Here's one more thing that proves the National Rifle Association leadership is f***ing crazy:
WASHINGTON (AP) -- The National Rifle Association is urging the Bush administration to withdraw its support of a bill that would prohibit suspected terrorists from buying firearms. Backed by the Justice Department, the measure would give the attorney general the discretion to block gun sales, licenses or permits to terror suspects.
They seem to think that it's OK for someone suspected of being a terrorist to still buy a gun 'cause, you know, suspected isn't the same as convicted.
Too bad the no-fly list, voting rights and other silly restrictions don't follow that logic path.
Yes, indeed. The NRA wants to draw the distinction between kinda maybe being a terrorist and actually being one when it comes to picking up that hand-held cannon at the gun shop.
"As many of our friends in law enforcement have rightly pointed out, the word 'suspect' has no legal meaning, particularly when it comes to denying constitutional liberties," [NRA executive director Chris] Cox wrote.
Meanwhile, in airports across the country, average people are being delayed or even denied boarding because they ended up on a no-fly list because they may be a suspected terrorist.
WASHINGTON — Thousands of people have been mistakenly linked to names on terror watch lists when they crossed the border, boarded commercial airliners or were stopped for traffic violations, a government report said Friday. (link... from Faux News, no less)
Let me get this straight: The NRA, who is a significant stockholder in the Republican Party, Inc., thinks that if you are only suspected of terrorism, you should still be able to buy a gun. After all, you're innocent until proven guilty. But this NRA-loving administration's scare-tactic style of air travel security is not safe from suspected terrorists even if they have gone through the extensive screening for weapons, plastic explosives, shoe bombs, and bottled water.
Well, I guess you can never be too careful. After all, look what kind of person that terrorist list can catch at the airport:
U.S. Sen. Edward M. "Ted" Kennedy said yesterday that he was stopped and questioned at airports on the East Coast five times in March because his name appeared on the government's secret "no-fly" list. (link)
Relax, Senator. At least the NRA will let you buy a semi-automatic rifle.
(cross-posted at Kerfuffle)