Terror watch list
We can’t even get it right for planes much less civil rights.
This stupid bill has popped up again. It will never pass but we should reiterate the tactics of our opponents simply run counter to concepts like civil rights and due process of law. I would do that but everyone else did it yesterday:
Jay:
Remember the cries of outrage when people found their names on terrorist watch lists and weren’t allowed to board planes? The ACLU has a page here that discusses it and even filed suit in 2004 challenging the no fly list.
But what about when it comes to guns? Well, Senator Frank Lautenberg and Representative Peter King don’t give a rats ass about constitutional protections then. They’re sponsoring a bill that would prevent the people on terrorist watch lists from purchasing firearms even if they are legally allowed to do so.
Of course, not all people on there have funny names. (Is there something funny about Robert Johnson?) But, it’s one more reason why this list should never be used to deny people rights or presume they are guilty. I can assure you that if Congressman Don Young (who, according to the ACLU’s website, is on the list) gets his guns taken from him because they don’t know how to appropriately filter records at Homeland Security, he’s not going to be a very pleasant guy to be around.
If Bush were doing this, and not doing it to gun owners, the left would be outraged.
March 14th, 2008 at 1:55 pm
Maybe they will stop all John Smiths to.
March 14th, 2008 at 2:29 pm
Of course, coming from Lautenberg, this is no surprise. He already demonstrated his lack of respect for the prohibition on ex post facto laws.
Why should due process be any different for him?
March 14th, 2008 at 5:36 pm
Everyone knows “the pen is mightier than the sword”. So if people are going to lose their 2nd amendment rights because they’re on a watch list, they should lose their 1st amendment rights also.
We need to get some congress-critters to add that to the bill.