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Breaking The Social Contract
- Jan 7, 2010 at 12:30 PM
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- Comments (26) Total Views (826) Everyone can see this journal post.
A federal appeals court recently tossed out a Washington law prohibiting felons to vote.
It is obvious to anyone that pays the least amount of attention to prisons that there is a disproportionate number of minorities in them. Our prison's are stuffed to overflowing, with African Americans, and Latinos. How is this possible? Do Whites not commit any crimes? I can think of one group of White men that stole huge sums of money, from us the people, and they didn't go to jail. So maybe it isn't that Whites don't commit crimes. Maybe, like a lot of studies are showing, the criminal justice system is as corrupt and rotten as the Thanksgiving leftover's you forgot in the back of the fridge.
But State Attorney General, Rob Mckenna doesn't see it this way. He attempting to reverse the decision. His argument is that these felons have broken the social contract and therefore forfeited the right to vote.
Social Contract?
I'm wondering what particular social contract he is referring to. It must be the one that guaranteed, free reliable health care, excellent education, free day care and social programs to help drug addicted, single and abused mothers raise their children. It must of been the social contract that guaranteed that every investment possible would be made in the interest of children. If the child, after all that, decides to steal, deal and kill, well, bad child. No vote for you.
But wait, I don't believe there is any social contract like that. Far from felons breaking any Social Contract, Society has failed to meet the most basic needs of its citizens.
The very least we can give those that we have failed, is the right to say something about it and the hope to change it...by voting.
Comments:
ditto both of you...
I agree as well. Rehabilitation is the key. If they feel their self worth raised and are able to turn their lives around starting while behind bars then our world would be a better place.
so well put!agreed.
wow, that is awesome. they might as well just have an income cutoff. if you're below the poverty line, you can't vote. why beat around the bush and pretend it's about crime? we all know not everyone in jail is actually guilty, and i personally don't feel that all the crimes that people are in jail for, are breaches of social contract. (but no one asked me.) i think it is a breach of social contract on a certain state attorney general's part, to support such a piece of legislation.
The interesting thing that has been mentioned in the coverage of this, is that, in studies, felons have been shown to be less likely to commit crime when they get out, if they were allowed to vote. Sooooo...
Felons, should not have any right to vote, when you go to prison, all your righs as a Citizen no longer exist. Your rights are taken away for a reason, you broke the laws of our country. You did something wrong, and they want to allow a felon the previlege to vote in society that they are not a part of on a daily basis. True there probably some people who are in prison who are not guilty of the crimes they have been accused of and are serving time, but its like this, people who are in the wrong place at the wrong time, well, they should have not been there. Only the Citizens who are not wrong doers and abide by the law of our country should be allowed to vote only. After people have served their time and become citizens again, only then should they be able to vote in society. That is when they should have everything restored to them. Because they served their time for the crime. Makes sense to me. How about you?
Well, Davis, no, it doesn't make sense to me.
I hope you or someone you are involved with never happen to be in the "wrong place at the wrong time".
For example, if you ever "do time" because you killed someone defending your child, I hope you find a little more compassion from those around you.
In an attempt at constructive debate, what do you think keeping a vote from prisoners will achieve? Does it rehabilitate them? I'm not asking to be confrontational: I'd really like to know what your reasoning behind it is. Is it simply punishment, or is it to teach a lesson?
Hmmm, I'm interested what the first paragraph has to do in conjunction with the rest of your journal. It seems that you are either saying A) Racial Discrimination has led to the arrest of more minorities then the majority or B) White people are able to escape imprisonment because of a corrupt system.
What exactly are you getting at with that?
Most of us are aware of the basic theory, which states that as automation becomes more efficient, few workers are needed to produce more goods.
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I agree completely.
I read this in the paper yesterday, and had to think about it for a while. You are right. Why shouldn't the people most affected by the actions of government have a say in how that government is run?
In fact, what a better way to re-habilitate someone then to get them involved in the building of their community? Political action is the responsibility of every citizen, giving a dis-affected person the knowledge and power to actively participate in their own community and country, provides a feeling of inclusion in that community.
Those that feel included and responsible for their community are less likely to commit crimes agianst it.
So I say, not only should they have voting rights, but lets teach civics in prison.
Much love
Alex
- alex
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