“The Tennessee Supreme Court made it clear through Falls v. Goins that a felon must receive a pardon from the governor or other appropriate authority or have his or her full citizenship rights restored as part of the path to regain the right to vote. Under the Tennessee Constitution, the right to bear arms is a right of citizenship. Specifically, Article I Section 26 of the Tennessee Constitution states, ‘That the citizens of this State have a right to keep and to bear arms for their common defense; but the Legislature shall have power, by law, to regulate the wearing of arms with a view to prevent crime.’” The Campaign Legal Center, a government watchdog group, said on Monday that such a policy change would be the first of its kind in the country. It expects it could prevent tens of thousands of Tennesseans from being able to restore their right to vote.
I am going to watch this one with a tub of popcorn. Democrats have long sabotaged the restoration of rights process to make sure it did not include the 2A and this twist which appears to be within the law and the state’s constitution just threw a gigantic monkey wrench to the acquisition of votes going for Democrats. In fact, it puts them in the situation of being the bad guys: “How come I can’t have all my rights? Why are you opposed to that? Just voting rights and for you? F*** you!”
Big tub of popcorn.
My view is, a (former)criminal can only one of two categories: has served his sentence and is no longer dangerous, or is dangerous and should not be in public. The first should have full rights. The second should be be removed from society permanently if they can not be made into the first category…
I will remain on the fence about restoring gun rights to felons.
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If you committed a felony, and were convicted and served time, it demonstrates a lack of responsibility that, in my mind, is a high hurdle to get over.
I would not support any blanket change in the law that restores a felons gun/voting rights automatically after a certain time, or automatically after release for certain crimes.
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One thing I always harp on is gun owners need to be law abiding and responsible. A felon destroyed their responsible rating when they chose to commit the crime. It takes a LOT to restore it.
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Now, specific to this attempt to restore voting rights to felons, I totally agree. One fundamental human right is not superior or inferior to another. If they cannot get the right to keep and bear arms restored, voting is out as well.
I would be generally against restoration of rights for both firearms and voting, especially if any form of violence were involved, if it weren’t for the fact that lawmakers have decided to make so many crimes that to me are not so, felonies. In Florida, for example, certain types of trespass are felonies, some more or less “serious,” at least to me, than others. But a felony is a felony.
One argument is that fines and jail time are “paying your debt to society” with the theory that, once you do that (and any restitution that may be due) the debt is paid. If so, the logical conclusion is that you are then restored in your civil rights.
In other words, the notion that “felon” status permanently impairs some of your civil rights in a sense amounts to a life sentence even if that’s not what the judge handed out.
So… is it right for felonies, across the board, to carry a life sentence? It doesn’t feel right. Murder and robbery? Sure. But, for example, tax evasion?
Definitely going to need a lot of popcorn for that one!!!
I am with Paul above on this one. What with Soros DAs and making everything under the sun a felony , I don’t have faith in an impartial justice system. Also , don’t felons have right to self defense and defense of their family?
To those that said they are fine with “felons” losing their rights forever, here in the commie state of Michigan, writing a 20 dollar check that bounces is a felony…. if you are really ok with depriving someone the right to self defence ….FOR LIFE because they once mistakenly overdraft their checking acount well you are a real piece of work, murder , rape, armed robbery… yep no problem. I have always thought if you are bad enough to have to be locked up then you lose rights, but if you can walk free you get them ALL BACK. Otherwise take away lyers freedom of speech rights all politicians would have first ammo. Rights taken.