I disagree Mr.B. I believe that once someone has demonstrated sufficient lack of judgement to land themselves in the convicted felon category is reason enough to presume that sound judgment is not a part of that individual's thought process.In theroy, felons should not be barred from owning guns. I feel very strongly in this direction. Once you've sered your entire sentence you should have a clean slate as far as anone but the courts and the cops know in case you re-offend.
BUT...
In reality, we give slaps on the wrist to all but the most serious of felonies. Hell, I had someone involved in the justice system tell me about a "victory" he had in getting a guy four years for an armed robbery and assault 3 after more than 8 felonies as a juvenile, a couple of which were violent. That's typical. The guy stuck a knife out at someone and took his stuff. To me, you shouldn't even be getting considered for a possible release for that crime in less than ten years. A SECOND violent felony? Throw away the key.
Now the problem is that we call felonies felonies, with no regard to anything else. Posession of one ounce and one gram of pot? FELON. Posession of one gram of cocaine in most places? felon. Embezzled $3000? felon.
How are any of the above people in any way dangerous? What difference would it make if they had LEGAL guns? (Seeing as we all know they can have illegal guns and probably never get caught).
I could support the no felons with guns if it were amended to violent felons. But I would much more support a reform of the justice system that treated predators like predators and fairly harmless pains in the asses like misdemeanants with only the punishment being different based on the crime.
Having a two-tiered set of citizenship in a country with more people behind bars than any other country in the world is a recipe for pointless injustice and cruelty.
Just as I am inclined to let any number of guilty people go free rather than convict one innocent person, I am inclined to error on the side of caution with regard to who can and cannot possess firearms once that threshold (felon) has been crossed.
That said, I am all for a realistic evaluation of our criminal statutes and redefining what constitutes a felony. The "law and order" types in our legislature have removed judicial and prosecutorial discretion in so many of the criminal statutes that persons who represent no threat to the safety of the community find themselves labeled.
But the saying "Don't do the crime if you can't do the time" is applicable. If one enjoys shooting, one would be ill advised to become a felon.