Sen. Frank Lautenberg, D-New Jersey, last week offered a bill that would prohibit the sale of guns to anyone on the U.S. Government’s suspected terrorist list. As you can imagine, it’s causing quite a stir.
The present method used in determining who can buy a weapon involves a background check. Convicted felons, domestic abuse cases and illegal immigrants are prohibited. This bill is believed to be another fallout bill as a result of the Virginia Tech shootings.
Some are having a meltdown because the NRA does not support this bill. As much as all of us want to make sure terrorists don’t get a chance to buy any kind of weapon to kill Americans, I think the NRA is correct in being in opposition. Simply because someone is on a suspect list, doesn’t make them guilty of anything.
We cannot rightfully deny the sale of a gun to someone who is legally eligible just because we suspect they might be affiliated with bad people. What’s interesting about this debate is its hypocrisy. Many of the same people who yell and scream about how profiling for example, is wrong are the same ones in support of this bill.
To further explain the bill’s intent, it would give the attorney general the authority to block or allow gun sales to those on a terror suspect list. While the measure might sound well intentioned, giving government that discretion above and beyond constitutional rights is dangerous. I do think this is a case where the infringement of constitutional rights can be protected without compromising the safety of the American people. If we want to do more to protect the people, then make sure we have the right amount of trained and qualified staffing so that the proper authorities can closely monitor the activity of terror suspects. That will go a lot farther than giving government one more tool that further destroys the Constitution.
Tom Remington
