Mr. Compass said that he was aware of the private guards, but that the police had no plans to make them give up their weapons.

So a Rosie O'Donnell can have an armed guard, but law-abiding citizens with legally owned firearms are being disarmed. No doubt the criminals will manage to hang on to theirs, somehow, since they always do.

And what are the odds they'll ever get their guns back?