On Guns and Terror
From The New York Times, March 8, 2005:
WASHINGTON, March 7 - Dozens of terror suspects on federal watch lists were allowed to buy firearms legally in the United States last year, according to a Congressional investigation that points up major vulnerabilities in federal gun laws.
People suspected of being members of a terrorist group are not automatically barred from legally buying a gun, and the investigation, conducted by the Government Accountability Office, indicated that people with clear links to terrorist groups had regularly taken advantage of this gap.
As long as you’re not a convicted felon, an illegal immigrant, or someone deemed “mentally instable,” you can get a gun. In some states, you don’t even have to go through a background check as long as you get a gun at a gun show. To keep the privacy of your average citizen, records of gun purchases must be destroyed after 24 hours. Now why is this a problem? I mean, the Constitution gives us the right to bear arms, correct? Let me fill you in on something - “Dozens of terror suspects on federal watch lists were allowed to buy firearms.”
Okay, I completely believe in a person’s right to privacy. Why should I be monitored because I legally bought a gun with a legal waiting period, etc? But if these people were on watch lists already, and we’re apparently so involved with making sure terrorists aren’t able to kill us that your average Joe is under scrutiny, why in the name of all that is good can’t these people compare two lists?
Wait a minute, they do. Legally, the FBI can only stop a terror suspect if he/she is also a convicted felon, an illegal immirgrant, etc. So why not change the gun laws to include TERROR SUSPECTS?
From How Can I Train Myself for Jihad, originally on the website Azzam.com, now shut down (found on Frank Lautenberg’s website):
In other countries, e.g. some states of USA, South Africa, it is perfectly legal for members of the public to own certain types of firearms. If you live in such a country, obtain an assault rifle legally, preferably AK-47 or variations, learn how to use it properly and go and practice in the areas allowed for such training.
Doing a Google search shows me that this is an actual document (and also puts me on the FBI watch list - but I can still buy a gun!) although I don’t know if the actual statement is taken from there. The sentiment, however, is real enough. Because people’s civil rights are so important when it comes to guns (the NRA sure knows how to twist the Fourth Amendment) some states have extremely lax gun laws. Hey kids, get yourself on a watch list by figuring out the easiest places to get automatic rifles!
You can get a lethal weapon in a matter of minutes and you’re protected by special interests, but if you check out the “wrong” library book, you are branded for life.
So in light of all this new information, we should fight harder for stricter gun laws, given that people who really want to harm us can do so by buying our guns, thereby adding insult to injury and further proving us the stupid barbarians they have portrayed us to be.
From USA Today, May 20, 2003:
More than 20 months after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, a government report out Tuesday warned that foreign terrorists still can take advantage of loopholes in U.S. gun laws and lax government enforcement to buy all of the assault weapons and explosives they need to strike again on U.S. soil.
3/5/2005
Notes on BWOT
Some of my friends have expressed frustration about the fact that they can’t get something like the Holy Family on their first try. And I say to them - if you’re a first time cooking student, do you start with duck a la orange, or do you start with “this is a spatula”? There are plenty of easier puzzles on Conceptis Puzzles, especially if you join. It’s free, and you get a plethora of free puzzles to work on, either on the computer or after printing it out.
I’ve been working on these puzzles since high school, so I’ve been at this a long time. And I still made tons of mistakes on the picture I just did. I was just lucky enough to be able to erase waxy colored pencils or cover them up with a darker color. I encourage people to join the group of puzzlers, but don’t be expected to do the Mona Lisa on your first try. Black and white is usually (but not always) easier than color, and if you make a mistake, try again.
Wow, that sounded patronizing, but really it wasn’t!!!