You know, I mentioned the social contract concept in a post early in the thread. Since there were no responses to my post, and given the nature of the subsequent posts, I have to assume that no participants in this thread ever studied philosophy or political science. Even clearer, perhaps, is the indication that none here have made the acquaintance of any real "felons," preferring instead to believe that the average citizen commits several felonies willy-nilly during the course of his/her average day, since, of course, it's so easy these days to unknowingly commit felonies ...
The essays of Hobbes, Locke and Rousseau maintain relevance yet today. Never mentioned by those here who remain so enamored of what they believe our Founding Fathers were really thinking is the fact that most of these men were heavily influenced by the writings of such as Hobbes, Locke and Rousseau, with the social contract a revered theory.
Penalties for minor crimes were much harsher in the days of our Founding Fathers than now. It was entirely acceptable to strip a citizen of many rights upon his violation of the accepted social mores of the day.
I have yet to see here a case made for allowing a felon to regain his right to own firearms, only broad statements that we should allow this ... "if the individual has paid his debt" by serving out the terms of his/her incarceration.
And ah, the hypocrisy of the thinking that oh, sure, it's okay if we return to the "non-violent" felons all their rights ... After all, their crime was "non-violent." Bullcrap. I submit all crime is a violent. There is always a victim.
If we desire to see things through as our Founding Fathers intended, it's probably a good idea to actually acquire some knowledge of what they believed at the time of our nation's birth, why they thought the way they did, and what inspired the brilliant documents we so revere.
My belief is that one who would break the social contract by committing crimes when violating what one knows is the law of one's society forfeits the rights of a citizen.