I have previously written about gun background checks and why more gun purchases should be subject to these checks. And one of the arguments against them is that they are not perfect.

Which is certainly true. But in my opinion we need to work on both improving the background check system and eliminating the large exemptions from background checks for internet sales and gun shows.

According to several articles I’ve seen and NPR is quote below you can pass the background if your name is on the national terrorism watch list.

Under current laws, if a background check reveals that your name is on the national terrorism watch list, you’re still free to walk out of a gun dealership with a firearm in your hands — as long as you don’t have a criminal or mental health record.

Data from the Government Accountability Office show that between 2004 and 2010, people on terrorism watch lists tried to buy guns and explosives more than 1,400 times. They succeeded in more than 90 percent of those cases, or 1,321 times.

Why do we make it easy for the bad guys?

But the NPR story does go on to give several reasons why this is so. And many of them make sense and might be good reasons. Some seem somewhat less than convincing to me. But shouldn’t this at least raise a red flag somewhere in the system. Maybe it does. I don’t know.

For those who would like more information on the background check system here is the FBI Fact sheet on National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) and a recent Washington Post Fact Check on a recent statement suggesting that background checks are not very useful.