Turning everyone into a criminal...

[Belmont31R]

This article is lengthy but I think its a subject that is severely over looked yet of grave importance. Basically in turning our society into security over liberty, and to make a point....our criminal code has been turned into such a thing that everyone commits felonies without even knowing it most of the time, and if you look closely enough at anyone's life you can convict them of a crime. Justice is no longer about correcting wrongs but trying to play hop scotch in a field of land mines.


I think this ties into many other things like the war on drugs where we have MORE people per capita convicted of crimes yet people are serving shorter sentences. To me this is more about getting convictions than justice and keeping society safe. If we look at the Petit murders both of the 'actors' had extensive criminal histories, and even though I am a libertarian they both should have never been released from prison even well into their criminal career.


I think part of going back to a nation of liberty and prosperity we need to examine our criminal laws, and I think they are just as destructive as any laws to our nation which prohibit business and free trade.


My personal opinion is that grievous crimes should be punishable by death, and they should be state issues. No Federal appeals. I classify grievous offences as things such as rape, murder, robbery with injury, and such other manner of offense. Life without parole should be for robbery without injury, burglary, grand theft, and other such crimes.



Bottom line is our net has become so expansive we cannot even imprison the REAL criminal element because we have to make room for those convicted of crimes with no victim or infringement of rights on another. Just convicting people because a small group of people said you can't do it.


http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000...LEFTTopStories

[SteyrAUG]

My favorite...constructive possession.

IF you have all the parts necessary to assemble an NFA weapon, ATF has stated you are in violation even IF the weapon is not assembled.

ATF also specifically lists Molotov cocktails as a regulated "destructive device."

So putting the two together...IF you have a bottle, an accelerant and some kind of cloth or rag you are guilt of being in constructive possession of an unregistered destructive device which is a felony.

And before somebody starts talking about common sense enforcement, people used to feel that way about other gun laws and ATF regulations that are now taken "very seriously."

Once upon a time if you suggested an unassembled machine gun was in fact an NFA weapon, a bare receiver was a firearm or a simple wipe was a suppressor by itself, people would have looked at you like you were arresting somebody for having a bottle of alcohol and a dish rag in their kitchen.

[Belmont31R]

Most families would have enough 'stuff' in their house or garage you could make them out to be bomb or drug makers with the right spin.

[Moose-Knuckle]

Step one. . .criminalize something.

Step two. . .well you know where this leads us.

[Irish]

"There's no way to rule innocent men. The only power government has is the power to crack down on criminals. Well, when there aren't enough criminals, one makes them. One declares so many things to be a crime that it becomes impossible for men to live without breaking laws." - Ayn Rand

[chadbag]

Good find. This article was also on my "to post" list when I had a moment.

This is a very big problem in this country. Tons of stuff has been criminalized, and the concept of intent weakened. There is intent to this (as well as just laziness or ineptitude).

[Abraxas]

"There's no way to rule innocent men. The only power government has is the power to crack down on criminals. Well, when there aren't enough criminals, one makes them. One declares so many things to be a crime that it becomes impossible for men to live without breaking laws." - Ayn Rand

Good quote

[hatt]

Funny how the voice of freedom party is leading the charge in this area.

[Doc Safari]

When I opened this thread, I thought it was about a new ATF ruling I heard about that you will now be denied a firearms purchase if you admit to being a legal user of "medical marijuana" with a doctor's prescription.

I'm not going to defend marijuana use, legal or otherwise, but that seems like a slippery slope to asking you if you drink beer and denying you a firearm because of it. Or how about if you are taking certain prescription drugs?

The problem with the modern era is that unelected regulators get to write laws without having to answer to anyone.

[Nathan_Bell]

"There's no way to rule innocent men. The only power government has is the power to crack down on criminals. Well, when there aren't enough criminals, one makes them. One declares so many things to be a crime that it becomes impossible for men to live without breaking laws." - Ayn Rand

Yup, that is one quote that has stuck with me since the first time I read that book. Personally I find it to be the most powerful of the book, as it truly nails the collectivists' mindset.