Even IF this is a terrorist attack, the NRA is not off the hook.

[RandySF]

Well, wouldn’t you know it? “Membership in a terrorist organization does not prohibit a person from possessing firearms or explosives under current federal law,” according to the Government Accountability Office and now a report from the federal agency finds that over 2,000 individuals on the FBI’s terrorist watch list have indeed successfully and legally purchased a firearm from 2004 to 2014.

The Washington Post highlighted the findings of the GAO’s March report in light of Friday’s terror attacks in Paris:

Between 2004 and 2014, suspected terrorists attempted to purchase guns from American dealers at least 2,233 times. And in 2,043 of those cases — 91 percent of the time — they succeeded. There are about 700,000 people on the watch-list — a point that civil libertarians have made to underscore that many on the list may be family members or acquaintances of people with potential terrorist connections.

Not a single gun buyer on the terror watch list was turned away because they posed a threat to America as a suspected terrorist. Instead, reasons for their rejections included “felony conviction, under indictment, adjudicated mental health, misdemeanor crime of domestic violence conviction, fugitive from justice and controlled substance abuse,” according to the GAO. In fact, in 2013 and 2014, the number of successful gun buyers from the terror watch list rose to 94 percent — with 455 suspects purchasing firearms and just 30 being denied.

Of course, the NRA has forcefully opposed any legislation to close this loophole since 2007, citing “a concern that the FBI might watchlist a person as a ‘suspected terrorist’ on dubious grounds.” Granted, 700,000 does appear to be a rather inflated amount of suspected terrorists living among us, but as the Post notes, even a full 71 percent of NRA members support prohibiting people on the terror watchlist from buying guns.

http://www.salon.com/2015/11/18/nra_fail_more_than_2000_people_on_terror_watch_list_have_legally_purchased_guns_in_the_last_10_years/

[GP6971]

1. In my opinion

the NRA is never off the hook.

[meow2u3]

10. In MY opinion

The NRA ought to be classified as a domestic terrorist organization.

If the Feds had the guts to stand up to the NRA, they'd shut down their operations and incarcerate their leaders, bringing them up on charges of inciting terrorist attacks.

[TeddyR]

13. What exactly has the NRA done to be classified as a terrorist organization?

Will never be a fan of the NRA but it is a lobbying body, not a terrorist organization. ISIS, Al Qaeda and FARC are terrorist organizations.

[meow2u3]

17. They might as well applauded every mass shooting in this country

With their irresponsible, incendiary rhetoric and pandering to people's paranoid, base fears, it's no wonder that the NRA has devolved from a lobbying body to a gang of terrorist sympathizers IMO.

[840high]

27. I would think today is enough

to make people more paranoid. NRA not needed. Just look at the daily news.

[rockfordfile]

22. They support these kind of guns

They push the gun culture. The NRA and republican party. The gun nut idiots.

[GGJohn]

16. How, pray tell,

is the NRA inciting terrorist attacks?

[meow2u3]

18. You know already

Just open your eyes and see what the NRA has wrought. The more shootings, the louder the NRA gets defending the (white) criminals.

[GGJohn]

19. There's this little thing in the BoR called the 1st Amendment, it was in all the civics classes I

assume you took in school, it's called freedom of speech with out fear of govt persecution.
What the NRA is doing is despicable, but certainly not illegal or inciting terrorism.

[840high]

28. Were the shooters today white?

[rockfordfile]

23. When your right wing group supports these kinds of guns

unacceptable. That supports says the way to solve a problem is with violence.

[GGJohn]

25. My right wing group?

are you talking about?
I don't even belong to the NRA, so take your bullshit elsewhere.

[GGJohn]

2. Are you aware that the ACLU also opposses that watch list?

You know why? Because many people are mistakenly put on that list with no means to have their name removed, it's the same as the No Fly List, you're not even aware your on those lists until you try to board a plane, Ted Kennedy was on that list, really? Ted Kennedy?

The average citizen has no recourse to getting their names removed from those lists, how is that fair in America?

[RandySF]

4. Stop making excuses for the NRA's phallic obsession with guns.

[GGJohn]

5. So predictable.

I give you a fact and you turn into something else.
Do you have any comment, besides the bullshit insult, on the ACLU opposing those Bush era lists?

It's really funny, people oppose Bush era lists until it comes to firearms, then they're all for them.
Talk about hypocrisy.

[RandySF]

7. Just as predictable

as the gun people on DU who rally to shut up anyone calling for sensible gun measures.

[GGJohn]

8. Again,

why do you support Bush era lists, that even the ACLU opposes?
Are you in favor of secret lists now?

[rockfordfile]

24. Stop making excuses for right wing gun extremist like the NRA

It's the kind of thing you would see on a fox news show.

[GGJohn]

26. So you're also in favor of Bush era secret govt lists that the ACLU also opposes as

unconstitutional.

Know what a hypocrite is?
Someone who opposes something until it suits their agenda, then it's all good.

[TeddyR]

14. I'm all for sensible gun measures

I'm fine with UBCs and much stricter penalties for criminals that use guns during a crime. I also support mandatory training, paid for with tax money, for gun owners.

[hack89]

3. So secret government lists are all that we need to take away constitutional rights?

that list was brought to us by the same people that gave us the Patriot Act.

[GGJohn]

6. Those lists are unconstitutional until it comes to firearms,

then all of a sudden, they're acceptable.

[virginia mountainman]

9. So much love for a Bush-Co's super secret terra lists here..EOM

[GGJohn]

11. Only becuse of "gunz".

Any other time, those lists are unconstitutional.

[virginia mountainman]

12. Anyone that supports it..

Clearly knows nothing about it. LOL, It was so much of a joke, Ted Kennedy was on the no fly list at one time.

[LiberalElite]

15. Absolutely agree. nt

[GGJohn]

20. So you're in favor of Bush era secret govt lists also? eom.

[X_Digger]

21. The same watch list that had Sen Kennedy on it?

No, I don't support infringing a right without due process of law, just as the 14th amendment guarantees.

I would also not support stripping such folks from being able to vote, or be safe from self-incrimination, and not face cruel and unusual punishment.