About The Islander. (St. Simons Island, Ga.) 1972-current | View Entire Issue (April 27, 2009)
PAGE 16, APRIL 27, 2009, THE ISLANDER It couldn’t happen here; Could it? I was always amazed at the idiots who found fault with President George W. Bush for Hurricane Katrina. Sure, mistakes were made, but the vitriol leveled at former President Bush was, well... it was almost like the storm itself was his fault, and not an act of nature. Here's the thing... while Katrina is believed to be the third strongest storm ever to hit the U.S., what acerbated the situation was the levees that failed around New Orleans causing all the flooding. And guess what... the levees are New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin and Louisiana Governor Kathleen Blanco's responsibility, although there are sev eral issues that are difficult to pin on Louisiana's elected officials. For instance, the levee's were designed for a Category 3 storm, not a Cat 4 like Katrina. In addition it has been reported on the internet that "The failure of the levees was due to system design flaws for the most part, combined with the lack of adequate maintenance. Apparently, the designers, builders and maintenance people did not devote enough time or attention to the levees in the region." At least part of that is the mayor's and governor's fault. But, there is another terrifying aspect of Hurricane Katrina that did not get much exposure in the national media and is documented in a shocking book called "The Great New Orleans Gun Grab: Descent Into Anarchy" by Gordon Hutchinson and Todd Masson. In brief, the book details how, as the city filled with water and drowned, the citizens descended into mass hyste ria and anarchy. It explains how law abiding citizens were targeted by law enforcement agencies, while looters and thieves seemed to run rampant. According to the blurb on the back of the book, "Within horn’s (the city) became a place that would reveal to Americans whether their Constitution had any more value than the frayed, fragile, brown parchment on which it is written." "As looters and thugs took over, the city's leaders turned their crosshairs and iron sights toward the lawful, gun- toting citizens who sought nothing more than to defend themselves from the marauding hordes. In what proved to be the greatest real life test case of the Second Amendment in American history, America failed miserably," say the authors. "The 'Great New Orleans Gun Grab' tells the story of New Orleans residents who legally defied mandatory evacu ation orders to protect their property, and who were subsequently beaten, harassed and robbed of their guns by the very civil authority that was fund ed and charged to protect them." The book opens with some very pow erful and thought provoking quotes. Such as Communist Party of China Chairman Mao Zedong's, "Power comes from the barrel of a gun." And British historian Lord Acton's comment that, "Power tends to corrupt; absolute power corrupts absolutely." This book clearly shows that power does come from the barrel of a gun and that those with the power can eas ily become corrupted. And if you take guns away from law abiding citizens, they truly have no way to defend and protect themselves. One of the more eye opening sto ries was of 58 year old Patricia Konie, one of the New Orleans residents who stayed to protect her property. It should be noted that a 'mandatory evacuation' has no hold in law. No law gives authorities the right to force a law abiding citizen out of their home. Mandatory evacuation is simply a term so authorities can cover their butts from a liability stand point. This is still America and you own what you own and no one, not politicians or law enforcement can take it away without due process. But they did so to Patricia Konie, who had survived Hurricanes Betsy (1965) and Camille (1969), and not before roughing her up. On September 7, 2005, after fend ing for herself in the storm ravaged city for a week and a half, three Cali fornia Highway Patrol officers and a Louisiana State Trooper, along with a reporter and cameraman, knocked loudly on Konie's door. They said they wanted to make sure she had enough food and water. Once they determined she had enough supplies, they asked her what she was going to do if looters came by her house. She said she had a gun and showed it to them. What she had was a small caliber, 1905 pistol for which she did not have ammo. As soon as the officers saw it lying flat in the palm of her hand, barrel pointed to the side, her finger no where near the trigger, they kicked her door the rest of the way open, knocking it partially off the hinges, and cornered her between her kitchen table and the cabinets as she told them to get out of her house. Instead of leaving, one of the offi cers, the size of a linebacker, grabbed her arm, remember this is a 58 year old woman, and slammed her against the Turn to Page 6 - Back Talk Introducing Georgia's Newest Peach. St. Simons Island has repeatedly won accolades from CNNMoney.com and others for its unique beauty and historic charm. And now we are creating the area's most luxurious private club, tied to ownership in an award-winning vacation home. All at a fraction of the cost you'd expect to pay. The $300-million Club of St. Simons will offer exclusive luxuries, including a Yacht Club, Beach Club, Spa and Fitness Center as well as year-round children's programs and social events. It is sure to be a crown jewel among Georgia's famed Golden Isles. THE OFFER-You'll enjoy all the luxury of a million-dollar-plus home, deeded in your name, for thirteen weeks of the year. And your cost starts at just $250,000. This is not a timeshare, rather it's a Quarter Ownership home. And it comes complete with membership in the prestigious Club of St. Simons as well as our comprehensive concierge services. MAKE YOUR MOVE - We invite you to come visit us at the Pier Village Market and learn more about this exciting new way of life on St. Simons Island. Just call the number below to make arrangements. And see Georgia's newest peach for yourself. YACHT-CLUB-REALTY-GROUP ft, (fA PH: 912-634-5995 WWW. Y C REALTY G ROUP.COM Prices are subject to change without notice. The Club of St. Simons is proposed and there are no assurances. Any amenities will be subject to membership requirements. Broker Participation Welcome • Come Visit Us At The Pier Village Market
