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First off, I don't carry a gun, not do I have any plans to.---My question is, should a person have the right to carry a hand gun, if they can't afford to pay for the classes, or purchase the permit. Or to go one step further, just doesn't want to have to go through the red tape, and be on a list of gun owners. And should convicted Felons, that has completed his terms of release, have the same right to defend his Home and family like everybody else, by owning a Gun? Or is he to be forever banned from his right to self defense for himself, and his family.---At one time, we had the "Poll tax." People could only vote if they could afford the tax. this was struck down in court as being Unconstitutional.
First off, I don't carry a gun, not do I have any plans to.---My question is, should a person have the right to carry a hand gun, if they can't afford to pay for the classes, or purchase the permit. Or to go one step further, just doesn't want to have to go through the red tape, and be on a list of gun owners. And should convicted Felons, that has completed his terms of release, have the same right to defend his Home and family like everybody else, by owning a Gun? Or is he to be forever banned from his right to self defense for himself, and his family.---At one time, we had the "Poll tax." People could only vote if they could afford the tax. this was struck down in court as being Unconstitutional.
Two different issues there.
1) Convicted felons have some residual penalties in addition to incarceration, parole etc. (Voting in particular) These have been upheld by the Supreme Court. They are a public safety argument, like not letting sex offenders live near schools, making them register etc.
2) Classes and fees etc. are part of the cost of monitoring...kinda like having to pay for drivers licenses. I guess the logic being that if you can afford the gun you can pay for the licensing.
Ironically, most people that carry a concealed wheapon are unlicensed to even have a gun let alone concealed carry...and are generally engaged in criminal activity.
I think all gun owners should have some kind of gun safety classes before they purchase a gun. The law is the law if your a felon you lose some of your rights.But a felon also can get a pardon and have some of those rights returned
1) Convicted felons have some residual penalties in addition to incarceration, parole etc. (Voting in particular) These have been upheld by the Supreme Court. They are a public safety argument, like not letting sex offenders live near schools, making them register etc.
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The OP's question was "should" they have the right, not "do" they have the right under existing law.
While there is a school of thought that "the law is always right", it is difficult to argue the point convincingly from the purely ethical standpoint. The mere fact that a right is denied under authoritarian edict does not render a moral finality to it.
Would you want to put a gun back into someone's hands if they were a convicted felon that has done pervious crimes with the use of a firearm?? Simple answer =NO!!!
I do think a person should have a right to carry a handgun, without a permit or registration, concealed if they wish. The problem with permits, safety classes, etc is that so many other countries have used these types of databases to illegally round up citizens when they decided to ban or take guns away.
As for felons, I think that nonviolent felons should automatically have their rights restored once they're fulfilled their terms of release, and that even those convicted of violent crimes should be able to petition for a restoration of all their rights. Currently, a felon can have their rights restored, and sometimes is even told they are allowed to own guns again, but can then be raided and convicted for owning those guns - that's when they tell them that the "rights" only applied to voting, and not to self-protection or gun ownership. If they're still too dangerous to trust with some pieces of metal and wood, then they probably shouldn't be out on the street again anyway.
1) Convicted felons have some residual penalties in addition to incarceration, parole etc. (Voting in particular) These have been upheld by the Supreme Court. They are a public safety argument, like not letting sex offenders live near schools, making them register etc.
2) Classes and fees etc. are part of the cost of monitoring...kinda like having to pay for drivers licenses. I guess the logic being that if you can afford the gun you can pay for the licensing.
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Ironically, most people that carry a concealed wheapon are unlicensed to even have a gun let alone concealed carry...and are generally engaged in criminal activity.
You might be right, no way to prove it, but you would be surprised the amount of people who carry legally.
The problem with permits, safety classes, etc is that so many other countries have used these types of databases to illegally round up citizens when they decided to ban or take guns away.
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No country has ever illegally rounded up citizens or taken guns away from anyone.
"Everything Hitler did was legal. Everything the Hungarian freedom fighters did was illegal" --- Nelson Mandela.
If a person commits a crime, and pays what ever price society deems reasonable, then why is that not enough punishment? If there is no end to the term of punishment, then we are basically giving them a "Life Sentence" for a simple felony, such as stealing a car.
As far as the permit for a concealed carry. I feel it is unfair to discriminate, and say "One can defend themselves, and their Home, and family, if you Pay a fee. but if you don't have the money, sorry, to bad for you and your Family".---In actuality, how does the Money part even equate to a Person's "inalienable right to self defense"? When did freedom require a price tag.
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