It's funny how many people here would be rabid about protecting their RTKBA, yet the mere mention of the word felon, starts an "well that's OK, they don't count". I dont know about you, but for whatever reason they did what they did, once they serve their time, I believe full rights should be restored. If they did was so horrible, kill 'em, but for anything less than deserving of death, give them back their rights after they did their time.

How can anyone be expected to become useful citizens again if they are labeled and treated like shit for something they might have done in stupidity years/decades ago. No I'm not nice on criminals, however where does it end?

Being in the Marines, I've known more than a few idiots, who did many a thing that would have been considered a felony in their youth. Who hasn't? Hell, just the "Gun seizure" article in the current news section. How far away from a "possible" 1 year in jail is it to label any simple law break a felon? Just by allowing people to be labeled for life as a felon is an easy step towards removing your rights. All the government has to do is make a few traffic tickets a felony, and wham. No more rights for a LOT of people.

I read one post saying all you have to do is apply and get your rights restored if it wasn't too serious. I doubt it. Uh huh kinda like how easy it is to get your guns back from the police if they confiscate them illegally without spending thousands on a attorney. Hel just read the posts on the trials and tribulations here on dealing with the justice system here. Most "felons" aren't exactly earning a lot of money, due to the label applied to them by ordinary people who should know better. Without the cash, how do they afford the lawyers to do it for them?

Yes, I do have a friend who was convicted of a felony. When he was 19-20, he bought a hot bicycle that was worth more than $1000 (this was over 14-15 years ago) and got busted when he went in to have the tire fixed at a bicycle shop (cops came to his house later). He got a felony (lowest form) and did no jail time (1st offense)with probation. He was supposed to know how much the bike was worth compared to how much he paid and probably got the felony because the Public Defendent (couldn't afford a real attorney) talked him into pleading for no jail time.

I can't say he wasn't stupid about it (i.e. being more questionable), hell, he probably deserved it, however I was a poor community college student once too, and knowing his story, I very well might have done the same thing in his shoes. I've done stupider things on stupid drunken dares in the Marines when I was a dumb shit Private.

Like I said, I'm not about being easy on crime, however I think that punishing someone for the rest of their life for something that they supposedly "paid" for is stupid. How many of the forefathers of this country would be considered "felons" of the times? How many of "you" could be considered "felons" for some of the stupid shit you did when you were young, but got lucky and didn't get caught?

Oh yeh, I forgot to mention, that my friend, although a "felon" I'd trust with my life which is a lot more than the politicians in our government.

I fear that with all the "terrorist" laws, how small of a leap is it to label "gun nuts" as "domestic terorists", hence "felons". Or maybe your ex-girlfriend gets a restraining order (just to piss you off), and because your on a restraining order, you get a traffic ticket and have had a few unpaid parking tickets -->> Felon with 3 strikes or something to that effect.

Obviously I'm stretching here, however I'm just trying to start a conversation about when is a person a felon, or not a felon and where should the line be drawn on the Bill of Rights.

Your thoughts?

I think there is a serious argument for restoring RKBA. It is possible under current law, just very hard to do. The problem is, of course, a political one (stating you're in favor of ex-cons owning guns is suicidal in politics) and a practical one (some felons should NEVER own a gun again, some are decent people who just screwed up once in their life in a moment of greed or stupidity).

If you've been clean for a while (several years) and have the money, you can petition the sentencing court to expunge your record.

I have no problem with restricting the rights of [i]proven [b]violent[/b][/i] felons.  Bicycle theft?  Not unless it was by coercion with a weapon.  

If someone has [i]proven[/i] to be irresponsibly or intentionally physically dangerous to others - no right to a firearm.  If I could, I'd make 'em eat with soft plastic utensils for the rest of their lives.  Other than that - no problem with RKBA.