# In which a loophole is found in gun control laws **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [March 9, 2005, 11:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-which-a-loophole-is-found-in-gun-control-laws/293657 "2005-03-09T11:03:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2005, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-which-a-loophole-is-found-in-gun-control-laws/293657/21 "2005-03-10T00:17:32Z")
The way I see it is that despite being on some watch list in Washington DC, they haven’t broken any laws yet, and therefore deserve no limits on their liberties and rights. Anything else isn’t acceptable- it’s one step short of imprisoning these people because “they might do something”. ---
**Author:** ![treis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bc79bd/32.png) [@treis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/treis)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2005, 11:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-which-a-loophole-is-found-in-gun-control-laws/293657/22 "2005-03-10T11:29:33Z")
> [@Gaudere](#): > > You could parse that? I couldn’t even figure out what he was talking about. 😛 I’d like to see someone diagram that sentance. ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_MB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steve_mb/32/5339_2.png) [@Steve\_MB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_MB)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2005, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-which-a-loophole-is-found-in-gun-control-laws/293657/23 "2005-03-10T13:26:45Z")
> [@Fear Itself](#): > > Yeah, like Mohammed Atta didn’t suspect the FBI might be looking for him. Do you really think terrorists are any less careful just because they aren’t certain what the government knows? I should think that they are always as secretive as they can be, whether they know they are on a watch list or not. You’ve gotta be whooshing me. It’s painfully obvious that the ability to to easily discover whether or not he’s on the watch list would be a great benefit to any terrorist (e.g. it would help them decide who actually goes missions and who stays behind the scenes to do support). ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_MB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steve_mb/32/5339_2.png) [@Steve\_MB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_MB)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2005, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-which-a-loophole-is-found-in-gun-control-laws/293657/24 "2005-03-10T13:29:31Z")
> [@SenorBeef](#): > > NICS checks are a very formal procedure, and all that is ever given is approved, delayed, denied. And they goof. So it wouldn’t necesarily be a tip off. All that means is that the terrorist can’t confirm the positive (I am on the watch list) for sure. He could still confirm the much more useful negative (I am not on the watch list) quite easily – just make two or three (to filter out the case where “they goof”) legal gun purchases. ---
**Author:** ![Padeye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@Padeye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Padeye)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2005, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-which-a-loophole-is-found-in-gun-control-laws/293657/25 "2005-03-10T15:55:48Z")
> [@Machetero](#): > > …Just broaden what the 4473 covers. They already did that with some legal alien firearms ownership regulations after 9/11. I’m curious what changes were made in right of legal aliens to own guns. I’m not aware of any changes. I know a resident alien who owns registered machine guns and has purchased at least once since 9/11. In any event I think it will take more than a regulatory change, I think congress would have to amend the GCA to expand the list of those prohibited from owning guns. ---
**Author:** ![ouryL](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ouryl/32/6067_2.png) [@ouryL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ouryL)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2005, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-which-a-loophole-is-found-in-gun-control-laws/293657/26 "2005-03-10T17:20:14Z")
> [@Arwin](#): > > Yeah, or maybe the FBI wouldn’t think it very beneficial to give someone on the list advance warning before they send them off to GB. > > “Hello, you Capitalist Heathen P … eh, good sir. Could I have a gun please?” > “Why certainly, sir, please fill in this form.” > Suspected Terrorist fills in form and hands it over. > “Thank you sir, now please wait while I check if you’re on the suspected terrorists list. Ah, I’m sorry, yes you are. Sorry.” > “Oh, alright. \*Now at least I know \* … thanks again.” > “Anytime.” Wow!! You mean the list is now open to the public? :dubious: [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-which-a-loophole-is-found-in-gun-control-laws/293657.md?page=1)