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Felons to maybe get guns.
grumpygy
Member Posts: 53,466 ✭
quote:Colorado State Rep. Perry Buck believes so much in the right to bear arms that she thinks even convicted felons should be able to own guns -- once they get out of the clink, of course. And only if they were convicted of, you know, "good felonies," which Buck defines as non-violent crimes. Guns for (Good) Felons is the gist of a new bill from Buck, who introduced legislation that would allow for certain felons to be able to possess firearms once again. Buck's arguments are that nonviolent offenders are unlikely to commit violent crimes so it would be "irresponsible" to deny them access to instruments of violence
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quote:Colorado State Rep. Perry Buck believes so much in the right to bear arms that she thinks even convicted felons should be able to own guns -- once they get out of the clink, of course. And only if they were convicted of, you know, "good felonies," which Buck defines as non-violent crimes. Guns for (Good) Felons is the gist of a new bill from Buck, who introduced legislation that would allow for certain felons to be able to possess firearms once again. Buck's arguments are that nonviolent offenders are unlikely to commit violent crimes so it would be "irresponsible" to deny them access to instruments of violence
So does this part mean a gun is nothing but an instrument of violence, an odd way of wording it if you are backing the 2nd.
I have often wonderd, where in the 2nd Amd. is the clause for those who cant own arms.
If they cannot prove they can be trusted beyond the first phase of their punishment (that being prison), they can darned well suffer the consequences.
Those consequences would include an armed and honest public ready for them should they transgress again.
There's a myriad of Federal "felonies" which can range from illegal importation of wood (even though the forms have been properly approved) to mere possession of an unregistered machinegun conversion part.
I think this move by Mr. Buck is to pave the way for all those pot users, dealers and traffickers to get their gun rights back once weed is fully and properly legal in CO. Most of them are non-violent offenders, and as anyone with any insight or contact with folks "in that world" the only reason to carry guns is because of the illicit nature of dat damn Debil weed!
In this case, I can't see that permanent loss of rights would have been a positive addition to their punishment. There was no violence although I'm sure it might have gone that way had they been able to access the guy who sold them the stolen goods. There aren't any GOOD felonies but sometimes the convicted are not as guilty as they might seem and what they did was nonviolent.
But then, I don't believe most people who are convicted of violent crimes should be "released back into society" in any condition where they'd be able commit crimes again.
"One strike and you're out for life, or executed," is my policy for dealing with violent criminals.
If you're too dangerous to be allowed to own a firearm, you're too dangerous to be released back into society.
My pause is, Joe is a gangbanger, used a gun in his crime, maybe even killed folks, gets a left wing liberal judge who thinks it's all because momma didn't breast feed him and only gives him 10 years, he joins the "human haters" gang in prison and causes trouble, but is set free after 5 years because the prisons are over crowded and he hasn't killed a guard, yet, then get's turned out in the public again.
No, I don't want this Joe getting his gun rights back because, in my opinion, he did really pay the debt to society he really owed.
Maybe they should attach restitution to the ability to get your gun rights back.
This means that, even if given probation & you don't serve a day in jail, you have lost these rights forever. The only exception is if your governor gives you a pardon. (If convicted of a federal offense, there is a BATFE procedure for obtaining a pardon; however, every president since Clinton has prohibited BATFE from processing such pardons. So much for Christian forgiveness.)
Some states have misdemeanors carrying a possible sentence of > 1 year. In Maryland, you can get as much as 6 years in jail for some misdemeanors such as CDS possession (not marijuana).
So, obviously, the solution to all this unfairness is: ban assault weapons, ban hi-cap mags, & register all other guns.
Neal
And fiery auto crashes
Some will die in hot pursuit
While sifting through my ashes
Some will fall in love with life
And drink it from a fountain
That is pouring like an avalanche
Coming down the mountain
Oh yeah.. armed robbery, give them another chance to do it again. Once a crackhead, always a crackhead
Coming from someone who has broken laws before. LOL Reading comprehension there Select. No one here has said anything about giving violent felons guns.
I doubt if there is anyone on this forum that could, under the right circumstances, be arrested and convicted of a felony. All it would take is simply drink one drink and then drive a car. If you wreck you just committed a felony. Just one on many ways you could be convicted of a felony.
I'd not be terribly averse to allowing non-violent felons to once again have a gun, with a long probationary period. I'd also be in favor of keeping violent ones in prison forever, period.
Half of them will shoot themselves before they get in the car.
Brad Steele
Too many variables to make a blanket statement on this one, but in general, once you've paid your debt and served your time, I'm good with full restorations of your rights.
My pause is, Joe is a gangbanger, used a gun in his crime, maybe even killed folks, gets a left wing liberal judge who thinks it's all because momma didn't breast feed him and only gives him 10 years, he joins the "human haters" gang in prison and causes trouble, but is set free after 5 years because the prisons are over crowded and he hasn't killed a guard, yet, then get's turned out in the public again.
No, I don't want this Joe getting his gun rights back because, in my opinion, he did really pay the debt to society he really owed.
Maybe they should attach restitution to the ability to get your gun rights back.
Joe will just ignore the law and pick up one on the street!
(criminals don't obey laws, that's why they're called criminals)
Allen
I agree with him. Years ago we diluted the meaning of a felony. Some kids were faceing felony charges a few years agon in DC I think it was for throwing snowballs at a garbage truck. Should they never be allowed their right to bear arms? That's just stupid. Felonys use to be major crimes. Now you can get a felony for scratching your butt in public. We are so out of wack in this country it is crazy.
Bingo. You've hit the nail on the head. Every "Chicken Little" is concentrating on the word "felony" without giving much thought to what actually constitutes a felony. As was mentioned, it used to be that the "felony" label was reserved for armed robbery, murder, kidnapping, etc. These days it takes a LOT LESS criminal activity to be labelled as "felony". As long as the crime was nonviolent, and the convict has served out his sentence AND probation period, I have no objections to that person having the right to protect himself and his family with a gun.
This would also cure a lot of the problems we have with the justice system and our over crowded prisons. Just think how the parole boards would react knowing that a violent felon could buy a gun the moment he was released. You would see these repeat offenders spending a lot more time behind bars and the people in there for small drug offenses or victim-less crimes would be out earlier.
Too many crimes are considered to be felonies...
Too many felons don't serve anywhere near what their prison term is supposed to be.....
Felons who are released are so handicapped by the label "felon" that they can't re-integrate into society....
If you're too dangerous to be allowed to own a firearm, you're too dangerous to be released back into society.
It really should be that simple but that would require 1) doing work to change some laws and 2) upsetting some voters, therefore it will never happen.
quote:Colorado State Rep. Perry Buck believes so much in the right to bear arms that she thinks even convicted felons should be able to own guns -- once they get out of the clink, of course. And only if they were convicted of, you know, "good felonies," which Buck defines as non-violent crimes. Guns for (Good) Felons is the gist of a new bill from Buck, who introduced legislation that would allow for certain felons to be able to possess firearms once again. Buck's arguments are that nonviolent offenders are unlikely to commit violent crimes so it would be "irresponsible" to deny them access to instruments of violence
I agree, there are to many people denied self protection because of government laws that were never ment to make people forever disarmed.
This topic is another one that my opinion has undergone some serious evolution on.
I tend to agree with DRP and MMOMEQ on this.
Except DRP seems to have Perry mixed up with her husband[8D].
What if the harmless felony was having lots of kiddie porn? Not doing or buying, something they picked up on the internet?
If felons do get gun rights returned we're going to have 99.9% agreeing on the line between getting & not getting, but that crossover point is going to be a PITA.
For protetcion of the home.
"Put that in your pipe and smoke it"
I LOVE TEXAS
Texan by BIRTHRIGHT
Felons should not be allowed to vote or own guns upon release. They should be required to prove their re-discovered trustworthiness. There should be a life-long component to punishment for a crime.
If they cannot prove they can be trusted beyond the first phase of their punishment (that being prison), they can darned well suffer the consequences.
Those consequences would include an armed and honest public ready for them should they transgress again.
This is ludacris......if they have payed there debt to society and are infact being released there rights should be restored. Otherwise they should not be released... Right.
If they cannot prove they can be trusted....they should not be released.... Lets enforce the laws on the books to the fullest extent.....my 2 cents
As far as the life long punishment..............Swift justice.....violent offenders death row straight away...now more wasted tax dollars. Where the line is is a valid debate........the guy who serves time for a good felony...and is deemed safe,has payed his debt to society, and is released, gets his rights back.
Just because someone committed a felony doesn't mean they can be searched without a warrant or be denied due process or any other right recognized under the constitution.
After the person has served their time and all conditions of their probation and/or parole have been met, their rights should be restored. Bad guys will always get guns anyway. Honest people with guns could still stop them if they misuse them.
When in doubt, we should always lean toward the side of more freedoms, not less. Failure to do so has brought us to where we are now.
If convicted of violent crime keep them in jail. If the jail is too full, decriminalize drugs and the freed pot smokers would leave plenty of room. No need for NICS checks if the violent ones are still in prison. Look at all the govt we would get rid of if we did that.
If you are free, you are free. Simple as that.
Perjury is a felony.
He lost his license to practice law.
Can he VOTE?
I didnt read all the posts but TEXAS Stipulates 10 Years after all time and probation served they may have a gun in their home only..
For protetcion of the home.
"Put that in your pipe and smoke it"
I LOVE TEXAS
Texan by BIRTHRIGHT
DITTOS.
i have a problem with someone with a felony mag conviction moving here and being denied.
Hell I know first hand I had gotten in trouble years ago was charged with nine drug related felonies I had a wild life in my 20s. The charges got rolled into one then since I had not been in trouble before I got a pretrial diversion and that was that after 5 years it is dismissed and then file to expunge.
Just my two cents on this I think the right should be taken away for repeat screw ups simply bc more times often than not they never learn anyway.