So a big question that still seems to be unanswered is should felons be allowed to vote? No felons can't vote but yet they still have to pay taxes? Give me a break, if I'm out of the system then put me all the way out! The US is more concern about persecution and not prosecution. Felons, in effect, have a life sentence for momentary crimes.
I think felony voting restrictions in the U.S. are political anachronisms reflecting values incompatible with modern democratic principles. At the edge of the millennium these laws have no purpose. To the contrary, they arbitrarily deny convicted offenders the ability to vote regardless of the nature of their crimes or the severity of their sentences, they create political 'outcasts' from taxpaying, law-abiding citizens who are ex-offenders, they distort the country’s electoral process and they diminish the black vote, countering decades of voting rights gains...
Given the major impact of felony disenfranchisement laws on the voting population, and in particular their strikingly disproportionate impact on African Americans, policymakers should consider alternative policies that will better protect voting rights without injury to legitimate state criminal justice interests.
I believe the best course of action would be to remove conviction-based restrictions on voting rights. At the federal level, Congress should enact legislation to restore voting rights in federal elections to citizens convicted of a felony, so that the ability to vote in federal elections is not subject to varying state laws. State legislatures should also eliminate state laws that curtail the franchise for persons with felony convictions within their states.
Seems we are lifetimes away from getting this done. Balance must be restored...
I believe Indiana got something partially right by allowing IN residents with a felony to vote whether or probation or parole except if currently incarcerated. Unfortunately, many people are not told this information. I could not believe the number of individuals i came across while registering voters during the last election who thought they could not vote because they had a felony. Many truly had no clue.... It is such a shame that this happens time after time after time.
ReplyDelete@ nti, I agree - Indiana DID get that part right and yes if your currently locked up then no you shant be allowed to vote. But man what about the other states and bigger; the lack of information? I think its all purposeful and by design!
ReplyDeleteSo many valid points Dimitri:
ReplyDelete1. Lifetime sentence of persecution for temporary crime
2. The black vote
3. Tax-paying citizens
4. Democracy in question
However, I'm wondering if you believe all felons should be able to vote, or should it be based on the type of felony? If justice has been served and a convicted felon is released after serving his/her sentence, then that means he/she is ready to re-enter society fully correct? Or does it depend on the offense?
This debate will be interesting, and I can almost guarantee that if this was to brought Congress today, it would be laughed out of Capitol Hill! Hell, the election of President Obama was a joke to many, imagine if under his presidency this legislation was attempted (and passed)! Talk about grassroots!!!!
@ Taj, in life according to "duke", I feel that anyone can vote no matter the felony so long as you are not currently incarcerated. After all once your sentence is served, its served! Otherwise we need to be clear to all that once you get in trouble for ANYTHING you will pay a life sentence for it...
ReplyDeleteJust wait until I get a couple hundred million - you will NOT be able to keep me off TV asking these hard questions to people that CAN make the difference.
Well then keep working your little buns off so you can get your own segment on CNN, show them D.L. was a joke and we got real business to handle!!!!
ReplyDeleteAnd I agree that it is STRATEGY, and I agree with the you that once you've served, then that's it...If they didn't believe one should be able to function in society, then perhaps Big Brother should've kept a negro locked the F up.... My fault, was that inappropriate?? LOL
@ Taj, lol!! Yea I am gonna show them DL was a joke and no that wasn't inappropriate - remember this is MY kingdom! :)
ReplyDelete@ nti, well I could set up some website like "informblacks.org" but how to get blacks to use it!?...lol If it was facebook or I incentivized it some how I am sure it could happen. I would say that educating our youth forward is one way and SOMEHOW educate their blockhead parents and show the dominate race to help take responsibility for the "system"
You know Dimitri, there is one pretty successful website that got its start as a Facebook group and does a good job of keeping the black community informed, but it is a mix between entertainment and consciousness, which is one of the reasons why I think it is so successful. Unfortunately, there is a lot of gossip taking place, and sometimes the emphasis, in my opinion, is in the wrong areas. But I will say, they have a significant pool of fans AND it gives aspiring young, black journalists a chance to build a portfolio. Are you familiar with thefreshxpress.com??
ReplyDeleteI can see you doing something like this, but taking it to another level! If you got it up and running on Facebook, I'm sure the people will come. I will personally help bring the people to you. Give it a little of that "Duke" flair, make it politics and healthy entertainment and BOOM! There's your movement!!! You got this!!
@ Taj, well thank you for your support!! My problem is that if your on my team, you won't have nay friends! People either love me or hate me...
ReplyDeleteWhat? I don't see a problem at all!
ReplyDeleteIf you are doing it for the community, the ones that matter will come naturally. Those that don't matter will be so busy hating, they won't realize that in doing so they are actually bringing more attention to the cause!! So stop with the excuses, it's lonely at the top, you have to try or you'll never know!! We don't need friends, we need revolutionaries!!!
@ Taj, ok then let's go!
ReplyDelete@ nti, you gonna help me with the content if I build the site?
And there it is... I'll be in charge of recruitment, but I will need several marketing concepts. Obviously Facebook, twitter, etc., but I'll need the vision clearly stated so that I can sell the idea of consciousness!!! This is bigger than you, Dimitri. So I will need more than good looks to bring them in ;-)
ReplyDeleteSounds like a plan! It has to start somewhere... :-)
ReplyDelete