Jailhouselawyer's Blog: Democracy means all, even felons, deserve to vote

Jailhouselawyer's Blog

A mixture of law, politics, autobiography and humour. Once described as "The Devilish Advocate" (Guardian), I do have the ability to provoke a response. Sometimes it comes from someone who uses a thought process, and sometimes from jerks usually associated with the knee.

Friday, September 28, 2012

Democracy means all, even felons, deserve to vote

COLUMN: Democracy means all, even felons, deserve to vote

by Mark Brockway | September 28, 2012

In my last column, I wrote about the disenfranchisement of large numbers of voters by the use of voter ID laws. As restrictive as ID laws are, they are not the worst violation of voting rights in the U.S.

Nearly all 50 states have laws that directly prohibit felons from voting, even after they are released.

Denying a large segment of the population the right to vote is an unacceptable infringement on the democratic process. Committing a crime in no way causes a person to be less human or less American. Voting rights must be restored to felons.

jailhouselawyer at 10:10 AM

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About Me - jailhouselawyer

jailhouselawyer: Hull, East Yorkshire, United Kingdom; John Hirst Hull, East Yorkshire, GB "Who is John Hirst?" the Sun online questioned the day after the UK lost its appeal to the Grand Chamber of the ECtHR in the prisoners votes case. The profile was not very informative nor flattering. But, I don't like the Sun either so we are quits. I was born, at 2 I was put into Dr Barnardo's Homes. What they called care, we refer to it as physical and sexual abuse. I drifted into crime, and spent 35 years in prison. In spite of the system, I reformed and rehabilitated myself with the support of some within and outside of the system. I was transformed from a law breaker into a law-maker. I am firmly committed to prisoners rights, and am a campaigner for penal reform. I live in a 3 bedroom terrace house within a cul-de-sac, and have a dog as a companion. My Latvian friend keeps invading my space and telling me I need a wife. She does keep the house clean and tidy, but loves my dog and calls him her boyfriend... Recently, Viking FM have asked for advice and reports for the news on radio on Criminal Justice issues. In addition, I used to write regularly for Inside Time the National newspaper for prisoners.

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