Don’t rely on no-fly list to restrict gun sales: #tellusatoday

We asked what our Twitter followers thought about blocking sales of guns to individuals who are on the no-fly list. Comments are edited for clarity and grammar:

Absolutely not. The government must use due process to take constitutional rights away from the people, not speculation.

— @c_keeler

It’s absurd to have that list in the first place. If you have enough reason to deny rights, arrest and charge the individuals with a crime.

— @DefinitelyMike

As a British citizen living in the USA, I have no idea why this is not viewed simply as common sense.

— @StuartShevlin

If you aren’t allowed to fly, why should you be allowed to own a gun?

— @VinnieV77

A better idea is to block terrorists from coming into America! Protect our families, and let children live free from fear.

— @vtoast3

The slippery slope of infringing on the rights of people who haven’t committed a crime is more dangerous than guns.

— @S_Ayers31

Letter to the editor:

Many Republicans don’t believe any gun control is reasonable, and so they are looking for some way to make it seem constitutional rights and American values are at stake if a gun restriction is enacted (“Conn. to ban gun sales to ‘no fly’ listers”).

However, the possibility that somebody is wrongly on a no-fly list and can’t buy an assault weapon pales in comparison with the certainty that people on no-fly lists for good reason want guns for evil purposes. A no-fly, no-buy connection and the minor woes it might cause for a handful of people could easily be fixed if Congress acted on the matter and refined no-fly procedures. But Congress is Republican, and it won’t do anything about gun control.

It is hard to believe that the party responsible for gutting the Voting Rights Act really understands constitutional rights and American values in any case.

M. W. Schwartzwalder; Walden, N.Y.

POLICING THE USA: A look at race, justice, media

Comments from Facebook are edited for clarity and grammar:

Banning people on the no-fly list from buying guns in the USA is a way for the government to take away someone’s constitutional rights without due process.

— Bob Cullen

There may be other ways to take some action; however, this is at least a start, which is more than people just wringing their hands have so far been able to do.

— Bonnie Ackerman

We have many gun laws. How did all those California gun laws work in preventing the San Bernardino terrorist attack?

— Chris Watkins

This is a distraction issue that has been proposed as a “do something now” measure with no actual thought as to its significance or effectiveness.

— Dan Porath

For more discussions, follow @USATOpinion or #tellusatoday.