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this post was submitted on 12 Jun 2024
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Counterpoint, no rights are absolute. There are conditions and restrictions on every "fundamental constitutional right." Freedom of speech does not include slander or inciting violence. Freedom of religion does not protect abuse or acts of violence. Freedom to bear arms does not include weapons of war or negligent behavior.
Addiction is a medical condition, and should not be treated by criminal courts. On the other hand, addiction does undermine an individual's rational thinking. Should addicts be permitted to carry firearms? I don't think that is an unreasonable restriction.
The problem with my argument is that I don't think our restrictions on gun ownership go nearly far enough. Addiction is a problem, but it's not the most pressing problem we have related to gun violence.
Freedom of speech does include slander; slander (and all other defamation) is not a criminal matter, it's purely tort.
Oh buddy... Have I got some really, really bad news for you. SCOTUS has been continually carving out exceptions for both criminal and civil law for religions for decades.
I think that it's a very, very slippery slope to try and traverse. I've known people that were entirely functional alcoholics; they were entirely sober all day, but started drinking the second they got home, and all weekend. I know a guy that holds a solid six figure job at a major US company that has spent literally hundreds of thousands of dollars on drugs, and tanked multiple marriages because he couldn't straighten his shit out in his personal life, but he is solid for his rationality as long as he's sober. Which is pretty much only when he's on the clock. I know people that are straightedge that are less able to think rationally than either of those people. So, should we have a rationality survey prior to someone purchasing a firearm, voting, getting legal representation, refusing to talk to cops, and so on?
But here's an even bigger problem for you: barring addicts from owning firearms--or people that have been committed to a mental institution for any reason--is actively dissuading people from getting help. If you are, for instance, a cop, you will lose your job if you can't own a firearm. The result is that cops don't get help when they need it. Many gun owners feel the same way, and there are grass-roots organization that will hold parts of guns for you (non-serialized but essential parts) for people that are having a hard time but can't seek help without losing their rights.
No, the problem is that you're treating a symptom--violence--as though it was caused by the tool used to commit it. The problems are things like systemic racism, chronic underfunding of essential services, shitty public education (that's been made intentionally shitty to try and steer the "right" people into charter and private schools), lack of economic empowerment, wealth inequality, lack of reasonable access to healthcare, and so on. It's treating pneumonia with cough syrup, and then wondering why shit doesn't get better. (And, BTW, despite the massive uptick in firearm ownership that happened in 2020/2021, violent crime, including gun crime, continues to decline.)
Further to that point, rights come with responsibilities. If you are going to forfeit those responsibilities to society then you are going to also forfeit some of the associated rights granted by society.
Counter-counterpoint: restricting rights after completion of a judicial sentence prevents convicts from reintegrating into society, which increases the odds of recidivism. If you want people to choose to act responsibly, they need to have the opportunity to do so.
Counter counterpoint. Some rights absolutely should be. The fact that a person's vote can be taken away. Is the entire reason we have such sentencing disparity. It along with speech are two fundamental rights that shouldn't.
Your first argument is the phrase: my freedom ends where yours begins. That's perfectly good and acceptable. However, someone using drugs (which almost everyone uses, though some the government decided to target) does not interfere with anyone else's rights. A person who uses alcohol, caffeine, nicotine, Marijuana, cocaine, or whatever else does not necessarily effect anyone else. They should lose rights if it does, not matter the drug, but not for the use of whatever drug alone.
A majority of Americans are addicted to caffeine, alcohol, and/or nicotine. Sure, addiction can be an issue. Addiction is not the issue though. Many people live perfectly healthy lives while addicted to drugs. It's an issue when it interferes with someone else and should be addressed then. Not every caffeine addict should lose their right to firearms (assuming it's a right, which I would posit the 2nd amendment does not actually say).