NRA has no problem with this fellow buying a gun in the US
NRA: Don’t Ban Gun Sales to Suspects
The National Rifle Association is urging the Bush administration to withdraw its support of a bill that would prohibit suspected terrorists from buying firearms. Backed by the Justice Department, the measure would give the attorney general the discretion to block gun sales, licenses or permits to terror suspects.
In a letter this week to Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, NRA executive director Chris Cox said the bill, offered last week by Sen. Frank Lautenberg, D-N.J., “would allow arbitrary denial of Second Amendment rights based on mere ‘suspicions’ of a terrorist threat.”
“When I tell people that you can be on a terrorist watch list and still be allowed to buy as many guns as you want, they are shocked,” said Paul Helmke, president of the Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence, which supports Lautenberg’s bill.
Ok, this is scary, but I actually agree with the NRA (in principal anyway.) We have all seen people that don’t belong on the terrorist watch list end up there because they spoke up against his magesty, George W Bush. Wouldn’t the standard background checks, and 2 week waiting period help out with this problem anyway. Nobody wants another 9/11, or more random shootings in schools, on the streets, etc…. but do we need the Bush administration to squash another one of our rights?? And for the record, I do not own any guns, nor am I a member of the NRA. But I’m glad I still have the freedom to do so if I chose to.
I’m all for this law to block sales to terrorists… but to “Suspected Terrorists?” By some accounts everyone is a “Suspected Terrorist” by Bush, the TSA, Homeland security…. you get the idea. One only has to remember all those put on no-fly lists just for having a similar sounding name or attending a rally… So until this government can actually define Terrorist, I’ll side with the NRA.
James
Does Bin Laden have a driver’s license? I thought you needed one to buy a gun?
and for this…. we are now both on watch lists!!! 😀
If you are a convicted terrorist, kinda like if you are a convicted felon…. no guns for you!
Osama bin Laden bin dead for a long time.
#3. bin Ladin actually has the way cool paratrooper version of the AK that he has been carrying since he and his crew cowered cravenly in holes during the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan, emerging only to grab some credit.
much too cool a gun for such a wuss.
American Liberal: “What? A Muslim professor who advocates the vilent overthrow of the U.S. is on a no-fly list? OH MY GOD HOW DARE YOU VIOLATE PEOPLE’S CIVIL LIBERTIES WITHOUT PROOF!”
NRA: “Cool. Well, since they’re no proof of any wrongdoing and they deserve all the rights and protections of an American citizen, they should be allowed to purchase guns.”
American Liberal: “What are you, crazy? They’re terrorists.”
Way to put out that dissonance, folks. Pick a side; you either defend civil liberties or you don’t.
Does the law now read guilty until proven innocent?
What the hell is a suspected terrorists anyway? Is that a guy who has road rage. I know the NRA has a knee jerk reaction to anything that would limit our ability to by a gun but it is weird when they are coming off like the ACLU…..is this Bizarro world?
John is correct. This is very clear cut. The 2nd amendment guarantees US citizens the right to bear arms. To be denied your right simply because you are on a shit-list doesn’t hold up.
If a person is a threat, then prosecute and convict him of a felony before you take away their constitutionally protected rights.
And seriously, if someone is really such a threat, they are going to get the weapons legally or not. All this will do harm innocent people.
I know the document is no longer in force or even popular but our government works according to The Constitution of the United States which says all people are innocent until proven guilty. People are suspected of many things they are not guilty of, especially terrorism, which is just a catch phrase that means “the government doesn’t like you.”
If Osama Bin Laden needs guns he probably just gets them from his friend and business partner George W. Bush.
Blocking suspected terrorists from gun permits should stop terrorism in it’s tracks.
I feel safer already.
#8: Starting with Gitmo, etc, yes.
I’d be curious to hear ACLU’s statement on this. I bet it actually agrees with the NRA.
The problem is that terrorists have no regard for rule of law. They are going to get or make what ever they want. If you implement gun control, then we can’t shoot back.
Wasn’t one of the principal reasons Japan didn’t invade the continental US in WW2 because “every” American family had a gun?
A ‘suspected terrorist’ is a person whose name has been put on a list he isn’t allowed to see, by someone he isn’t allowed to question, for a reason he isn’t allowed to appeal, for a length of time he cannot know.
That just isn’t the America I was raised in, or want to be a part of.
Uncle Dave, that post title has got to be the most idiotic spin I’ve ever seen put on a news item. I know you’re not that stupid, so WHY?
#16 LOL…thanks for the definition.
5-
Nice dreamworld you live in there buddy.
And while I disagree with anyone buying guns, it is their right under current law to be allowed to do so. Just because you’re a ‘suspected’ terrorist shouldn’t get in your way.
They absolutely will not comment on the matter. They refuse as a matter of policy to fight for the Second Amendment. That is why they will never, ever have my support. You either fight for the entire Bill of Rights or you’re a hypocrite.
If they showed up wanting to buy a gun, then shouldn’t the gun be turned on them while the police arrive to arrest them?
Either that or they should be given the gun and placed under monitoring. Letting them know they’re on the list defeats the purpose.
Anyone who believes they are innocent until proven guilty has never been arrested.
I actually was shopping for a nice 18.5″ barrel for my Mossberg today. Kinda makes me think if my name would be on the list of suspected terrorists. I am probably on the confirmed list of jackasses; I can’t fight that one.
Blissninny thinking….
While nobody wants Terrorists to buy guns, the fact is that they’ll get ’em anyway….
Meantime, this bill gives the Attorney General authority to ban anybody, without hearing, just because he can….
It is a backdoor way of suppressing all gun ownership. Except, of course, criminals and terrorists, who won’t obey it anyway….
We can really do without this….
Regards,
Stu.
first of all: I don’t think there’s any reason a civilian needs to own a firearm. Weapons are made to hurt and kill. This is not something that should be protected by a constitution.
If I remember correctly, the right to bear firearms in the american constitution was written in so you could self defend against a runaway federal government. Well done in the last six years! I think you’ve proven that constitutional point moot.
But having that said: denying firearms to suspected terrorists is very similar to putting up “no parking” signs in front of any bank in hope to stop bank robbers from putting their getaway car there and thus preventing bank robbery.
It will hurt the general public. The real bad guys, well, what they’re planing to do is beyond violating the traffic rules anyway. But: any car parked in front of a bank will now be a suspected get away car.
pj
#7, thanks for the inspiration.
American Conservative: “What? A White Power Party member, who advocates the violent overthrow of the U.S. is on a no-fly list? OH MY GOD HOW DARE YOU VIOLATE PEOPLE’S CIVIL LIBERTIES WITHOUT PROOF!”
NRA: “Cool. Well, since they’re no proof of any wrongdoing and they deserve all the rights and protections of an American citizen, they should be allowed to purchase guns.”
American Conservative: “What are you, crazy? They’re terrorists.”
Way to put out that dissonance, folks. Pick a side; you either defend civil liberties or you don’t.
#17: Because if you read the article that is exactly what they are saying. Just worded more succinctly and without the NRA’s spin. Not that they want them to buy guns, they just want the to be ABLE to buy guns.
Didn’t the NRA also advocate for guns that could pass undetected through an x-ray machines — but finally caved to the public outrage of their boneheaded nuttiness about guns?
(I’m sure the NRA defenders will argue this point but that’s how I remember it going down. )
#7 Pick a side; you either defend civil liberties or you don’t.
I’ll defend the right of a “well regulated Militia” having arms.
Letting every gooball gang banger and their toothless cousin having cheap handguns is not a civil right.