Mythbusting, Part 1

GGReporter · 11-16-2007, 06:15 AM

Over the past week or so, the NRA's take on a couple of proposals in Congress has received a lot of attention from the media. The only problem is, with the mainstream media's reporting, they've also put out some bad information. It's time to set the record straight, and over the next two days, I'm going to do just that.

Today I want to talk about this proposal by Senator Frank Lautenberg of New Jersey that would allow the attorney general to deny anybody on a "watch list" the ability to purchase a firearm, get a Right-to-Carry license or get a federal firearms license.

The NRA opposes this bill, but the media has been gleefully painting it as "The NRA supports the right of suspected terrorists to buy guns." The NRA supports the Constitution, plain and simple.

Imagine the implications of denying someone their constitutional rights just because someone, somewhere, suspects them of potential wrongdoing. You're suspected of voter fraud, so we're denying you the right to vote. You're suspected of perjury, so we're denying you your First Amendment freedom of the press. You haven't been charged, you haven't been arrested, you haven't been indicted, you haven't been convicted. Someone just thinks you're suspicious. Is that enough to take away your rights?

That's not how the Constitution works. If someone is that much of a threat, they shouldn't be on the street to begin with. They should be facing charges in our criminal justice system.

Then there are the practical reasons to oppose this bill. No one knows who puts you on the "watch list," or why, or how you get off. The Lautenberg bill provides an appeals process, but to appeal, you'll have to rely on heavily redacted information that the government provides you. Through mistakes, bureaucratic red tape or political motivation, it's certain that innocent people are going to be caught up in a nightmare of having their rights denied them. And believe me, politics will come into play.

The NRA's not soft on terrorism. We're strong on the Constitution. Our principles require that we oppose any legislation that would deny Americans the right to keep and bear arms just because someone, somewhere, has put their name on a "watch list."

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11-16-2007, 06:15 AM	#1
GGReporter Magazine Staff Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 718 Trader Rating: (0)	Mythbusting, Part 1 Over the past week or so, the NRA's take on a couple of proposals in Congress has received a lot of attention from the media. The only problem is, with the mainstream media's reporting, they've also put out some bad information. It's time to set the record straight, and over the next two days, I'm going to do just that. Today I want to talk about this proposal by Senator Frank Lautenberg of New Jersey that would allow the attorney general to deny anybody on a "watch list" the ability to purchase a firearm, get a Right-to-Carry license or get a federal firearms license. The NRA opposes this bill, but the media has been gleefully painting it as "The NRA supports the right of suspected terrorists to buy guns." The NRA supports the Constitution, plain and simple. Imagine the implications of denying someone their constitutional rights just because someone, somewhere, suspects them of potential wrongdoing. You're suspected of voter fraud, so we're denying you the right to vote. You're suspected of perjury, so we're denying you your First Amendment freedom of the press. You haven't been charged, you haven't been arrested, you haven't been indicted, you haven't been convicted. Someone just thinks you're suspicious. Is that enough to take away your rights? That's not how the Constitution works. If someone is that much of a threat, they shouldn't be on the street to begin with. They should be facing charges in our criminal justice system. Then there are the practical reasons to oppose this bill. No one knows who puts you on the "watch list," or why, or how you get off. The Lautenberg bill provides an appeals process, but to appeal, you'll have to rely on heavily redacted information that the government provides you. Through mistakes, bureaucratic red tape or political motivation, it's certain that innocent people are going to be caught up in a nightmare of having their rights denied them. And believe me, politics will come into play. The NRA's not soft on terrorism. We're strong on the Constitution. Our principles require that we oppose any legislation that would deny Americans the right to keep and bear arms just because someone, somewhere, has put their name on a "watch list." More...