Staff Reports
The National Instant Criminal Background Check System, or NICS, has become the poster child for government inefficiency, especially when it comes to checking the backgrounds of potential gun buyers. This system, which purports to keep guns out of the hands of the “wrong people,” has faced its fair share of scrutiny, especially in light of incidents like the infamous Sutherland Springs shooting, where ineligible individuals somehow still managed to arm themselves. The recent pandemic only exacerbated the situation, as bureaucratic inefficiencies left a tangled backlog of applications and denials that suggests NICS might be more of a problem than a solution.
President Trump’s recent executive order concerning gun laws has raised eyebrows and rattled cages, prompting a serious reevaluation of NICS. For too long, it seems that NICS has been denying good people the right to bear arms under the guise of public safety, and it’s high time for conservatives to take a hard look at what’s happening. Dan Wos, a thoughtful voice on the issue, has posed some serious questions about the effectiveness of this system, rightly expressing concerns about its alarming rate of false denials.
🚨BREAKING🚨
Criminals don't follow the law!
Huge mic drop moment from @RepKnott in today's hearing! 🎤 https://t.co/umh3Zew9DQ pic.twitter.com/UvE9Xh9V4Z
— Gun Owners of America (@GunOwners) March 4, 2025
According to data from the Government Accountability Office, in 2017, NICS denied a staggering 112,090 individuals from purchasing firearms, yet only a fraction, 12,710, were investigated. This glaring discrepancy could only lead one to conclude the system is failing—an ironic twist for a process designed to uphold the Second Amendment. The anti-gun lobby might brag about the 12 prosecutions that resulted from these denials, but one has to wonder about the remaining 112,078 individuals whose rights were trampled. Falsely accused, these law-abiding citizens found themselves ensnared in a bureaucratic nightmare that left them waiting indefinitely while trying to navigate an appeals process that is as convoluted as it gets.
The fundamental issue here is simple: good people are being rendered disarmed and defenseless while the system is touted as a hallmark of public safety. Instead of preventing gun violence, NICS appears to be a home for overreaching government that treats innocent gun owners like suspected criminals. The reality is that around 80% of individuals denied a purchase don’t even chase down the appeals because, let’s face it, navigating government red tape is rarely a pleasant experience. It’s an issue that begs the question—why is this system still in place?
NICS serves as a stark reminder that bureaucratic solutions often bring their own set of problems, especially when it comes to gun rights. It’s amusingly ironic to think that the Founding Fathers fought so hard for the right to bear arms only to have it shackled by a background check system created by those who would rather see guns disappear altogether. The notion that current measures are effective is laughable—no one with common sense buys into that.
While reform might seem like the desired path, wouldn’t it be more sensible to outright abolish a system that hinders law-abiding citizens from exercising their rights in the first place? The reality is that criminals will get their weapons, background checks or not. A genuine conversation about gun violence should focus on the actual perpetrators of crime, not on making it harder for responsible citizens to defend themselves. The tough journey ahead includes dismantling NICS and freeing gun owners from an unconstitutional process that should have been retired long ago. Whether or not that happens remains to be seen, but skepticism about meaningful change in this landscape is warranted.
