after reading yesterday's piece in the New York Times on restoring voting rights for ex-convicts, i did a little research to find out exactly where New York stands on felony disenfranchisement.
i personally feel that if a person commits a crime and successfully completes their sentence, it is unjust to prevent them from voting. i don't think that taking someones voting rights away is necessary or appropriate.
does a does being a criminal void your citizenship?
anyway, in the process of looking around on this topic i found an interesting website. ProCon.org (as in pros and cons of an argument, not pro-convict) has sections on multiple different hot topics, including felon voting. it's worth a look as it appears to present unbiased, factual research.
oh..wow..this evokes all kinds of fury in me! I may have to blog about it myself sometime, however, I have to be careful publishing my opinions related to the field in which I work. Nonetheless, when criminals are released from incarceration, their punishment is over (the judicial system says it is by their completion of the sentence that was imposed) They are physically being restored to freedom at this point and should be given back the right to vote. What harm can be inflicted on society by allowing someone to go into the voting booth and pull a lever? My experience tells me that a large percentage of felons probably weren't registered to vote even prior to committing their offenses but those who are interested should be given the opportunity. Maybe we'd even be sending them a positive message about their ability to be a contributing member of their community and their selfworth. Besides there are some candidates out there that are in need of some serious rehabilitation...and we are letting them run the government not just worrying whether we should let them vote for one another!
ReplyDeleteHey there, I hope you don't mind, I added a link to your blog from mine. I will email you soon!! Nicole
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