The government is confiscating cameras and harassing journalists

Photojournalists Covering Katrina Fall Victim To Growing Violence, Chaos This is a continuation of the End of Freedom in America. In tactics that are reminiscent of the Soviet Union, police are confiscating cameras and memory cards when photographers are getting footage of them in the act of confronting looters.

As I said in the previous post, the next piece of the Bill of Rights to be killed would be the First Amendment, and so here we see its end.

I think is fair to say that we really do live in a police state. Private ownership of firearms can be ended at the declaration of a emergency. Police are free to do whatever they want without having to face the exposure a free press is supposed to provide. Government can take your private property for any reason at the drop of a hat. Unchecked government power is everywhere. What is left?

Toronto Star staff photojournalist Lucas Oleniuk was taken to the ground by police in the Spanish Quarter after he photographed a firefight between looters and police, and police were then reportedly “beating on” a looter.
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Georgiev says, “We came upon a body (while driving) apparently shot by the police. While I was still driving I took a few photos through the open window and I heard an officer yell, ‘Get that camera, now!’ About half dozen cops started running toward the car. Since the car was still in motion, and I saw them drawing and raising their guns at us and afraid they would shoot us, I slammed on the brakes.

“Before I knew it, I was thrown out of the car, the camera ripped from my hand, the other camera taken from the car, and I was on the car with my legs spread, hands up, a gun pointed in my neck. I was unable to see what was going on with Gordon. I was screaming “We are press” and I saw things from my car thrown on the ground, and the car was being frantically searched by the police.”

Many will no doubt use the failure of FEMA in the recent emergency to clamor for even more government control of our lives. I would leave, if I knew where to go.