The National Rifle Association is asking the Bush Administration to turn against a bill that would allow the government to prevent people put on a terrorist watch list from buying a firearm, saying that power would allow the government to arbitrarily deny citizens' their Second Amendment rights, according to the Associated Press. Currently, prospective gun buyers must undergo a background check that includes running their names against the unified terrorist watch list run by the Terrorist Screening Center, but unlike a felony conviction, that's not a disqualifying factor. In fact, according to a 2005 government auditors' report (.pdf), during five months of 2004, the FBI-run checks had pretty good watch list matches on 44 individuals and allowed 35 of those to eventually buy the gun.
New Jersey Senator Frank Lautenberg wants to close what he calls the "Terror Gap," in a bill (.pdf) that allows the Attorney General to prohibit the sale. If the suspected terrorist wants to appeal, the government gets to show its evidence to a court in secret to protect national security.
The NRA is absolutely right. If the Attorney General thinks a prospective gun buyer is so dangerous and has the info to prove to a court, then the government should be prosecuting that person. When watch lists, whether arbitrary or not, are used to prevent people from carrying on with the activities of their daily lives, being put on the list becomes a form administrative punishment. There's no where you can apply to get off the list. There's no way to see the evidence leveled against you and no way to contest the accuracy of the evidence being used against you.
NRA Raps Terror Suspect Bill; Photo: Chad Miller
