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View Full Version : Curfew declared in Huntsville, Al due to power outage from tornado




emazur
04-30-2011, 05:29 PM
Just got a call from my parents who just got their phone working again. I knew the tornados hit south at Birmingham but didn't know they knocked out the power in Huntsville. They told me a 5:00 pm curfew was imposed and I found a news article

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/04/28/huntsville-al-tornado-video_n_854921.html

Are curfews legal / do they go against the Constitution?

Proph
04-30-2011, 05:44 PM
The main reason they're issuing curfews right now is to cut down on looting (from what I've heard). There's probably an "emergency" clause somewhere in the state law that allows for it.

Vessol
04-30-2011, 05:46 PM
Who is issuing the curfew?

BamaFanNKy
04-30-2011, 05:49 PM
It's a safety issue. It's completely legal as long as they do make an exemption for 1st amendment. Most of the time they are imposed when there is a national disaster for safety.

sratiug
04-30-2011, 06:14 PM
They cannot be legal. You can't place everyone under house arrest without due process of law. Especially when they have no house. Think about the fast food restaurant that has a generator and how much money this will cost them for no reason. For fucks sake, they didn't even have power lines in 1776. Were they under a permanent curfew? I think not.

nate895
04-30-2011, 06:42 PM
They cannot be legal. You can't place everyone under house arrest without due process of law. Especially when they have no house. Think about the fast food restaurant that has a generator and how much money this will cost them for no reason. For fucks sake, they didn't even have power lines in 1776. Were they under a permanent curfew? I think not.

If there's massive looting, I think it can be considered an "insurrection." If there is disorder, the government has to be able to take necessary measures to restore normalcy. It's better than the alternative of letting looters ravage the streets for days on end at least.

Anti Federalist
04-30-2011, 07:07 PM
If there's massive looting, I think it can be considered an "insurrection." If there is disorder, the government has to be able to take necessary measures to restore normalcy. It's better than the alternative of letting looters ravage the streets for days on end at least.

<<<raspberries>>>

I'm suspicious of the increasing rapidity in which the "authorities" issue martial law and curfew orders.

Problem solved:

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/27/53319208_adc9c94b9f.jpg

Dr.3D
04-30-2011, 07:11 PM
<<<raspberries>>>

I'm suspicious of the increasing rapidity in which the "authorities" issue martial law and curfew orders.

Problem solved:

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/27/53319208_adc9c94b9f.jpg

That's the way it's supposed to work, but anymore, those idiots want to disarm the people and then tell them to stay home like a sitting duck.

Matt Collins
04-30-2011, 08:19 PM
I just drove through the area twice on I-65. I counted 7 places where tornadoes had crossed the Interstate. A couple of these places were VERY ugly in terms of damage.

Matt Collins
04-30-2011, 08:20 PM
That's the way it's supposed to work, but anymore, those idiots want to disarm the people and then tell them to stay home like a sitting duck.
Rights and responsibilities go together. If you give up your responsibility to educate your children to the government, then you'll eventually lose that right. If you give up your responsibility to defend yourself, then you will eventually lose that right.

Dr.3D
04-30-2011, 08:28 PM
Rights and responsibilities go together. If you give up your responsibility to educate your children to the government, then you'll eventually lose that right. If you give up your responsibility to defend yourself, then you will eventually lose that right.

And if you defend yourself from the government, you lose your life.

Verrater
04-30-2011, 08:39 PM
And if you defend yourself from the government, you lose your life.

Remember this expression: "Live free or die."

It used to be pretty important.


Curfews were issued during Katrina too, then they confiscated firearms from citizens protecting themselves.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-taU9d26wT4

Dr.3D
04-30-2011, 08:50 PM
Remember this expression: "Live free or die."

It used to be pretty important.


Curfews were issued during Katrina too, then they confiscated firearms from citizens protecting themselves.


I'm glad you understand why I said what I said in post #8 of this thread.

Verrater
04-30-2011, 08:54 PM
I'm glad you understand why I said what I said in post #8 of this thread.

I'm glad you realize i was agreeing with you.

VIDEODROME
04-30-2011, 09:12 PM
Well Alabama and the states have their own constitutions. I think if it doesn't contradict the U.S. Constitution they can do what they want.


Anyway I don't know how strict the curfew is but maybe this gives authorities less to worry about. For example does every intersection need a traffic cop all night to guide traffic because the traffics lights have no power or have simply blown away?

Dr.3D
04-30-2011, 09:16 PM
Well Alabama and the states have their own constitutions. I think if it doesn't contradict the U.S. Constitution they can do what they want.


Anyway I don't know how strict the curfew is but maybe this gives authorities less to worry about. For example does every intersection need a traffic cop all night to guide traffic because the traffics lights have no power or have simply blown away?

A simple set of 4 way stop signs would solve that problem. No need to pay some clown to direct traffic.

TheBlackPeterSchiff
04-30-2011, 10:31 PM
I lived in Huntsville for a year, what a boring place. Wish them luck tho.

nate895
04-30-2011, 10:38 PM
<<<raspberries>>>

I'm suspicious of the increasing rapidity in which the "authorities" issue martial law and curfew orders.

Problem solved:

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/27/53319208_adc9c94b9f.jpg

I don't think they issue them fairly all the time, don't get me wrong. I just think that on rare occasions, it might be necessary to restore normalcy with the least amount of bloodshed in a dire situation. I do not think that anything gives the government the right to take away firearms in these situations. It might be occasionally appropriate to instruct the public to stay put overnight, but not to take away their ability to defend themselves.

BamaAla
04-30-2011, 10:41 PM
Just got a call from my parents who just got their phone working again. I knew the tornados hit south at Birmingham but didn't know they knocked out the power in Huntsville. They told me a 5:00 pm curfew was imposed and I found a news article

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/04/28/huntsville-al-tornado-video_n_854921.html

Are curfews legal / do they go against the Constitution?

Yeah, everyone seems to think that Tuscaloosa was the only place hit. We got it just as bad in north Alabama with far more deaths. We are not expected to have power for several more days.


Well Alabama and the states have their own constitutions. I think if it doesn't contradict the U.S. Constitution they can do what they want.


Anyway I don't know how strict the curfew is but maybe this gives authorities less to worry about. For example does every intersection need a traffic cop all night to guide traffic because the traffics lights have no power or have simply blown away?

The curfew is very strict in areas like Joppa, Phil Campbell, Arab, and all of Dekalb county that were basically destroyed. In other areas of north Alabama that got less damage, the curfew is in effect but they are ticketing rather than arresting those who are out without reason.

I can't speak for Huntsville, but in Birmingham and Cullman where the power is out, we are just treating every intersection as a four-way stop.

tpreitzel
04-30-2011, 10:49 PM
I can't speak for Huntsville, but in Birmingham and Cullman where the power is out, we are just treating every intersection as a four-way stop.

Why, then, do we "need" governmental meddling if people can use basic common sense?

BamaAla
04-30-2011, 11:19 PM
Why, then, do we "need" governmental meddling if people can use basic common sense?

We don't. They're probably afraid that we'd figure out we don't really need them if they left us to our own devices.

The news said earlier that most of the reports of looting were actually rumors...