Opinion
But should convicted non-violent felons be allowed to own a gun?
This question has found itself on the national stage and will likely be an issue in the 2016 Presidential Election.
Last year, Kentucky Senator Rand Paul called for the restoration of
voting rights for some non-violent felons. This idea has caught on with
both parties. However, voting rights legislation will never succeed
without some of these folks getting back their right to own guns as
well.
The right to own a firearm is not like the privilege to possess a
driver’s license. It is, like the right to vote, a fundamental civil
right.
People convicted of non-violent felonies should not have a
Constitutional right removed just because of the stigma associated with a
felony conviction.
There are thousands of examples of people who have been convicted of
forgery, theft, and many other non-violent offenses. The vast majority
of those cases did not even involve a gun.
While these are criminal acts and should not be tolerated, the
offender does not put our community at risk by keeping a handgun at home
for personal protection.
