The bigger question is: if the government suspects they're terrorists... why haven't they been arrested?
Prohibit an American citizen who hasn't been convicted of anything? No. But if someone is genuinely a terror suspect (on a watch list, etc.), their purchase of a gun should be a flag for the federal government to take a closer look at them.
Well, they may need to conduct covert operations to infiltrate the organization, for instance. Monitoring the suspect rather than outright arresting them is how many terror plots are stopped...
I'm completely against it. For one thing, it's all too easy to be suspected of being a terrorists, all you have to do is fit a cedrtain profile or just act wierd.
Your covert operation is going to be VERY non-covert when they realize they're on the terrorist watchlist.
Lautenberg's a dick. I'd oppose the legislation on one basis - I was once almost denied an airline ticket because there was someone on the Federal watch list with the same name as mine. It was cleared up easy enough by the ticket agent by checking my driver's license. But I'd be kinda pissed if the same mistake was made by people authorized to round up my guns.
It makes sense on it's face but it's another one of those slippery slope things. Too easy to be abused. What if the AG allasudden decided that the NRA was a terrorist organization?
Happens to me every time I fly. That list is fucking retarded. My name isn't even the name on the list--it's off by one letter, but apparently that's close enough for them to hassle you--but the name on the list is probably shared by 30,000+ Americans. No middle initial, no date of birth, just first and last name are on the list. How is that supposed to do anything other than cause massive annoyance? It's certainly not going to stop the suspected terrorist from doing anything.
Let me rephrase my answer - I'd be for it if they could guarantee 100% that it wouldn't end up denying any innocent American citizen his 2nd amendment rights. But I kinda doubt that could be guaranteed. In fact, it may even be part of the plan.
And you want to know the really retarded thing about the list? They don't put known or suspected terrorists on the list in order to prevent the suspect from knowing that we are watching them. So Liet, Forbin and others here get harrassed while geniune threats get to fly. I'd say no to this gun list. It will be exactly like the plane list. Lots of people on it getting denied and have a horrendous time getting off the list while geninune threats get to buy guns. The smart thing to do would be having no lists that way they have no way of knowing if they are watching you.
They come close enough as it is, no thanks on more legislation. See, let me tell you a little story. There's a career small-time thug out there that I happen to share a date of birth with. Also, one of his alias' happens to be my first name. So, every time I try to purchase a weapon it throws a red flag. It doesn't matter that I'm a white cop from Alabama and this guy is an illegal from Honduras. I've been standing in a gun store, in uniform, trying to buy a gun before and the ATF denied me because of some asshole I'll never meet. The guy behind the counter even read them my badge number and faxed a copy of my commission card to them AND THEY STILL FUCKIN' DENIED ME! ME!!!!!! I've called the ATF and the other various agencies countless times trying to get this straight. I even put my former Chief Deputy ON THE PHONE WITH THEM and still, I got no love. Oh, and when you pull my license info using NCIC it always pulls a hit for this cat. If I ever meet him, I'm gonna take it outa his ass.
Wow. Shit like this makes me nervous. That's a pretty tall order too. I'm getting that early gestapo feeling for some reason.
