When Stephanie Hernandez, an Arkansas mother of a 3-year-old and an 8-month-old daughter, was found dead recently, the police did not have to look far. They simply checked out social media and found a picture of her boyfriend, Rafael Gonzalez, pointing a gun at her head. Hernandez was killed just hours after the pictures were posted on Snapchat.
The pictures were taken in Hernandez’ Little Rock home. He added the caption “Strap Chat” to the picture of pointing a gun at his girlfriend’s head. Hernandez, 21, was later found dead from a gunshot wound. The home was also ransacked with blood all over one of the floors.
Gonzalez, 20, was arrested the next day and has now been charged with first-degree murder. The family had reportedly tried to get Hernandez to stop seeing Gonzalez who was viewed (with obviously good reason) as a loser and a “bad influence.” Hernandez had moved into a new home and was beginning a new life with a new job (to begin the Monday morning before she was shot).
Friends says that Gonzalez is “fresh straight out of the penitentiary.”
DBQ, As long as I can remember, nonviolent felons can petition the ATF to have their 2nd Amendment rights restored. As a Federal Probation Officer, I believe my wife had some former probationers successfully regain their rights. The problem for nonviolent offenders is this is not a priority for ATF. In a hunting state like here in Wisconsin, this is a big deal for some nonviolent ex-felons. I am supportive of their regaining their rights if warranted. But, even if it’s a nonviolent offense, I think a convicted felon should not have 2nd Amendment rights restored until they are off of supervision. I think that’s the rule? I remember the biggest hater of the 2nd Amendment in the Senate, Chucky Schumer, has been against granting more money to help ATF process these applications. All that said, I put the processing of nonviolent ex felons application down the list of priorities for ATF. You probably disagree, but we are civil people. Not like the person currently attacking you.
I wonder if the Good Felon rule also applies to the people jailed for non-violent weed offenses or does the Good Felon rule only apply to accountants.
Mike – I have heard of people having their civil rights restored after prison, that includes owning a gun and voting.
Kudos to Dusty Queen. She develops a new argument in favor of some felons owning guns because, of course, she only knows Good Felons.
Everyone else here will stand by their same old positions.
Any additional keystrokes are not worth the effort.
Mike wrote: “Everyone else here will stand by their same old positions.”
Actually, I was moved by DBQ’s argument and changed my mind, agreeing with her.
‘The scene was chaotic at Umpqua Community College in Roseburg, Oregon. Ambulances ferried victims to local hospitals, and students reported on social media that they had been trapped inside classrooms.
Between 20 and 25 people may have been injured and as many as 15 people may have been killed, according to Mike Lane, assistant chief of the fire department in Roseburg. He cautioned, however, that no numbers had been confirmed.
The rampage was the latest in a series of mass shootings that have produced national revulsion, even as they have left Republicans and Democrats divided over whether the violence should lead to stricter gun laws. The campus shootings on Thursday came about three months after the nine people were gunned down at a historic African American church in Charleston, S.C.
School shootings have figured prominently in this series of tragedies, including the 1999 massacre at Columbine High School in Colorado, the 2007 Virginia Tech shootings, and the deaths of 20 children in 2012 at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn.’
What it comes down to is that those who are for fewer or no greater restrictions on gun ownership and possession are partly to blame for these murders. Those that advocate greater gun control and restrictions are not. Which side are you on? There are only two.
It’s not a fight for freedom or the 2nd amendment. It’s a fight for more or less carnage. What do you think Wayne the Peter. St. Wayne of the Glock.
oops. All italics. Sorry. The first sentence is Nick’s. The rest are mine
🙂
Why do we need more laws when the ones on the books, and the felon not having a right to the 2nd Amendment being one I think we ALL agree is a good law, when current laws go unenforced.
Actually, we do not ALL agree that it is a good law. There are many types of felony convictions. Ex felons who are not violent offenders, who have been convicted and done their time for “white collar” types of crimes. The accountant who embezzled for example. Mail fraud. Bank fraud. Blackmail
These types of ex felons are not a danger to society, are not going to go out and rob liquor stores and most importantly, are being deprived of their 2nd amendment rights. They are being not only deprived of their rights but also the rights to protect themselves and their families in their own persons, the right to hunt.
I know one person who committed a non violent felony over 38 years ago when he was a young man. He served his time. Got off for good behavior. Went through the parole process. Has been a model citizen since then. Lion’s Club Member. Member of the Chamber of Commerce. Regularly attends church. Yet. He cannot own a gun or go hunting with his friends.
So….NO we do not ALL agree that it is a good law to, without qualification, refuse felons the right to a gun or the right to vote in elections either.
Nick D
“calypso, No, it’s even stupider than that. The belief is the gun killed this woman, not the person pulling the trigger. All guns are bad. People are good, but guns make them bad.”
I’ve been scanning your posts of advice and other drivel and this one appears to merit a response. Yes guns don’t kill people, people kill people. That is why certain people should not have guns. What is necessary is what every other of our peer nations have successfully accomplished and we have failed to do, limit access to guns to only those who can pass the history test of having no criminal background, the sanity test of having no psychological problems, the education test of the dangers due to negligence and improper handling, etc.
This country is too far gone regarding guns. The inmates have taken over the asylum and created a religion out of an ambiguous artifact. However, it is possible to reduce the carnage with what intelligence remains. If the NRA had been around during Shakespeare’s time he would of surely wrote in somewhere in one of his plays something akin to, “First we kill all the ……”
Texan, The guy was definitely a convicted felon and there is no doubt he is possessing and firing a high powered rifle. The videotape was quite clear.
Texan, There’s even more to the story. But, I cannot divulge the even more incredible information due to client confidentiality. If you comment here, you know I acknowledge the good and bad in cops. I know cops better than just about anyone here. This is a bad part. However, this ignoring starts w/ prosecutors. Many seem to see the felon in possession of a firearm charge as only an add-on to other felony charges. I also know prosecutors well, they are sometimes overwhelmed, and often lazy. A bad combo.
I hope you stick around and provide some Lone star perspective.Some people love to beat up on your state. Many have never even been there. I had a sister who lived in Houston and Austin. I think Texans are some of the best people in this country, and I’ve been to all but 3 states.
Davidm
Yes, if you gave the weak guns then they could protect themselves. If you gave the kids guns they could protect themselves against bigger kids. Give the teachers guns so they could protect themselves against big students. Hand out guns at bars, then no big tough biker types would spill beer on little guys. Yup, if every body had a gun there would be no mean things happening to any body cuz………
@Nick Spinelli
I have commented from time to time on here. Yes, wisdom indicates I should ignore the person.
Hey, thanks for the advice. I may just take it now. 🙂 Appreciate it.
As for you videotaping a felon carrying a weapon, cops should at least investigate and arrest the person, if he is a felon. It’s mind-boggling to truly ignore a potential case. If they ignore it and that felon goes off on someone, the cops should at least feel responsible for what they did: ignoring your video that could have merit in saving lives.
Texan, You are new here. I would ignore the person w/ whom you are engaged. Years of experience, and others here can attest to the wisdom of ignoring instead of enabling. But, this is America, you do as you please. Good luck!!
Texan – a lot depends on how bored you are. 😉
I videotaped a felon w/ a gun. The video was provided to the police. They did nothing. It is one of the most ignored laws we have. Unless the felon is doing something else felonious, cops and prosecutors for the most part care less. Why do we need more laws when the ones on the books, and the felon not having a right to the 2nd Amendment being one I think we ALL agree is a good law, when current laws go unenforced.
Texan, many of your comments sound anti women. I’ve read your comments for quite sometime now.
mi·sog·y·nist
məˈsäjənəst/
noun
1.
a person who dislikes, despises, or is strongly prejudiced against women.
“To be a misogynist, I have to completely hate women for a reason or no reason at all. I pointed out something that’s factually correct. All radical/moderate feminists believe that men should hold no special importance, nor should be advantaged at all. It is women who should primarily have the advantage.”
Funny, that you think you can say with credibility what feminists believe.
@Annie
Then explain to me why moderate feminists are not working on legislation that would lump women into the same category as men when referring to jail sentences? Men are much more likely to be sentenced for longer sentences than women do. In fact, when a woman commits statutory rape, she can be let off with a slap on the wrist, or go to jail for a small period of time. But a man? No, we will scream, howl, holler, and demand death for the guy. We do jail the guy on a longer stretch.
The Sentencing Project provided the graph for how sentencing works when reflecting on gender/race disparity cases: http://www.sentencingproject.org/images/photo/12_lifetime_likelihood_race.png
Why is it that men are more likely to be incarcerated than women? Why is it that jail sentences are longer for men in comparison to women? If a feminist really truly is for equality like they indicated they would be, why have they not championed for tougher jail sentences for women? More to the point, why have they not championed for the ERA? The ERA would have resolved a lot of the issues. Instead, some states failed to ratify the amendment.
I am only prejudiced against feminists because they’re the only ones responsible for opening pandora’s box. Women aren’t. Women who understand, value, and respect men, do get my respect. They understand what it is like to be a woman and don’t even downplay the truth about their biology, physical characteristics, strengths and weaknesses. They play to their strengths as opposed to playing their weaknesses.
Texan,
Why should I take your description of feminists as truth? That is nonsense.
Women arming themselves and defending themselves is not misogynistic, that isn’t the comment that smacks of misogyny. This one is:
“And the way you talk about women getting guns, you’re nearing the decibel of where “FemiNoise Thought Police” will start planning your arrest, arrest you for a pre-thought, and sentence you to prison without parole. After all, the FemiNoise proponents do love to keep women out of bars but men? Oh men are so baad.”
@Annie
You are familiar with the term misogynistic, correct?
To be a misogynist, I have to completely hate women for a reason or no reason at all. I pointed out something that’s factually correct. All radical/moderate feminists believe that men should hold no special importance, nor should be advantaged at all. It is women who should primarily have the advantage.
When I said that women should be armed and defend themselves, how is it misogynistic? Explain that one to me.
By the way, when a feminist tells me that men are the biggest child abusers in the States, they are incorrect. I tell them to look up the statistics, according to the DHHS’s Children Bureau in PDF format. The statistics is very telling as women make up 53.5% of child abuse with men trailing at 45%. How is this misogynistic when I present the truth? Google it.
You’re attacking someone for speaking out about something just like someone would attack Keating for being a journalist. Way to go, Annie!
Misogynistic nonsense @2:00PM.
Inga – as a nurse you should know this stuff.
I don’t know if Max has insider info on Gonzalez’s immigration status, but assuming he’s right and Gonzalez is an illegal alien, then it fits right with this NRO report that we now have more than 5,400 illegal aliens incarcerated in prison for homicide. Or to put it another way, more Americans have recently died at the hands of illegal aliens than during the entirety of the Iraq/Afghanistan wars.
http://www.newamericancivilrightsproject.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/Immigration-Detention-Facilities-Kirsanow-Statement-FINAL.pdf
@Davidm,
Don’t worry. The more women keep hearing about this type of news regarding “thugs”, “felons”, “ex-inmates”, the more they’ll likely not want to associate with them for fear of losing their own lives. After all, the government does pander to them 24/7. CNN should do a “Women’s Issues” segment where they point out why do women choose those types of men and get promptly killed in the process.
There was a “ratchet” white woman in my area, whose name was Kaitlyn Powell. She had a friend with her who was also white. They hooked up with two black men and ended up getting brutally murdered by the two black men inside their own apartment! The photos were out for all the world to see back then.
Now, you won’t see Kaitlyn Powell’s FB status, the last post she made; or the photos of her grisly death; or the two black men responsible for killing her. While I emphasized how women were killed, do know that all races are capable of this, not just blacks.
And the way you talk about women getting guns, you’re nearing the decibel of where “FemiNoise Thought Police” will start planning your arrest, arrest you for a pre-thought, and sentence you to prison without parole. After all, the FemiNoise proponents do love to keep women out of bars but men? Oh men are so baaaad.
I do agree with you though that women need to start arming themselves and acquire knowledge. Knowledge is power and is also life as well.
Davidm
We could try and understand him, or hang him twice, once for murder and once for stupidity.