Okay, I admit it, I sometimes amuse myself by posting my opinion on websites like MSN. I did just that yesterday and went about my day knowing that some would react unfavorably to my comments. I wasn't disappointed. I'm thinking that is what a true troll would do and having been called such in the past I wouldn't want to disappoint. Really, I had some stuff I wanted to do and so didn't hang around long enough to see the results of my cast. When I returned the bait had been taken.
My opinion was concerning whether convicted Felons should get their right to vote reinstated following their punishment. I remarked in the negative. I feel that once you forfeit that right in the commission of a felony, you forfeit that right forever. Time served, restitution or parole isn't enough in my estimation. That opinion was met with all the usual rancor, name calling and judgement I imagined it would be. I was immediately labeled a Trump supporter, a Republican. old, white, privileged and lacking in empathy. People that have never met me or even heard my name before began telling me about my whole life ! They even knew who I voted for ! My only response was to inform those folks that I found them amusing. I explained that is what I thought of their opinion, that they were an amusement only. I didn't hear anything further from any of them. Amazingly the majority of them seemed to be Constitutional scholars referencing the Tenth Amendment, or perhaps they were all defense lawyers, their knowledge of law was indeed extensive. Some obviously felt that serving your sentence included having an Epiphany.
Is the later that I take exception too and the reason I say you should not get those voting rights back. The right to vote is a serious responsibilty. When that right is bestowed upon you by virtue of Citizenship and age a trust is placed in your hands. Committing a felonious act is a breach of that trust. By committing that act you are exposing your true character. When you choose you own self interest above the law there is a price to pay. Trust once broken can never be repaired, at least not for the most serious of offenses it can't. Yes, I'm talking about morality and ethics. Both of those qualities are called into question when you commit a crime.
Why was that punishment instituted in the first place ? Why was the right to vote revoked ? The answer is a simple one. It is because you can not be trusted to exercise good sound moral and ethical judgement. It was intended to be a deterrent ! Now we all laugh and scoff at such a notion in the modern world. After all what criminal considers the punishment before committing the crime ? I understand that but does that change the crime ? No it certainly doesn't and that is why we have defense lawyers. Defense lawyers represent the guilty and the innocent. Their primary purpose is to do what ? They either prove innocence or attempt to lessen the severity of the crime. There are times when there are extenuating circumstances. I think in this day and age there are plenty of avenues open to everyone and resorting to crime is nothing more than a shortcut. No one needs to rob a store at gunpoint for a loaf of bread anymore.
John Adams famously said, " Our constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. " Morality, ethics and responsibilty were central themes in the founding of this nation. There was much talk of liberty. What is liberty ? To those founders of the country, and that includes everyone, we call them patriots today, a major portion of liberty was the right to vote. In fact it was a central premise. We have to remember before that, under English rule, you didn't get a vote, no say whatsoever. So yes those folks were very much aware of the responsibilty that came with liberty. Liberty did not make you free, liberty bestowed responsibilty upon you, an obligation to act in a moral fashion. Their morality was rooted in religion. It wasn't rooted in one particular manner of faith however, thus the separation of church and state, but the golden rule was central. To them the exercise of religion was acting in a moral and ethical fashion. Sadly many choose to act immorally and irresponsibly despite this obligation.
That is why I say you do not get the right to vote back. You have shown me that you chose crime over responsibilty. You were willing to sacrifice your liberty for personal gain. After having a fair trial it was determined that you were guilty. Liberty was lost. Liberty lost can not be regained. It is that loss of Liberty that was so dear to those patriots and that is why they attached it to the most serious of crimes. I can forgive, I can't forget. None of us should ever forget the cost of liberty. When you can't pay up, its' lost.
My opinion was concerning whether convicted Felons should get their right to vote reinstated following their punishment. I remarked in the negative. I feel that once you forfeit that right in the commission of a felony, you forfeit that right forever. Time served, restitution or parole isn't enough in my estimation. That opinion was met with all the usual rancor, name calling and judgement I imagined it would be. I was immediately labeled a Trump supporter, a Republican. old, white, privileged and lacking in empathy. People that have never met me or even heard my name before began telling me about my whole life ! They even knew who I voted for ! My only response was to inform those folks that I found them amusing. I explained that is what I thought of their opinion, that they were an amusement only. I didn't hear anything further from any of them. Amazingly the majority of them seemed to be Constitutional scholars referencing the Tenth Amendment, or perhaps they were all defense lawyers, their knowledge of law was indeed extensive. Some obviously felt that serving your sentence included having an Epiphany.
Is the later that I take exception too and the reason I say you should not get those voting rights back. The right to vote is a serious responsibilty. When that right is bestowed upon you by virtue of Citizenship and age a trust is placed in your hands. Committing a felonious act is a breach of that trust. By committing that act you are exposing your true character. When you choose you own self interest above the law there is a price to pay. Trust once broken can never be repaired, at least not for the most serious of offenses it can't. Yes, I'm talking about morality and ethics. Both of those qualities are called into question when you commit a crime.
Why was that punishment instituted in the first place ? Why was the right to vote revoked ? The answer is a simple one. It is because you can not be trusted to exercise good sound moral and ethical judgement. It was intended to be a deterrent ! Now we all laugh and scoff at such a notion in the modern world. After all what criminal considers the punishment before committing the crime ? I understand that but does that change the crime ? No it certainly doesn't and that is why we have defense lawyers. Defense lawyers represent the guilty and the innocent. Their primary purpose is to do what ? They either prove innocence or attempt to lessen the severity of the crime. There are times when there are extenuating circumstances. I think in this day and age there are plenty of avenues open to everyone and resorting to crime is nothing more than a shortcut. No one needs to rob a store at gunpoint for a loaf of bread anymore.
John Adams famously said, " Our constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. " Morality, ethics and responsibilty were central themes in the founding of this nation. There was much talk of liberty. What is liberty ? To those founders of the country, and that includes everyone, we call them patriots today, a major portion of liberty was the right to vote. In fact it was a central premise. We have to remember before that, under English rule, you didn't get a vote, no say whatsoever. So yes those folks were very much aware of the responsibilty that came with liberty. Liberty did not make you free, liberty bestowed responsibilty upon you, an obligation to act in a moral fashion. Their morality was rooted in religion. It wasn't rooted in one particular manner of faith however, thus the separation of church and state, but the golden rule was central. To them the exercise of religion was acting in a moral and ethical fashion. Sadly many choose to act immorally and irresponsibly despite this obligation.
That is why I say you do not get the right to vote back. You have shown me that you chose crime over responsibilty. You were willing to sacrifice your liberty for personal gain. After having a fair trial it was determined that you were guilty. Liberty was lost. Liberty lost can not be regained. It is that loss of Liberty that was so dear to those patriots and that is why they attached it to the most serious of crimes. I can forgive, I can't forget. None of us should ever forget the cost of liberty. When you can't pay up, its' lost.
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