Sending in the Blackwater Helicopters

Black helicopters have long symbolized the extreme right's fear of a New World Order imposed by foreign forces operating covertly in America. Unfortunately, a more real scenario for loss of freedom is playing out in New Orleans, where the private security firm, Blackwater, is reportedly bringing its Iraq act to the French Quarter.

Not only are its armed mercenaries protecting private property, with which I have no problem, some reports have them patrolling the streets as deputized law enforcement officers.

We have the National Guard, who are trained in dealing with disasters on the homefront, in Iraq. Then we bring in Robocops to deal with our own citizens.

Back in the 1990s, one black helicopter watcher wrote:
"FEMA has broad emergency powers. It was created by President Jimmy Carter and has the ability to virtually take over the country or any region in a disaster. With FEMA and the private Wackenhut [another private security firm that runs some prisons] army teamed together, neither are regulated by too many outside authorities."

Right now, a FEMA with the ability to take over a region doesn't sound that bad. Blackwater for Wackenhut sounds even worse.