Felons and the Right to Keep & Bear Arms

Do We Really Believe in Overcriminalization ?

Professor, can felons own a gun? she asked.

My view or the law? the professor shot back.

She looked to and fro, as if for permission from her colleagues. Both I guess.

It is illegal in the United States for a felon to own or possess a gun. And this is one of the most evil--and stupid--laws that has ever been enacted and widely supported.

RU saying it's as bad as slavery, the girl queried. Like...

The professor looked at her a while, and without smiling, said yes, it is in a key way--because it takes a class of people and through the positive law, declares their fundamental right to self-defense--a natural right they have as human beings--null and void, even though they aren't in prison for a crime.

So....the girl began. But then she stopped, and stuttered, so it...

[The students began filing back into the classroom. Many gathered around to listen--all Hispanic and black students].

So you're for a felon owning a gun??, she said again.

Why not? the professor said. Do they need permission to go to church on Sunday?

No, I guess not.

To buy a car?

No, I guess not.

What if their crime was running someone over, and had nothing to do with a gun?

Uh--do they? I don't know. They can still own a car?

Yes, they have the money, they can go buy a car the same day they get out of prison. They can go from prison to the car dealership without skipping a beat. And if they are here illegally, they can get a driver's license.

Oh.

Then they can go to Big 5 and buy a knife. They can buy 100 knives.

Really?

Yeah, of course. Why not?

Well.

Isn't the thought that felons are people and sometimes need to cut things? Isn't that the thought, the professor asked.

Yeah, I guess so.

Sure.

But do they need to shoot things?

Well, let's be clear here. A felon can buy a car even if he doesn't need a car. Right?

I guess so.

He can buy a car if he wants to. Has nothing to do with need. He can buy a knife if he wants to. The Big 5 person isn't gonna interrogate him and ax him why he *needs* a knife. The felon could legally tell him to eff off, in so many words.

[The entire class was seated at this point, and listening].

But you can't vote, another student said.

Well, voting isn't a fundamental right that you have. Self defense is more basic. Much more basic.

Wait, so if you commit a felony you can have a knife but not a gun? haha that's messed up, a student who finally began paying attention said.

The professor nodded. Why should committing tax fraud mean that I can't put food on the table through hunting? What do most felonies even have to do with shooting an elk for food and conservation, logically? Those hunting licenses, as NPR finally got off their asses and reported, are what fund wildlife conservation in America.

[The class was listening].

What, felons aren't people? They can't be attacked? They can't have a need for self-defense? They have to rely on the police to be their bodyguards? Why should they have to rely on police, but others don't have to? And can the police be relied upon to protect felons as their bodyguards?

A girl said, but what if they use that gun to hurt someone?

Hurt their murderer, their attacker?

No, hurt someone else--a normal person?

Well then they shouldn't be out of prison, should they?

True.

If they're so dangerous, why are they out of prison?

I see your point.

There are people who think no one has the right to self defense, that no one should do anything when attacked except wait for the police to show up. Those people use released felons as an excuse , to them, it's an easy group to begin disarmament. Felons are vulnerable. They feel shame. They've done something wrong. It's easy for the weak minded and the cowardly to illogically go along with the view that vulnerable people don't have the right to the pursuit of happiness, to reform, to the right to protect their property and their dignity--and felons can themselves be victims just like anyone else can.

The professor continued: Pay close attention here, because this is huge: The sinful temptation for one group in American Politics is, when attacked, take away rights from innocent people who are attacked. Strip them of their rights to self defense. The other group says, no. You punish the aggressor and you punish them severely , and you punish no one else. If unjustly attacked, you have the right to stop the aggressor on site, before police arrive.

One group says, wait for police to arrive when attacked. The other group says, your right to self defense goes where the self goes. You do not leave your right to self defense at home or anywhere your self is not. Why would your right to home defense be in a movie theatre, but your right to self defense stayed home while you were at a movie. If you are at a movie, you have a right to defend yourself there, where you are --your self.

The girl breathed, and she said, after a while, professor I agree with you, I was just trying to challenge you to see how good you could defend it.

[Most students agreed with the professor, they were just too nervous to say so at first, but then they found it liberating].

You will be tempted in college to identify liberation. This is true liberation. Giving up your rights to the state, so that other people can make choices for you about your safety anywhere you go, or even most places you go, is sold as liberation, but it's as evil as slavery, and for the same reason.

[The students looked at the professor, and the professor looked at the students. The looks in their eyes told him he didn't need to say the names of political parties. They already knew.]

Copyright Lucas J. Mather, 2018
All Rights Reserved
Originally Posted to Facebook Sunday 8 July 2018 at 5:29 am