Asking for opinions on 2A application/scope

[PrepperFS]

Curious what others think about the questions of: should the second amendment be afforded to convicted felons, and also to people under a certain age?

[oilcanhenry]

Curious what others think about the questions of: should the second amendment be afforded to convicted felons, and also to people under a certain age?

Depends.

Back in the 1800's, once you did your time, there were NO gun restrictions.

Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid were able to legally own firearms after spending time in prison, for instance. I believe they were both locked up on robbery charges, but hadn't killed anyone, if my memory serves me correctly.

When I was a "kid" I was shooting .22 LR rifles and buying the ammo too.

They wouldn't sell you handgun or centerfire rifle ammo until you were 16-18, but shotgun shells and .22's were available to a "kid" over 12-14 depending on where you lived and if the seller knew you and/or your family. There were no "school shootings" back then either, of course, with the exception of the 1966 25 year old Charles Whitman case in Austin, Texas, who had a brain tumor, and sniper skills he learned as a Marine. Not a high school teenager. This was a college.

That said, I would not like violent felons to legally own firearms, but they will get them illegally anyhow, but when you let them out on early release like Gov. Brown has done, what else can you expect? Perhaps, assuming they didn't rape or kill anyone, or shoot anyone, they could apply to have their RKBA restored?

As for people on felony drug charges, if they are non-violent, I dont see any reason to restrict their RKBA rights once they do their time, including parole time.

Too many people in America are scared of almost anything these days, thus we have so many laws, including many firearms laws, that only restrict decent gun-owners who are not given to any criminal activity whatsoever. The real criminals and gang-bangers always have guns, oftentimes full-auto machine-guns.

[Drew Eckhardt]

Curious what others think about the questions of: should the second amendment be afforded to convicted felons,

Yes.

It's too easy for the governments to create felons with a pen stroke. In 1996 Congress made using foul language on the internet a felony, punishable by two years in federal prison. A gun owner smoking a joint is a felon. Neglect to register or modify your bullet buttoned AR15 in the next two years and you'll be a felon.

Violent felons could be a problem, although they're going to get firearms whether or not they're legally allowed to.

Fortunately they usually kill other criminals so the rest of us don't have anything to worry about.

and also to people under a certain age?

Depends on the age.

16 year olds are mature enough to trust with cars that kill 30,000 people annually, and should be fine with guns that are much safer.

[Rusty_Rebar]

People should be able to carry anything a typical infantry soldier might have on them.

There should be no restrictions for felons per se, however for violent felonies, or people with a history of violence, I would have little problem with a ban of some sort.

Age should be restricted to the age of consent, whatever society decides that to be.

[Wiz-of-Awd]

Depends on the age.

16 year olds are mature enough to trust with cars that kill 30,000 people annually, and should be fine with guns that are much safer.

This is interesting.

If the 2A is a God given right, I was unaware that God figures, "Unless you're of a certain age or lower."

A.W.D.

[GrampaJoel]

If a felon is so violent that after serving their prison term, that they can't have their gun rights restored, than maybe they need not be released at all.

[R Dale]

If a felon is so violent that after serving their prison term, that they can't have their gun rights restored, than maybe they need not be released at all.

That what I believe also. all these gun restrictions really for the most part have nothing to do with public safety but is a just a excuse to disarm the public at large, everyone knows that once someone is released they will get a gun and use it if they want to and telling a felon they cant have a gun does not in anyway impact their ability to get one.

[R Dale]

Curious what others think about the questions of: should the second amendment be afforded to convicted felons, and also to people under a certain age?

For the most part I believe convicted felons have the right to self defense just like anyone else, i do think that for under 18 year old kids it may not be a good idea for them to carry or own a gun unless they do so under the supervision of a responsible adult.

[randomBytes]

I'm fine with non-violent felon's having 2A rights after serving their time.
Violent felons.... not so sure, possibly an N year restriction after serving time.

If there is no chance of redemtion there is no incentive to reform.

[R Dale]

I'm fine with non-violent felon's having 2A rights after serving their time.
Violent felons.... not so sure, possibly an N year restriction after serving time.

If there is no chance of redemtion there is no incentive to reform.

All good points I agree, I think people should only be released from prison if it appears they can be trusted and I know some will fool you but I think nothing should be held over them other than maybe being watched real closely for a couple of years. IMO anyone that is released should at some point have full rights restored so they can move on with their life, as I said before gun bans for the most part have nothing to do with public safety but is just a ruse to disarm the public because all gun restrictions start with a certain group of people and is then expanded to include others and on a constant basis, the bans expand quicker in some states than others but they will expand.

[Drew Eckhardt]

People should be able to carry anything a typical infantry soldier might have on them.

Congress's constitutional authority to issue letters of marque and reprisal wouldn't have meant anything if the people couldn't have privately owned crew-operated weapons like war ships.

[zhyla]

Toddlers should enjoy the same 2A rights as anyone else. What part of "shall not be infringed" do you not understand?

[Jimi Jah]

With hundreds of thousands of laws on the books and more added every day, the progressive's goals are to get a felony/severe misdemenor on everyone's record then no one can own a gun.

[R Dale]

With hundreds of thousands of laws on the books and more added every day, the progressive's goals are to get a felony/severe misdemenor on everyone's record then no one can own a gun.

I think you are correct.

[curtisfong]

With hundreds of thousands of laws on the books and more added every day, the progressive's goals are to get a felony/severe misdemenor on everyone's record then no one can own a gun.

Exactly this.