Gun rights need to be restored to those who were convicted of a non violent felony. I have had my rights taken away because I was convicted of a felony involving money when I was 18. I am 41 years old today, and I still cannot have a gun in my home to protect our family. Please help those like me. If they haven’t been in trouble in 10 years give them back their rights. I was a kid.
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Though your case sounds like it should definitely be looked into and possibly restored, the same can’t be said for everyone. A felony is a felony for a reason
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I agree with you to an extent. Not all felons should have their rights restored, I clearly expressed a non violent felony (there is not many) and hasn’t been in a lick of trouble in 10+ years. Each case needs to be looked at. However there are so many people out there in the exact same situation as me.
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Then there should be revisit requests for cases like that rather than just giving everyone’s gun rights back, don’t you think?
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I think there needs to be a definite timeline. Reason being because our government has become tyrannical at times. Some don’t believe anyone should have a gun. So, there should be some protection that the government isn’t going to tell someone no you can’t have your rights back because of there political beliefs. Because let’s face it. Politicians (some) want to impede on your constitutional rights.
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I state this in my current petition to the Supreme Court. The S. Ct. case of Cruikshank (1876) clearly stated that the 2nd Am is only a restriction upon the national government. There are NO constitutional federal firearms statutes. This would make it so that you can vote with your feet, if need be, to another state. As it is, we felons are stuck with bad federal law.
You should maybe look at the state you’re living in and hey take it to court we’ve got good conservative judges right now that may hand it to you if you’re safe enough to be on the streets you’re safe enough to hold a gun
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Yes case by case on who get there rights back and who dont
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Depending on what state you live in, it may be possible to restore your 2nd Amendment rights.
2nd Amendment issues are of great concern for me. There are more than 20,000 gun laws in the US. It is a confusing patchwork of rules from Federal, state and local agencies.
What is illegal in one state is allowed 1 mile away, across a state line. This makes little sense. Non-violent felons should have a means to restore their rights.
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Why dont you just do a set aside of the conviction that’s barring you? You can set aside arrest records and convictions. I did for 3 items that were when I was 22. 53 now and I can buy firearms.
I live in Texas, but federal laws always trump state laws. Let’s face it I cannot afford an attorney and I do believe that is what the Federal Government is banking on.
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Thank you for sharing your story. I can sympathize with the frustration of having a mistake from decades ago continue to affect your rights today, especially when you’ve worked to rebuild your life and stayed out of trouble for so long. This is a nuanced issue, and I agree that there’s room for improvement in how we address firearm restrictions for non-violent offenders.
A Case for Differentiating Felonies
One potential solution could be creating a clearer distinction between violent and non-violent felonies. This approach would allow for tailored consequences that reflect the nature of the crime:
- Non-violent offenders, especially those who have demonstrated rehabilitation over many years, could regain their firearm rights.
- Violent offenders, or those with a history of recidivism, would remain prohibited from owning firearms to protect public safety.
Important Caveat: Risks and Data
However, there’s an important caveat to consider. Studies show that individuals with criminal convictions—non-violent or otherwise—can still be at a higher risk of committing violent crimes later:
- According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, 29% of non-violent offenders released from prison were arrested for a violent offense within 8 years. (BJS Report on Recidivism)
- Another study published in Crime & Delinquency found that risk factors for violence among former offenders include age, socioeconomic factors, and community environment. (Crime & Delinquency Study)
A Balanced Approach
While I support the idea of restoring rights to those who have proven themselves rehabilitated, there should be safeguards to ensure public safety. For example:
- A clear, uniform process for rights restoration after a period of time without further offenses (e.g., 10 years).
- Rigorous screening to assess the individual’s risk of future violence.
- A focus on fairness, ensuring that non-violent offenders aren’t disproportionately punished for crimes that don’t indicate a threat to public safety.
Your situation is a compelling example of why we need reforms to distinguish between different types of offenders. A blanket ban often creates injustices for people who deserve a second chance. I hope lawmakers can work toward a system that balances justice, fairness, and safety for everyone.
Cited Sources:
- Bureau of Justice Statistics - “Recidivism of Prisoners Released in 30 States: Patterns from 2005 to 2010”
https://bjs.ojp.gov/library/publications/recidivism-prisoners-released-30-states-2005-patterns-2005-2010 - Crime & Delinquency - “Risk Factors and Recidivism Among Offenders”
https://journals.sagepub.com/home/cad
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Beautifully said!
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I am also in the same boat I live in MA! It has been over 25 years since there’s been a problem. In fact in 2005 the state of MA gave me a license to be a nurse in other words I can give injections and IVs but can’t protect myself.
In fact my record has been sealed I was eligible after 10 years. There should be a process to appeal I was all non violent or they would have excluded me from a nurses license. I am going to write the president and ask for a pardon. I don’t know what else to do
all american citizens are afforded to right to bear arms, no wonder this experiment is a total failure you are relying on retarded mindsets to make this a sucsess, its beyond me how a smart, beautiful individual like yourself has let this brain worm take control of rational thinking, are you sure you dont have toxo infected cats, I am totlaay for the cause to reign in the massive overreach of the anti-opoid zelets and hope they burn in hell for what they have done, but pray you and yours can see the err in your way of approaching this cause
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No where in the constitution does it say, that your 2nd am is void if you were convicted of a crime. The federal government amended the law to hold all felons accountable from the time you committed the crime til you’re dead… which tells me, that when you are convicted of a crime, and you complete all sentencing guide lines, and fully rehabilitated and moved on with your life without any further issues… the country still holds you captive, by not restoring your rights and letting you get on with your life. Some of the people do stupid sthi when they are kids, but grow up in the process, are left to fend for their family by trying to run away, because even if you’re in the right, if you try to protect yourself or your family, the government is going to come down on you, and try to get the maximum sentence… because once upon you were guilty of a crime continues to be you are guilty until proven innocent. I believe there should be a constitutional carry, regardless of your background. There are far less crimes against law abiding citizens that carry, then those that don’t carry. If a criminal knows he could be injured or killed in the action of a crime, they tend to look for easier targets. To those rebuttals to this comment, you must take into consideration also… Those convicted of any type of felony have to list it on job applications, which 90% of the time, even if the person has completed all guide lines of their sentencing, may not get the job because of said crimes committed. They are also pushed aside when applying for schooling, so they can have a better future then the one they had. After rehabilitation, and let back into society, then all rights should be restored, so that person can get past their bump in the road. This is why so many offenders are reoffenders, because once in the system it is held over their heads for the rest of their lives. And the only way some have been able to get around the laws is by lying about their past.
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I agree on certain levels of a felony, the rest yes, once they have completed all the requirements of there parole, then all there rights should be restored in full, doing this may help them stay on the right side of the track
My son and MANY others are serving time in Prison, simply for inheriting firearms when a parent dies. Fifteen years in a Federal Penitentiary for an unintentional, victimless, non -violent “Crime”? He tried his best not to commit.
His pervious felony convictions where many years earlier, drug problem. He never used or owned a gun, and never committed a crime with one, except being “IN CONTROL” of his deceased Dad’s collection. What kind of 2nd amendment right is that!!! TEDx “Shyer Maguire Can”
I could understand if you receive a felony conviction using a firearm… but the constitution, did not make exceptions in the second amendment! For nearly 200 years, previously convicted felons could have firearms, no matter what the crime!
It only changed after the civil rights amendments were passed!
If you choose to burglarize someone or seriously harm someone that’s on you though
Theres something to be said about class 6 and some class 5 felonies, but other than that a felony is a felony for a reason.