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NRA: We Won’t Change Our Position on Terror Watchlist Gun Ban

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The National Rifle Association has signaled that it will meet with GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump, but that it will not back off from its position on the “no fly, no buy” policy of the Obama administration, which validates the anonymous terror watchlist.

“We are happy to meet with Donald Trump,” said head of the NRA’s Institute for Legislative Action Chris Cox. “The NRA’s position on this issue has not changed.”

“The NRA believes that terrorists should not be allowed to purchase or possess firearms, period,” he added. “Anyone on a terror watch list who tries to buy a gun should be thoroughly investigated by the FBI and the sale delayed while the investigation is ongoing. If an investigation uncovers evidence of terrorist activity or involvement, the government should be allowed to immediately go to court, block the sale, and arrest the terrorist.”

He then spoke to the issue that most concerns me when these things come up, and that is names of people who are wrongly put on the watchlist.

“At the same time, due process protections should be put in place that allow law-abiding Americans who are wrongly put on a watch list to be removed,” he said. “That has been the position of Sen. John Cornyn (R., Texas) and a majority of the U.S. Senate.”

As far as I can tell, the terror watch list is unconstitutional. It does not find anyone to be in violation of the law and yet, the NRA is seeking to infringe on the rights of people that have apparently committed no crime, in a similar manner to what the Obama administration has been espousing, but has failed to actually justify.

While the NRA does claim that due process is in order to those wrongly placed on the watch list, it fails to understand that there is no due process when one is suspected to be guilty when they haven’t even been indicted! If my name appears on the watch list without any criminal charge, why should I be forced through due process? If there is no indictment against me, why should I have to hire an attorney and waste my money to defend myself against allegations for which I have not been arrested? It is a clear violation of the Fifth Amendment!

The NRA has a long history of compromising the rights of the American people. You can see this documented thoroughly in Felix Bronstein’s excellent piece here.

We already know that many people have been put on this list illegally and their rights have been violated by a criminal government in the name of security. Here are just a few examples.

Please keep in mind that this is the same government whose own unconstitutional Homeland Security Department failed to catch 72 employees who were on this particular terror watchlist.

Donald Trump responded to the NRA’s invitation to meet with him on the issue.

“I will be meeting with the NRA, who has endorsed me, about not allowing people on the terrorist watch list, or the no fly list, to buy guns,” Trump said.

Trump was asked in November 2015 by George Stephanopoulos, “Mr. Trump, yes or no, should someone on the terror watch list be allowed to buy a gun/”

“If somebody is on a watch list and an enemy of state and we know it’s an enemy of state, I would keep them away, absolutely,” Trump said.

Frankly, I find this troublesome for the reasons above. While I understand that if people are actually tied to terrorists (by this I mean those who are actually engaged in rhetoric and actions against our country), you want to keep them away from guns. However, they should be indicted and charges brought per the Fifth Amendment of the US Constitution, not placed on a nebulous watchlist with no reason for doing so. Failing to do so, is not only a tyrannical act that violates rights protected under the Fifth Amendment, but also those protected under the Second Amendment.

Let’s stop infringing on people’s rights in the name of security and move back to government doing what it is supposed to do according to Romans 13:1-5 and allowing free men to remain free.


Tim Brown

Tim Brown is a Christian and lover of liberty, a husband to his "more precious than rubies" wife, father of 10 "mighty arrows" and jack of all trades. He lives in the US-Occupied State of South Carolina, is the Editor at SonsOfLibertyMedia.com, GunsInTheNews.com and TheWashingtonStandard.com. and SettingBrushfires.com; and also broadcasts on The Sons of Liberty radio weekdays at 6am EST and Saturdays at 8am EST. Follow Tim on Twitter. Also check him out on Gab, Minds, and USALife.
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