Should there be harsher penalties for illegal gun possession?

[CFM]

Voter ID is fine. So long as the govt provides it free of charge, and way in advance of any election.

In my State, voter ID laws were passed. The State identified approximately 178,000 residents that didn't have a valid ID under the new law. They were offered a FREE ID and a ride to get it. According to a Dept. of Motor Vehicles spokesperson, while 675 inquired about various things related to the ID, 22 actually took them up on it.

The primaries in the State took place on January 21, 2012. The free IDs and rides were offered during September, 2011 approximately 4 months prior to the primary date.

The Liberals in the State still whined about it despite it being free and way in advance of any election.

 

[CFM]

If one is convicted of a violent crime one should not be able to carry a handgun.

Permitting is the only way to know.

I don't want convicted felons carrying guns. Do you?

Are you claiming that someone convicted of a violent crime is going to go through the permitting process? If you do, you're an idiot. Since they won't, how will permitting keep guns out of the hands of those that would obtain one illegally?

 

[SmarterthanYou]

It is not a violation of what you think are your Second Amendment rights, no right is absolute, regardless

in other words, shall not be infringed means whatever you find reasonable? then voter IDs sound perfectly reasonable as no right is absolute. abortions can be limited to first month only, since no rights are absolute.

 

[Rune]

Like voting. You want felons voting?

don't care

 

[SmarterthanYou]

Given the fact that pro gun lobbyists will never allow any type of gun registry (Ironic that trump wants a national voting record database), or any type of restriction on gun sales, I have stated that any crime committed by a person who possesses an illegal gun should be punishable by life in prison.

The gun doesn't have to be used in the crime. If you have one, you go to jail for life.


Given the nonsensical claims by those who don't believe in background checks, psych tests, etc. that most gun owners do everything by the book, there should be no argument against life without parole for illegal guns.

[/QUOTE]absolutely ludicrous. you'd jail an abused wife for speeding with an illegal gun she had on her person to protect herself from her homicidal husband??????

 

[SmarterthanYou]

It's a privilege, not a right

the framers, 2nd Amendment, and 44 state constitutions as well as the supreme courts of said state disagree with you. are you smarter than all of them?

 

[SmarterthanYou]

See above. You have the 'right' to own a rifle

what do you think about vermont?

 

[SmarterthanYou]

Then why do you need a permit for a handgun?

you do realize that there are at least 30 states, currently, that require no permit to carry a handgun?????

 

[SmarterthanYou]

Because your state doesn't require it. So states that do, are denying rights?

depends on their particular state constitutions.

 

[Peridot]

don't care

Of course you don't buttercup.

 

[Peridot]

depends on their particular state constitutions.

Rights do not come from a constitution. A state that does not enumerate a right does not mean, nor should it imply, that said right does not exist inside the borders of that state. Rights are inherent upon birth, regardless of nation.

 

[Rune]

Of course you don't buttercup.

why should I care if felons vote?

 

[Peridot]

why should I care if felons vote?

Why should you care if they're armed?

 

[Rune]

Why should you care if they're armed?

they have already proven they are not trustworthy.

 

[Abatis]

Was reading this article on homicides in Baltimore and saw this tidbit on a proposed one year sentence for illegal gun possession.

LOL.

Hug-a-thug leftists run a revolving door "justice" system and then whine and cry that they need to have new, wider powers to disarm / infringe / imprison citizens.

That is the ultimate punch-line; the honest, "law-abiding" citizens must live in a city where the law forcibly renders them impotent to fight back against an army of violent criminals the city refuses to hold to the law . . .

Places like Baltimore and Chicago are held up by gun rights supporters as an example of mutant side shows in America. Baltimore and the others stand as examples of the unavoidable outcome of entrenched leftist public policy; they always become festering petri dishes of leftist cancer. The violent criminals running amok is only one symptom of malignant progressivism.

 

[Abatis]

Fix the definition of "illegal possession " and I might be ok with it. As it stands though, no. It's just an excuse to pad numbers and get police violently involved unnecessarily.

In Maryland if a gun is being carried outside the home or primary business of the person, the weapon is "illegal".

You know, that old adage, If you are a hammer, everything becomes a nail.

 

[Abatis]

Actually, scratch what I said earlier. Mandatory minimums are a terrible idea in any case.

This is just a politician's answer to a revolving door criminal justice system. It is nothing more than an attempt to handcuff the prosecutor's ability to plea down weapons charges and to gag hug-a-thug judges handing down short or suspended sentences.

 

[Abatis]

That's not even mentioned in the article, regardless, again, any restrictions on guns is a positive step

It isn't a new restriction of guns per-se . . . It is a new set-in-stone sentencing rule for criminals already caught, prosecuted and convicted.

There ain't but a couple blank pages left in the gun control book in Maryland . . . The cops and prosecutors have thousands of laws to apply to the citizen who might be so bold as to think they possess a right to a gun in Maryland. They better have plenty of time on their hands and some deep pockets!

 

[Abatis]

The law may be color blind but the reality is we know who will most likely be affected by it most. He asked what a downside could be, i offered.

Being that in 2016 Baltimore gun murder victims were 95% Black (261 of 275) how much time should police spend looking at other races?

 

[Abatis]

What are they doing now if they catch someone illegally possessing a firearm?

First time conviction is supposed to be a minimum 30 days in jail.
1/4 of all cases are dismissed before any court proceedings.
60% of those that do reach court have more than half their sentence suspended.

How difficult is it to legally own and carry a firearm in Maryland?

Nearly impossible to carry. Maryland is a "may issue" state. You must demonstrate pressing need to be awarded a permit. Very, very rare for a regular citizen to be granted a permit. No reciprocity agreements with other states. A resident of another state traveling through Maryland with their legal firearm can not be sure of the legality of that carriage no matter what security measures are undertaken -- even though I have installed a California DOT approved safe for the gun and a separate safe for the ammo in my truck, I never drive through Maryland; my trips to NC entail 150 extra miles each way just to avoid Maryland.

Expedited permission should be granted to victims of domestic violence and other crimes of that nature.

Uhhhhh, NO!