Posted on 03/08/2005 10:50:19 PM PST by neverdem
The good news for Americans concerned about post-9/11 preparedness is that 58 potential gun buyers were flagged in a nine-month period last year as positive matches on a federal watch list of terrorism suspects. The bad news is that 47 of them were cleared to go ahead anyway and buy assault rifles, ammunition or whatever else was on their firearms shopping list. Federal agents could only watch as the crazy quilt of loopholes that passes for gun control in this country enabled dozens of suspects to stock their personal or group armories.
Welcome to the new world of homeland security, where all the national resolve to be alert is clearly butting into the citizenry's near-almighty right to bear arms.
Warnings about terror suspects' easy access to combat rifles grew after 9/11 when it was disclosed that John Ashcroft, a gun rights zealot who was attorney general at the time, had blocked federal agents from matching gun-purchase records against the growing list of thousands of terror suspects. The privacy rights of innocent gun purchasers were deemed paramount in the national emergency. The policy was theoretically reversed, but federal agents complain that they are still stymied by laws and by officials dedicated to the most extreme agenda of the gun lobby.
The alarming ease with which terror suspects can buy high-powered weapons on Main Street was disclosed by the Government Accountability Office, the investigative arm of Congress. This is an irony in itself since the Republican-controlled Congress declined last year to renew the 10-year-old assault rifle ban, which had helped keep battlefield weapons out of the hands of mayhem-minded citizens.
The study was requested by Senator Frank Lautenberg, Democrat of New Jersey, who is proposing to keep the gun-purchase records of terror suspects on hand for at least 10 years. Currently, purchase records must be destroyed within 24 hours - another victory for the gun lobby that was obsequiously enacted last year by Congress.
They betrayed us!!! They're playing on our fears!!! They are using terrorism to push through their questionable agenda. Yeah, terrorists normally go to the gun shop and purchase guns on the open legal market. The same with criminals and gang members. How gullible do these jokers think we are? Unfortunately, they are right about a great many citizens.
The problem is, of course, that when such a law is passed, the predominance of armament will be even more so on the side of the terrorists vs. the law abiding citizens.
Let me see, the MO of a terrorist is box cutters, suicide bombings, flying planes into buildings. Can't remember any of them just picking up a gun and shooting.
Gee, for some strange reason, this story was on all 3 networks 5:30 news tonight. Is it possible the MSN gets its marching orders from the NYT? (duh!)
And just think, They can buy bottles and gasoline too! /OMG!
That's a very good question, And something I've never thought about.
In most states, that I'm aware of, you don't need a gun license for hunting. You just need a hunting license, which you can obtain with a driver's license, which gives you the privelege to drive a truck bomb.
Okey-dokey then. Let me get this straight...they are on a "Federal watch list" but were cleared to get the rifles as the "Federal" government looked on in horror? This entire story reeks to high heaven. The FedGov maintains three "do not sell" lists; mainly populated by known criminal aliens and other terror suspects...I know this because I had to have one of the three printed out last week. It is 194 pages of very tiny print; complete with names (including in some cases, up to 20 aliases).
I vividly recall a recent story where some Government-yahoo's wife was inadvertently on the "do not fly" list; I suspect those who were cleared had the same type of odd mistake or overreaction befall them. Or, it's a leak by a liberal to foster panic and more gun control (equally possible).
In a related matter...GOOD HEAVENS NO! THESE FORTY-SEVEN WILL OBVIOUSLY TAKE OVER THE ENTIRE COUNTRY...WHATEVER WILL WE DO????
Good question. According to PA Act 17 it states "that it is not the purpose of this act to place any undue or unnecessary restrictions on law abiding citizens". Haven't purchased a firearm lately but I do recall that the form asks if you are a citizen for the check. Anyone welcome to pass on info.
Course the non-law abiding will have no problem.
Isn't fat teddy kennedy on one of those terrorist watch lists.
Surprise!
Same Topic on O'Reilly factor as well!
O'Reilly was at the top of his form, insisting that gun laws need to be changed to "protect" americans..
His guest, however, pointed out that suspected terrorists would just get their guns the way criminals do..
Illegally...
Much other blather concerning Conservatism, "Progressives", ( permissives? hedonists? Socialists? ) the Christian Right, etc.. but the original topic devolved into a gun rights argument..
Once again, O'Reilly proves he doesn't deserve the position he holds..
Get ready; it's coming. Remember "the beltway snipers"? Picture that scenario in 50-75 major US cities.
and it probably won't be the terrorists that we think, but instead, they will be hired to get laws like that passed
don't forget about Nation of Islam
If there is a problem, enforce the law with the current laws on the books. There is absolutely no need to write more laws.
Why would a real terrorist go to a gun store to by a semi auto rifle when they can go to the Saudi Arabian ,Syrian,Libyan,Sudanese,Somalian etc embassy's & literally get anything they want via the Diplomatic pouch & the military attaches in those embassies. As in real belt fed light machine guns, RPG-7's,hand grenades,mortar's with ammo . The corrupt political class is trying once again to turn "CITIZENS" into wretched peasants .
Correct me if I'm wrong, but "assault rifles" were illegal to purchase during that "nine-month period last year."
The solution of course is to allow more access for the rest of us so that we might fight these terrorists.
The NY Times though suggests more gun control...bunch liberal morons.
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