Birmingham-based talk radio host Leland Whaley took to Facebook on Thursday to lay out the absurdity of Congressional Democrats’ publicity stunt aimed at forcing a vote on more stringent gun control measures.
Democrats have called for a “No Fly, No Buy” bill that would prevent individuals on the FBI’s terrorist watch list from purchasing firearms. But Republicans have questioned the prudence of denying Second Amendment rights to Americans who could placed on such a list for any number of reasons without due process.
Additionally, Reason.com’s Jacob Sullum explained earlier this week that the bill, sponsored by Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) goes much further than most Democrats want to admit.
Under Feinstein’s 2015 bill, the attorney general can stop the transfer of a firearm if he “1) determines that the transferee is known (or appropriately suspected) to be or have been engaged in conduct constituting, in preparation for, in aid of, or related to terrorism, or providing material support or resources for terrorism” and “(2) has a reasonable belief that the prospective transferee may use a firearm in connection with terrorism.” The amendment Feinstein introduced last Wednesday, by contrast, lets the attorney general block a sale if he “determines, based on the totality of the circumstances, that the transferee represents a threat to public safety based on a reasonable suspicion that the transferee is engaged, or has been engaged, in conduct constituting, in preparation for, in aid of, or related to terrorism, or providing material support or resources thereof.”
In the revised version, there is no additional requirement that the attorney general have reason to believe the weapon the suspect is trying to buy will be used in a terrorist attack. Hence an old lady who cut a check to a Hamas-affiliated charity (thereby “providing material support” to terrorism and arguably threatening public safety) could be stopped from buying a handgun for self-defense even if there was no evidence that she planned any sort of attack with it. Feinstein’s amendment also expands the dragnet beyond the FBI’s so-called Terrorist Watchlist, which is believed to include more than 1 million people, to cover anyone who was under investigation for “conduct related to a federal crime of terrorism” during the previous five years. The Justice Department would be notified of attempted gun purchases by people who fit that description, giving it a chance to block the sales.
Whaley, whose Leland Live program airs daily on Birmingham’s Talk Radio 99.5, laid out two more scenarios that illustrate why Democrats’ gun control efforts are at best misguided, and at worst purposefully tyrannical.
Pop Quiz: Which scenario is likely to happen if the Democrats pass their “no fly no buy” fantasy:
Scenario A:
Achmed wants to go to heaven. He is told at the mosque his 72 Virginians are waiting. He thinks the end times are here and ISIS is the new caliphate. He reads the ISIS instructions online. Here is an actual quote, “If you can kill a disbelieving American or European – especially the spiteful and filthy French – or an Australian, or a Canadian, or any other disbeliever from the disbelievers waging war, including the citizens of the countries that entered into a coalition against the Islamic State, then rely upon Allah, and kill him in any manner or way however it may be,” So its time for Achmed to kill some infidels.
But Achmed has a problem. Achmed’s online activity lands him on on the “no fly” or “terror watch” list. We got lucky this time and actually found a potential terrorists to put on the list. Achmed joins Congressman John Lewis, who IS already on the list, and is currently protesting gun laws by sitting on the house floor. Achmed goes down to the local gun shop and finds out he can’t buy a gun because he is on the list. All of Achmed’s 72 virgin dreams are dashed. The government said its against to law to be a terrorist. Achmed would never use a pressure cooker or a machete or a pipe bomb to get into heaven. It would be against the law to buy a stolen gun or to steal one. Achmed respects the rule of the infidel law and would have go against the call of his deeply held spiritual beliefs and returns to a life of mediocrity. His hopes extinguished by the Democrats and their clever list, Achmed will have to just watch his friends on TV as they join in on all the Caliphate fun. Terrorism is ended. America has a loving group hug and James Taylor has a concert to celebrate.
Scenario B:
Brittany is being stalked by her ex-husband. He is twice her size and brutally beat her during their rocky marriage. The cops say there is nothing they can do, he has broken no laws. Brittany lives alone. Brittany needs a gun. After doing her research and going to a range to decide which gun fits her needs, she shows up at a gun store nervous but ready to purchase some peace of mind. The store tells her she can’t buy a gun because she is on the “terror watch list.” Say what? The Terror watch list? Without her knowledge Brittany was put on the list because of a couple of her Facebook posts about the government being out of control. (you can get on the list that way). She is told she will have to fill out some forms and it will takes months to appeal to remove her name. So now the Democrats, who fight the “war on women” every election year, have left her defenseless against her threatening ex-husband. They used her 1st amendment Facebook post to abuse her 5th and 14th amendment right of due process rights in order to deny her 2nd amendment rights to protect herself with a gun.
Which scenario is likely to happen in the real world and how many times?
And while we’re at it, let’s watch Rep. Trey Gowdy (R-SC) question a befuddled Department of Homeland Security official about taking away Americans’ Second Amendment rights without due process.
