Judge will hear felons' claim that they should be allowed to vote
Voter disenfranchisement is wrong.
In a democracy like ours your vote is your voice.
When we take away someones' right to vote we take away their ability to ever completely contribute and in doing so we relegate them to second class citizenship.
During the Constitutional Convention of 1890, the official records show that the sole reason for listing disenfranchising crimes was to diminish the number of blacks able to vote.
These crimes were thought to be more likely to be committed by blacks and so they were put in the constitution.
In 2004 the Legislature added a number of other more contemporary crimes to the list. There is discrepancy across the state in the counties as to whether those disenfranchised by this state law are also barred from voting in the federal elections.
Once people have served their sentences including parole their right to vote should return so that they may fully rejoin and contribute to American society.
Civics lesson 1:
ReplyDeleteWe are not a democracy. Nor should we be. We are a Representative Republic.
True.
ReplyDeleteOf course that doesn't add anything to the discussion.
Nitpick away.
Just a point of clarification. ;-)
ReplyDeleteI think there are good reasons for disenfranchising felons although I will admit that certain type of felonies should be eligible for reitatement.
The strength of any kind of representative government depends on the moral character and educational level of its voting population. History shows that the more uneducated a population is, the more prone it is to follow demagogues and tyrants.
The same applies for moral character and by that I mean felonies. In my humble unexpert opinion, voting is not a right but a privilege. Blasphemy here I am sure. However, when you vote you are exercising power over your neighbor and I don't think it is to be used lightly. I also think it carries a certain duty to make sure that true criminals are not allowed to take part in the voting process. Some crimes are wore than others and should disqualify the criminal from participating in some aspects of society even if he regains his freedom. However, I am not in favor of a blanket ban per se on reinstating the voting rights of felons.
One further point, if we are going to continue to elect judges, I damn sure don't want criminals voting for our judges.
Fire away.
very well put
ReplyDeleteIf the felon has repaid his/her debt to society in full, he/she should have the rights of other citizens. Using "moral character" as a measuring stick is too subjective to deny people their inherent rights as a citizen in good standing.
ReplyDeletekingfish and gatepost are correct, we are not a democracy, we are living under an IMPERIAL DICTATORSHIP that completely ignores the rule of law, the constitution, and the dictator had to cheat a lot in school just to become a "C" student. I hope one day that you all pull your heads out from under Haley Barbour's big fat gut! But I still enjoy reading your warped comments, ahhhh, cheap entertainment!
ReplyDeletewlb:
ReplyDeleteThere are good reasons why you don't want to be a complete Democracy. Read the section called The Suicide of Greece in The Life of Greece by Will Durant. Fred has several copies at Choctaw Books. Also if you like fiction, read The First Man in Rome. Or Twelve Men who Ruled about the Committee of Public Safety in The French Revolution.