When reasonable, Constitution-abiding people argue that no one–and especially “suspects” and “persons of interest”–should be imprisoned (and denied legal representation) without being charged with a crime, we are often told that we are “unpatriotic” and “weak.” What will our accusers, then, tell members of the National Rifle Association, who are arguing that suspected terrorists should not be denied firearms?
The NRA is lobbying the Bush administration to drop its support of a bill that would prohibit suspected terrorists from buying firearms. In a letter to Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, NRA executive director Chris Cox said that the proposed bill “would allow arbitrary denial of Second Amendment rights based on mere ‘suspicions’ of a terrorist threat.”
Cox went on to say: “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.”
Are the NRA members “unpatriotic” and “weak”? Stay tuned…literally.
