i'm Waiting for Republicans to Come Out Against the No Fly List

[Tom Rinaldo]

It simply follows from their logic. We live in a free society with constitutionally protected equal rights. Why should person A who has not been convicted of any crime be able to board an airplane while person B who has not been convicted of any crime can not?

That is the supposed basis for Republicans wanting people who have been placed on the Terrorist Watch List No Fly List to be able to buy guns. They claim those people with suspected terrorist sympathies have a constitutional right to own weapons that supersedes our right as a society to take seemingly reasonable measures to prevent a terrorist massacre. After all, maybe they were put on that list by mistake. Maybe the list is so shoddily assembled, so riddled with potential errors, that an innocent person might be prevented from buying an assault rifle even though someone involved in the national security apparatus had reason to think they might be a potential terrorist.

So why is it again that some people are being denied the right to travel freely? Why is their potential livelihood being threatened because they can not move rapidly from point A to point B by plane should their business interests require them to? Are only Americans who want to buy guns having their constitutional rights abridged through placement on a No Fly list? Is it the Republican position that we have to let them all arm themselves while we simultaneously keep them off our planes? But, but, they just might be innocent they say. How can Republicans support the No Fly list then I wonder? I expect them to come out strongly against it, oh, any century now.

[davidn3600]

1. Boarding an airplane isn't a constitutional right, owning a gun is

And once again....would someone tell me which mass murder would have been prevented had this law been in place? NONE of these killers were on any list! They passed background checks!

[cleanhippie]

2. The fact that a Democratic and Liberal website is mostly in favor of removing Constituional Rights

without Due Process greatly concerns me.

Are we becoming the very thing we fight against?

[Tom Rinaldo]

7. I am commenting on Republican hypocrisy, not on the wisdom of the No Fly List

I'm not necessarily defending how it is used and maintained. But I can not conceive of a single one of the Republican Senators who voted to allow those placed on that list to be able to purchase weapons also voting to abolish the use of that list.

[cleanhippie]

9. Sorry, my comment was not pointed at you.

It was more of an observation of what's being said around here.

Seems like not too long ago, the No Fly List was something to be denigrated, as it violated due process, was secretive in nature, and allowed for no recourse.

And no we want to use it to to strip Constitutional Rights.

What. The. Fuck.

[Tom Rinaldo]

10. Not a prblem. Fully understand

I am also very wary about unnamed "officials" curtailing liberties without respect to constitutional rights or the use of robust and careful judicial oversight. I was just using your post as an opportunity to clarify the intent of my OP.

[yallerdawg]

4. Another hand-wringing "We can't stop this"?

Your right to own a "dangerous toy" used in so many mass killings, now more than one a day - thank you for a new normal - supersedes our right to live?

What is the one common denominator?

The gun.

[Tom Rinaldo]

5. There are a broad range of rights protected by our constitution

The Constitution is not a laundry list. Wire taps are not referenced in the constitution, there were no wires to tap then. Freedom to assemble is mentioned, the ability to assemble requires travel. Equal protection under the law is enshrined in our constitution. Are you troubled if a person who has repeatedly been hospitalized for paranoid schizophrenia is denied their right to purchase a gun? Even if they are not actively threatening to shoot anybody and just want it for self protection? If not, why not? Owning a gun is a constitutional right, is it not?

[EL34x4]

3. Why should Republicans come out against the no-fly list?

They created it!

That so many here are cheerleading this Bush-era abomination is what's truly disheartening.

[CJCRANE]

6. Who controls the no-fly list? What are the criteria for it? How do you check if you are on it?

How do you appeal? What is the oversight?

The no-fly list could easily turn into a witch-branding exercise.

If you weren't happy with the management of the no-fly list under Bush-Cheney, what's changed?

[Tom Rinaldo]

8. Again. I am daring a single Republican poliician who supports those on the list....

...being able to purchase guns, to explain jut why they aren't equally opposed to anyone being placed on a list that prevents them from boarding a plane - since our rights are so important and that list is so undependable.

[MeNMyVolt]

11. K&R. I get what you're saying Tom.