Honestly I feel that non-violent felons who show that they are rehabilitated should have rights restored after a couple years of proving they’re on the straight and narrow. Everyone makes mistakes, and most non violent felonies can be classified as a mistake. Violent felons should probably never get gun rights back.
My opinion on mental instability, technically a lot of my buddies who have PTSD could have their 2nd amendment rights stripped away for volunteering to be in the military during a time of war. I dont agree with that. I also don’t believe anyone but a psychiatrist can make that determination on what makes somebody mentally ill with violent propensity, not the police, family member, therapist, neighbor, or a judge, these people deal with mental illness, but cannot diagnose it. They do not have a Phd. So in my opinion the red flag laws in this country are just going to drive a wedge further between our police and judicial system and the people, and that isn’t any way for a nation to heal and strengthen. Plus red flag laws violate unreasonable search and seizure, and due process.
All of these are my opinions on this matter. What about yours?
I recently had a conversation with a friend and co-worker on the subject, who also owns and is pro 2A. He said he felt people who were in a mental hospital shouldn’t be able to own guns after they get out. I told him that under the current law they can’t, and. I believe in MA they can get one after being out five years with a positive report by a psychologist. I asked what he thought about people being treated for depression owning guns. He said he thought they shouldn’t be able to. I pointed out that there are huge amounts of people on meds and/or being treated for depression. That doesn’t necessarily mean they’re a danger to themselves or anyone else. On top of that, who decides who is fit and who isn’t? There are plenty of mental health professionals who have political agendas. Do they decide? Does a government agency decide? Where does it end?
There are police officers still working with PTSD. Properly treated, people with PTSD can live happy, normal lives. Do we now take these police officers guns from them, even though they are treated and adjusted?
The Red Flag laws are ripe for abuse. The one passed in MA last year made it blatantly clear it isn’t about helping people; there isn’t anything included in the law about getting people help, it’s just about taking their weapons. GOAL tried getting language to that effect into the law, but it didn’t happen, proving their point.
Here’s a thought, what about someone who is a gun owner and finds him or herself in a not so nice mental state? They may want to get help, but now fear the loss of their weapon(s) as well as their future rights to own any if they seek help and it gets reported. The alternative is they decide against it, and maybe that doesn’t work out so well. I can see the Red Flag laws becoming a deterrent for someone who knows they need help from seeking it.
Mental illness already has such a stigma that people don’t want to get help. These situations only make it worse.
The amazing men and women who serve - military or first responder civilian - and have PTSD need help and support, not to be told their a threat to themselves and others because they’ve seen the worst a human can do to another human.
A woman who goes through severe postpartum depression needs help, not accusing voices telling her she’s a threat to her child.
The only people who should be able to make the diagnosis and determine the severity are Phd’s. Not the government making a sweeping generalization based on a word. Depression can range in severity - kind of like a burn - is it first degree or third degree? Is the tip of my finger burned or is the burn over my entire body?
As far as @James point about unreasonable search and seizure: all of the Amendments are protected by the Second Amendment. Take away our Second Amendment rights and the rest of the Amendments will fall.
One of the facets rarely discussed is the ever-changing definition of a felony. Each state gets to interpret that, and the definitions vary widely. I don’t know anything about this website, but the read was good.
People who support gun rights typically aren’t out performing criminal activities, even petty ones. One must, however, be very careful when issues such as how you discipline your children, argue with your spouse, or leaving the dog outside for too long can be construed as potentially criminal. Lots of eyes and ears in today’s society. We should always be striving for the best in ourselves, and trying to inspire the best in others.
My wife was a Parole officer for the state of Texas. As far as owning a Black powder weapon, they are prohibited as long on parole because of the tool, implement, or object clause on their paperwork. This does not prevent them from ordering one from places like EMF, inc and having it sent to their house. I am not a felon nor have I been to prison, but I did order and have delivered to my house a bp Remington 1858 .36 pistol with no real pressing questions or easily falsified iirc. There are no background checks, just prohibition by states. I just spoke to my wife and on or off parole they can not own ANY weapon.
Minors I do not have a an issue with owning a firearm or having the ability to access one (will qualify this in a moment). I f the minor has taken training, and reached a responsible age and parent approved. He may not always have in his immediate possession but he “owns” it. As far as the access to one, I recall that a youth went and got his rifle from his room to fend of a couple of thugs who broke into his house, along with the youth who in the recent past got his AR and drove off four or five thugs who were attempting to break in.
I taught Sunday school at a church in AZ along with The Royal Ambassadors program. I had a 6th grader youth in my class and group and with his parents permission I took rabbit hunting. He went and got his rifle from where it was kept( I was not inside when he got it so I do not know where it was kept.) He had responsible, mature respect and attitude in his parents’ eyes and in mine also. with out this attitude I am like others, I’m sure, no access or possession.
The mentally ill is a broad brush to paint with. I know some who have minor depression issues that are under control and have not been clinically diagnosed, and they have the proper attitude and respect for firearms and own a couple. But they maintain their issue under a dr’s care. Some like those with Bipolar disorder who drop taking their meds and self medicate using street meds and/or alcohol to treat themselves should not have access or possession because of the instability they have. These folks usually talk to trade for weapons and keeping them out of their control is difficult because they don’t fill out the background check forms and fly under the radar.
These are my thoughts on these items brought forward.
Minors should be allowed a firearm provided they’re trained an responsible.
Non-violent felons that paid their debt to society should be allowed ownership of legal firearms.
Mental illness is complex. With the attitudes I’ve seen on here you might as well lock them up. That would be unjust. A large population have some sort of “mental illness” according to some criteria. PTSD can be caused by trauma - survivors of rape, home invasion, robbery, etc. And the government has no business making those blanketed decisions preventing them from being able to protect themselves and loved ones.
There are some conditions that should exclude someone from owning or carrying - Schizophrenia, bipolar probably and several others. But not depression unless someone has actually attempted suicide by gun. But people get better with treatment, sometimes getting off medication. If you have diabetes, high blood pressure, migraines, etc. and you believe people with treated depression or PTSD should not own a gun then so should you not be allowed ownership. But that’s not true either. People simply judge what they don’t understand. Educate yourself people.
The supreme court has always used the same rules for a Justice to file to have a case looked at. I do not think Justice Kavanaugh will pursue 2nd ammendment cases unless they are as blatant as this case. Yet i do believe that those cases that do get reviewed by the court has a better chance to be constitutionally consistent.
While I understand your argument, it is hard for me to see some of the people I live and work around, having the ability to carry a firearm and/or to obtain one through legal circumstances. I do believe people get better, but, how do we determine when they have become better? By taking their medicine? By there word? I period of no violent tendencies? If you are a felon, you not have a firearm at all for any reason. This is almost something that does not need to be spoken, it should be a given. There are only a few steps for that burglary to go completely wrong. Education on metal disabilities may be a part of it, but, you don’t have to get bitten by the snake, to know that it will bite you. It is in their nature, and that we cannot forget about, a persons nature does not change.
We in New Jersey are also challenging New Jersey’s Draconian Anti-Carry Laws. Hoping and Praying that we get to Constitutional Carry or even better that National Reciprocity gets passed. This state’s laws against the law-abiding citizens suck.
I worked for Wells Fargo security and they only wanted .38s with lead round nose ammo. I worked in Texas and company HQ was in New Jersey. This is what they were limited to using out there, so company wide was the same. @NJStraightShooter yeah draconian to say the least
I don’t know what was their thinking on this. The NJ police were limited to this ammo by law as I was told so any armed security companies were limited to them also.
@Joe and @Dawn, I live in an apartment in NJ and my main concern is if I have to shoot an intruder that the bullet would not go through and through and not injure nor kill an unintended person. For that reason, I would like to be able to use hollow points however only hunters can use them! Does that even make any sense?!? A hunter can use hollow points legally to bring down an animal but a home owner or apartment renter can not use hollow points legally to defend his or her home without harming an innocent person. It’s not like I have some evil intent for using them. It is actually a positive thing. Well until things change or until I move to a more firearms friendly state, that is life.
You couldn’t pay me enough to live in any state that has rediculous state laws limiting 2A. I’m not happy with Texas laws. But at least we can use HP, own ARs and stand out ground. Y’all come to Texas.
Grew up in THAT left coast state and after I got out of the Air Force, I came to Texas for college. After attending several schools I could not afford to go back to home, (gas price, housing costs), and then their march into their current status.
Texas suits me well, but Arizona firearm laws fit me perfect. Lol.
I feel Texas is is going in the right direction since a governor long ago said the people don’t want cc, and lost next election. That governor got it passed and here we are now license to carry (both cc and open.) Ammo not restricted and no ammo cards and can buy a Bubba’s beer, bait and ammo if needed not having to go to an ffl to buy.
Let’s face it, the Left won’t stop trying to take our ability to defend ourselves. They can’t stop. The only thing in the way of full implementation of the leftist agenda is our ability to forcibly removing them from power. As long as we’ve got that power, they are somewhat limited. The minor tweeks being played out in government and the courts will still eventually come down to whether we comply, either with Legislation, or a Court decision. I guess I look at this as a pragmatist, being I believe that MORE people should carry daily. More or less Laws won’t have any effect on this point, Can You Defend Yourself Today. I Can.
Can you use ammo that has a polymer tip in the hollow point? Something like Hornady Critical Duty, or Cor-Bon Powerball. They aren’t technically “hollow point” ammo. If your a revolver guy, Hornady Lever Evolution has a polymer tip.
@45IPAC, I haven’t fully researched that yet however I do believe that NJ does not allow them for civilian use. By the way, I am an automatic guy and have two Glocks and an AR15.