Blackwater private security in New Orleans?

[Abcdxxxx]

I also want to point out that New Orleans isn't Beverly Hills, and even it's largest homes are far from multi-million dollar homes. Most of really large old plantation mansions aren't in the city, and a lot of them have been conversted into commercial spaces. Just to put it into perspective. The whole idea od filthy rich folks hiring private security is pretty slim in this case.

[mburbank]

It's still the haves and the have nots though. I'm not recommending a cmmunist revolution, but I think one of the main reasons you have a government is to protect the have nots in their basic rights.

The haves could leave their homes knowing hired security would protect them. The have nots couldn't and were forced to relly on the govt to maintain order.

[ziggytrix]

Originally Posted by Abcdxxxx

The whole idea od filthy rich folks hiring private security is pretty slim in this case.

A few blocks from Mr. O'Dwyer, in an exclusive gated community known as Audubon Place, is the home of James Reiss, descendent of an old-line Uptown family. He fled Hurricane Katrina just before the storm and returned soon afterward by private helicopter. Mr. Reiss became wealthy as a supplier of electronic systems to shipbuilders, and he serves in Mayor Nagin's administration as chairman of the city's Regional Transit Authority. When New Orleans descended into a spiral of looting and anarchy, Reiss helicoptered in an Israeli security company to guard his Audubon Place house and those of his neighbors.

Christopher Cooper
Wall Street Journal
Sept. 8, 2005

[mburbank]

Wow, what's really ironic is that he's head of NO public transportation, and he took a private helicopter to safety while the city buses that ran took people to the Superdome! That's really lettin' 'em eat cake!

[KevinTheOmnivore]

Wait, did a helicopter come from Israel?

[ziggytrix]

No they took a jet from Israel to Baton Rouge, then got on the helicopter.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/katrina/st...567656,00.html

The WSJ story makes it sound like more than just two mercs. :/

[Abcdxxxx]

Weird story.

I wasn't saying there aren't millionares out there who would take some irrational measures, but the real estate assets they're protecting are relative to the real estate in NO itself... as is the corruption.

The whole thing is retarded...why was Sean Penn allowed to carry a rifle in broad daylight as if he was a law enforcement agent?

[KevinTheOmnivore]

"Blackwater, one of the fastest-growing private security firms in the world, which achieved global prominence last year when four of its men were killed and their bodies mutilated in the Iraqi city of Falluja, has set up camp in the back garden of a vast mansion in the wealthy Uptown district of the city."

They should be a little bit more obvious.

[CaptainBubba]

Kevin would you care to explain why when I teased your somehwta idiotic post all you did was call me an idiot and say I cant handle getting "mocked".

My main point is nothing going on in NO is indicative of libertarianism in my mindset and suggesting it somehow highlights the weaknessess of libertarianism is just on the border of retardation.

I guess only Kevin is allowed to mock people though so I'll remember in the future to maintain a serious and professional demeanor in future posts.

[KevinTheOmnivore]

My post was a joke, dear. It wasn't meant to be insightful in any way, yet it managed to make you cry all over your keyboard.

"My main point is nothing going on in NO is indicative of libertarianism in my mindset and suggesting it somehow highlights the weaknessess of libertarianism is just on the border of retardation."

Nothing? The potential for inadequate public protection services, being replaced instead by private security services, which will in fact benefit only those in New Orleans with money, doesn't sound indicative of the failures of a government-hating philosophy??? I've known and encountered enough Libertarians in my time to know that they ultimately want to privatize the fuck out of everything. This doesn't strike up some important talking points at your next Harry Browne book club meeting???

This, as I've learned the hard way over the past few years, is the problem with esoteric ideological philosophies. You say "this has nothing to do with Libertarianism, it's a natural disaster!#%!" Well, do hurricanes not happen in candy land? Can't Libertarianism handle the scrutiny of a "what if?" ?????

"I guess only Kevin is allowed to mock people though so I'll remember in the future to maintain a serious and professional demeanor in future posts."

Sounds like a plan.

[CaptainBubba]

Ok. Real quick. Who hired Blackwater?

Riiiight. Good job.

In addition, what indication do you have that Blackwater will serve the poor any less than was already the case? Its entirely possible that they'll just ignore them like our government instead of... well I guess theyd have to fucking execute them wouldnt they?

It wasn't a libertarian governmewnt before the disaster is the point Kevin. Its our government that can't handle the hurricane. If a day after the hurricane everyone in America suddenly saw the virtue of free market economics and adopted Libertarianism as the countrie's political doctrine then what you are saying would make sense. As it is you don't really make sense. Why does a natural disaster = Libertarianism. Our government in a state of chaos is in no way equivalent to a new state of government. I know I'm repeating myself but you really should already understand this.

Seriously if you want to joke around be prepared for other people to have a better sense of humor than you. I never complained or "cried" about what you posted as you so gamefaqesquely put it. As far as I can tell you're the one bitching about what I'm saying.[/i]

I hate to be a predictable little shit but really if you want an example of Libertarianism out of this, its the amount of people donating money to charitable organizations. Without the use of force via the government.

[KevinTheOmnivore]

Originally Posted by CaptainBubba

Ok. Real quick. Who hired Blackwater?

Riiiight. Good job.

"North Carolina-based Blackwater USA, like other companies, took about a day to get in place in Louisiana, a lightening-speed mobilization compared with the one organized by local, state and federal governments.

"We're working with the Coast Guard as well as some private sector clients," Blackwater spokeswoman Ann Duke said."

That's from the article above that you didn't read. Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight. Good job.

And also, your point is moot. Ideally, in a Libertarian utopia, there'd be some small semblance of government, which in a Libertarian-light scenario, would handle contracting out responsibilities to the private sector.


The rest of what you said is boring and blah blah.

[CaptainBubba]

So what is your proof that the ones hired to work with the coast gaurd are doing a bad job? I am assuming you think that otherwise everything you're saying is more of an endorsment for privatization and heaven forbid that.

[KevinTheOmnivore]

Why should I type a reply, you haven't read anything else I've said!!?!

Glad to see you got around to reading the article, though.

[CaptainBubba]

I don't even know what you want from me. I asked you a simple question that you haven't at all answered in any post. I read again to make sure. How in any way are they not doing a better job than the government?

And just for clarification "Kissing little black babies on their cheeks" was suppsoed to be a joke... dear.

[KevinTheOmnivore]

Originally Posted by me

It's not a big deal to me if the DHS is contracting out, but why like Max already said, why do they have to???

and.....

Originally Posted by me

If rich people want to spend crazy amount of cash to protect their homes and move their files, that's totally cool with me. More power to them.

But if these privatized guards are compensating for a lack of NOPD and guardsmen, then that's bad. That creates an inequality of security and services.

That's my position on this.

[The One and Only...]

Hey Kevin.

Nuclear bombs would be owned privately in market anarchy. In fact, it's quite possible that they would continue to be produced.

Why do I bring this up? Because the Kevin-Bubba circle jerk is just plain stupid. OOOH INEQUAL SECURITY... so the fuck what? Who has more to defend? Who values security more? Isn't plurality in available defense a good thing?

Max, those right-wing libertarians you're referring to aren't libertarians at all. Libertarianism is actually a leftist doctrine. A good example of a right-winger masquerading as a libertarian is an Objectivist.

[KevinTheOmnivore]

Hey OAO. How are ya? Everything ok? Good.

Privately owned nukes? Cool.

"isn't plurality in available defense a good thing?"

No. No it is not.

Thanks for stoppin' by. You be well, ok?

[ziggytrix]

brings new meaning to the "fallout" following a "hostile takeover"...

[mburbank]

Hee hee.


OAO, don't you have a thread about Anarcho Capitalism to be in.

And thanks for educumatin' me on my vocabunary, their, highscool boy. I'm sure in your clove smokin' fencin' makin' out world of Rock n' Roll... social philosiphizin' there all sorts of left leaning Liberatarians, which is of course swell, especially in terms of high speed chin wagging, and I'm certain it's swell.

[kellychaos]

Black helicopters, man. I'm tellin' ya.