ACLU says Reid’s gun legislation could threaten privacy rights, civil liberties

[badrose]

http://dailycaller.com/2013/04/04/ex...vil-liberties/

“However, we also believe those checks have to be conducted in a way that protects privacy and civil liberties. So, in that regard, we think the current legislation, the current proposal on universal background checks raises two significant concerns,” he went on.

“The first is that it treats the records for private purchases very differently than purchases made through licensed sellers. Under existing law, most information regarding an approved purchase is destroyed within 24 hours when a licensed seller does a [National Instant Criminal Background Check System] check now,” Calabrese said, “and almost all of it is destroyed within 90 days.”

Calabrese wouldn’t characterize the current legislation’s record-keeping provision as a “national gun registry” — which the White House has denied pursuing — but he did say that such a registry could be “a second step.”

[CitizenBBN]

The ACLU is an unlikely, but correct, ally in this. A national gun registry, and keeping background check records as well no matter what we call it, is a violation of privacy as well as 2nd Amendment rights.

The White House can deny the sky is blue, and does on a daily basis, but if you are requiring people to file paperwork on gun transfers and keeping that paperwork for any period of time I'd say that's a registry. The NRA fought tooth and toenail to keep the current system from keeping any computer records past 24 hours, and the actual physical paperwork stays with the FFL so there is no government database of it. The risk is still there even then, the government could decide to confiscate all those records and build said database. Constant vigilance is the price of liberty.

[Catonahottinroof]

Many right infringement issues exist where the ACLU has remained silent. Why speak up on this one?

[suncat05]

Many right infringement issues exist where the ACLU has remained silent. Why speak up on this one?

That very same thought crossed my mind too.