Comments on: The NRA Thinks Suspected Terrorists Should Be Allowed To Buy Guns. http://www.thegoodhuman.com/2007/05/06/the-nra-thinks-suspected-terrorists-should-be-allowed-to-buy-guns/ Sustainability, Environment, Progressive Politics, Peak Oil, Being Green. Sat, 20 Mar 2010 00:55:19 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Jacques Richer http://www.thegoodhuman.com/2007/05/06/the-nra-thinks-suspected-terrorists-should-be-allowed-to-buy-guns/comment-page-1/#comment-735 Jacques Richer Mon, 07 May 2007 10:36:28 +0000 http://www.thegoodhuman.com/2007/05/06/the-nra-thinks-suspected-terrorists-should-be-allowed-to-buy-guns/#comment-735 The problem here is that "suspect" has no legal standard. You don't have to prove guilt or innocence - or even show reasonable cause. You can suspect someone of anything - for any period of time, without any real proof whatsoever. I'm not a big fan of the NRA, but this attempts to put in place a system which denies someone their legal rights without proof or legal recourse. This amounts to a presumption of guilt -- not something in line with our constitution or our legal tradition. The problem here is that “suspect” has no legal standard. You don’t have to prove guilt or innocence – or even show reasonable cause. You can suspect someone of anything – for any period of time, without any real proof whatsoever.

I’m not a big fan of the NRA, but this attempts to put in place a system which denies someone their legal rights without proof or legal recourse. This amounts to a presumption of guilt — not something in line with our constitution or our legal tradition.

]]> By: david http://www.thegoodhuman.com/2007/05/06/the-nra-thinks-suspected-terrorists-should-be-allowed-to-buy-guns/comment-page-1/#comment-726 david Mon, 07 May 2007 00:33:10 +0000 http://www.thegoodhuman.com/2007/05/06/the-nra-thinks-suspected-terrorists-should-be-allowed-to-buy-guns/#comment-726 Thanks Bill, for the comment. I agree it is very broad, but I personally have never been a suspect, so I do not know what the criteria is for those words. (Then again, I might be, as I do speak out from time to time) Whatever the case may be, and I meant to mention this in the post, but after people are cleared, I am guessing that there would be nothing stopping them from buying a gun through proper channels. That all being said, anyone who wants a gun can get one; it's not really that hard I would imagine. I think the government just wants to slow down the "legal" process to make it a little more difficult. I am rarely on the side of this administration's policies, but on this one, I am. And yes, I have no problem with keeping legal guns out of murder or robbery suspects until their name is clear. The system is not perfect; that kid at VA Tech bought his gun legally, even though he was deemed mentally unstable. Something has to be done to monitor those buying guns the legal way..whether it is this bill or some other way, I would imagine putting an extra barrier up can only help the situation. Thanks Bill, for the comment. I agree it is very broad, but I personally have never been a suspect, so I do not know what the criteria is for those words. (Then again, I might be, as I do speak out from time to time) Whatever the case may be, and I meant to mention this in the post, but after people are cleared, I am guessing that there would be nothing stopping them from buying a gun through proper channels.

That all being said, anyone who wants a gun can get one; it’s not really that hard I would imagine. I think the government just wants to slow down the “legal” process to make it a little more difficult. I am rarely on the side of this administration’s policies, but on this one, I am.

And yes, I have no problem with keeping legal guns out of murder or robbery suspects until their name is clear. The system is not perfect; that kid at VA Tech bought his gun legally, even though he was deemed mentally unstable. Something has to be done to monitor those buying guns the legal way..whether it is this bill or some other way, I would imagine putting an extra barrier up can only help the situation.

]]> By: Bill Bobaggins http://www.thegoodhuman.com/2007/05/06/the-nra-thinks-suspected-terrorists-should-be-allowed-to-buy-guns/comment-page-1/#comment-725 Bill Bobaggins Mon, 07 May 2007 00:25:13 +0000 http://www.thegoodhuman.com/2007/05/06/the-nra-thinks-suspected-terrorists-should-be-allowed-to-buy-guns/#comment-725 The term "suspected" is a VERY broad term, especially when you bring things like the USA PATRIOT Act into play. According to the USA PATRIOT Act even someone who speaks out against government policies can be considered a suspected terrorist. Like I said, a very broad term. Furthermore a terrorist is not too much different from any other criminal. In fact, if you have to equate them to something, then they're nothing more than murderers (I guess labeling them as "terrorists" adds more of a "fear factor"). So, if we don't allow <i>suspected</i> terrorists to have guns, should we keep those that may be murder suspects, robbery suspects, or any other sort of "suspect" for that matter, from having them as well? What happens when they're no longer a suspect tomorrow? Or next week? The term “suspected” is a VERY broad term, especially when you bring things like the USA PATRIOT Act into play. According to the USA PATRIOT Act even someone who speaks out against government policies can be considered a suspected terrorist. Like I said, a very broad term.

Furthermore a terrorist is not too much different from any other criminal. In fact, if you have to equate them to something, then they’re nothing more than murderers (I guess labeling them as “terrorists” adds more of a “fear factor”). So, if we don’t allow suspected terrorists to have guns, should we keep those that may be murder suspects, robbery suspects, or any other sort of “suspect” for that matter, from having them as well? What happens when they’re no longer a suspect tomorrow? Or next week?

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