Another day, another damning federal report regarding the ease with which potential criminals can purchase guns in America.
Just days after issuing findings that thousands of guns are being funneled illegally into Mexico, the Government Accountability Office reported that, in the last five years, folks known to be on the FBI’s terrorist watch list have tried to purchase weapons on 963 occasions — and succeeded 865 times.
(Mr. Lillis fails to mention that there are approximately 24,000 people on that list that don't belong there.)
The reason is simple: There’s no law against it. From the report:
Under current law, there is no basis to automatically prohibit a person from possessing firearms or explosives because they appear on the terrorist watch list. Rather, there must be a disqualifying factor (i.e., prohibiting information) pursuant to federal or state law, such as a felony conviction or illegal immigration status.
Last month, New York Democratic Reps. (Surprize, surprize!) Carolyn McCarthy and Steve Israel introduced a bill that would prevent those found to be on the Transportation Security Administration’s terrorist no-fly list from buying guns. The powerful gun lobby, however, opposes the concept of keeping Second Amendment rights from suspected terrorists.
The key word is "suspected".
You can't deprive someone of their rights just because you suspect them of criminal action or intent. We'd all like to keep guns out of the hands of those who would do bad things with them, but using a secret list with no publicly reviewable criteria is a bad idea to bring that about.
That is exactly what the Anti's are hoping for, and among their ranks are the media. It is no accident that any media poll or news article that raises this question fails to mention how unreliable the no-fly list really is or that the people who actually DO belong on the list aren't going to the gun shop to make a purchase.I voted no, but reading these posts shows me I didn't think it through...the word "terrorist" strikes a cord and I think of 9/11 and the war and I guess that's what anti-gun people are hoping for. I've had my eyes opened, I won't be so quick to answer next time.
Even though every single one of the 20,000 or so gun laws on the books in this country is unconstitutional, I'm going to play devil's advocate here and say that I'm in favor of denying them the right to purchase guns. Sure, laws against the purchase and possession of firearms and ammunition by convicted felons and the mentally ill have never stopped them from getting guns, and it won't stop accused terrorists either, but nevertheless, the thought of radical Islamic fundamentalists being able to purchase them as easily as I can doesn't sit well with me.
That is to say then that you give the NICS system less credability than this No-Fly/ terrorist watch list. Sorry, but when 963 people on the No-Fly list attempt to buy a gun, and 865 were successful, that tells me something. It tells me that the NICS system did it's job and prevented those 98 people who were not supposed to possess a gun from doing so. And the other 865 didn't belong on the list to begin with, just as approximately 24,000 other people on the list do not belong there.Even though every single one of the 20,000 or so gun laws on the books in this country is unconstitutional, I'm going to play devil's advocate here and say that I'm in favor of denying them the right to purchase guns. Sure, laws against the purchase and possession of firearms and ammunition by convicted felons and the mentally ill have never stopped them from getting guns, and it won't stop accused terrorists either, but nevertheless, the thought of radical Islamic fundamentalists being able to purchase them as easily as I can doesn't sit well with me.
I a lot of us are probably on some kind of list. If you are a Christian conservative who clings to God and guns you ARE on this administrations "watch" list.
I would have to say: Depends?
Who Decides?
What are the prerequsites used to place someone on a "Watch" list?
Are they a "Law Abiding" American citizen?
IMO; Law abiding "American" Citizens should have the right to "Bear Arms" PERIOD!!