When searching in Salon, I found a really interesting article about Florida giving voting rights back to committed felons. A new law has been restored in Florida that will give convicted felons the rights to vote, hold elected office and serve on a jury; however, the law still says that certain types of violent offenders will still have to apply, but will no longer face a waiting period.
It’s estimated that Florida has 628,000 felons. This is such an interesting topic because of the controversy that Florida held with the 2000 presidential election. The article stated, “Of course, the issue of civil rights for felons was particularly heated in Florida, where just before the 2000 election voter rolls were purged of thousands of supposed felons who were, in fact, not felons at all.” The article then went on to say, “if felons in Florida had been allowed to vote in 2000, former Vice President Al Gore would have received some 60,000 additional votes, thereby swinging the state, and the election, to Gore.”
To me, this is really an astounding find. The man who is now our president could very well not be serving our country right now if this law had been passed a few years ago. I do think it is appropriate to give felons their voting rights back because I believe that each person who is a citizen should be treated like a citizen and given their rights.
Yes I agree with you completely. I believe that felons should have their voting rights. After coming out of jail or rehabilitation programs felons don’t ever get a break in life. It is difficult for them to find jobs and to secure a better life from themselves. Many of them want to change but are not given the chance by society to prove themselves. This is why I think they should receive voting rights because it is one of the only ways they are able to take part in society and have their voice heard.
Comment by spinmymotivation — April 5, 2007 @ 8:50 pm |
Here’s what Ani means by “that phony election.”
Comment by jenn — April 6, 2007 @ 9:25 am |
these people are felons, should they really be allowed to vote for our goverment when they are in jail? The only acception I see is if they are coming out of jail, if they are in jail for life or even more the next 10 years why do they get a say in our presidency, they don’t really deserve it if they killed or raped someone and now are locked away.
Comment by engtalk — April 10, 2007 @ 8:22 am |
Serving on jury? I don’t know how I like that idea. These people just came out of jail and who knows if it has changed them. The state wants to give them a right to decide the fate of someone else. Um I think not.
Comment by lacyalida — April 12, 2007 @ 11:18 am |