It wasn't just the commissariat of Massachusucks.
A few years ago when tornados hit a few towns in Iowa (IIRC) authorities went house to house and confiscated all the firearms they could find. Whether the owner was home or not. The owners went through unbelievable hoops to try to get them back.
They declare the equivalent of Martial law at the drop of a hat and Americans have no choice but comply or be arrested. There may well be a point at which the survival of the government and society requires such drastic action. It hasn't even come close yet.
The law permitting the commandeering of personal property, destruction of private property, etc is still a bit sparse, but has been used to justify blowing up homes to combat the San Francicso fire, the Chicago fire, etc, Has been upheld, but those cases predate the modern concept of rights and due process. I'm not aware of what happened in the lawsuits from the city of Philadelphia intentionally exploding and setting fire to a number of city blocks when they bombed the MOVE headquarters. police may or may not have the right to declare a city wide lock down and curfew. Personally I feel it was overbroad and a violation of the constitutional right to travel. You want to search my house, get a warrant.
As for burk313;s comment about a single officer with a 38. Such a police officer probably stood a better chance of hitting what he shot at. What I saw on the news looked like an night fight episode of the A-team with thousands of shots fired and precious few actually connecting.
Lastly, there are alot of foreigners who realize the American dream holds more promise for them than their homeland. Our Social Security system is collapsing because of all the free loading malingering AMERICANS who feel no desire to actually work for a living. They get cradle to grave care, monthly groceries, free health insurance and monthly rent subsidies for being leeches upon society. I would gladly take two Chinese and a Pakistani for every one of those home bred sloths.
If you don't want immigrants on welfare, then it s simple, don't let anybody collect it for longer than a few months. Out recent perpetual unemployment is a prime example. When the benefits stopped suddenly they could find a job.
I'd prefer those who want to work and pay taxes regardless of where born. Let them come here and ship a few thousand welfare leech Americans over seas.
