5 ms·

Until recently I had just taken it for granted that it was what we do, but after thinking about it, what's the rationale behind taking away the right to vote wh

by moonka 8y ago

Until recently I had just taken it for granted that it was what we do, but after thinking about it, what's the rationale behind taking away the right to vote when someone is convicted?

fzeroracer 8y ago
A combination of a culture focused around retribution rather than rehabilitation, voter suppression and overt racism. Felon disenfranchisement tends to hurt the black population more because they're often more egregiously made felons through minor offenses (for example, possession of marijuana). This goes as far back as the Black Codes in the mid-1800s.
- metalgearsolid 8y ago
  You put it way more elegantly than I was going to. Marijuana possession can land you a felony, and whether or not you actually receive a felony during court proceedings is going to be heavily influenced by the colour of your skin.
sublupo 8y ago
Because democracy only works when the voters are good. If a large majority of voters were Nazis then a Hitler would be elected. Similarly, I wouldn't want people who are proven to do something criminal to influence who becomes my leader.
- Crye 8y ago
  > Because democracy only works when the voters are good. If a large majority of voters were Nazis then a Hitler would be elected. Similarly, I wouldn't want people who are proven to do something criminal to influence who becomes my leader. Bringing up Nazis is a little more then ironic in this context. Considering the Nazi's passed laws to remove citizenship and prevent voting for a large portion of their population. On September 15, 1935, at a party rally in Nuremberg, the Nazis announced two new laws that changed who could be a German citizen. The Reich Citizenship Law required that all citizens have German “blood.” As a result, Jews and others lost their rights to citizenship, which not only stripped them of the right to vote but also made them stateless. This meant that they could not get a valid passport for travel between countries or acquire a visa to leave Germany. Allowing everyone to vote is fundamental to democracy.
- unmole 8y ago
  So, democracy doesn't work anywhere outside America?

by moonka 8y ago

Until recently I had just taken it for granted that it was what we do, but after thinking about it, what's the rationale behind taking away the right to vote when someone is convicted?

fzeroracer 8y ago

A combination of a culture focused around retribution rather than rehabilitation, voter suppression and overt racism. Felon disenfranchisement tends to hurt the black population more because they're often more egregiously made felons through minor offenses (for example, possession of marijuana). This goes as far back as the Black Codes in the mid-1800s.

metalgearsolid 8y ago
You put it way more elegantly than I was going to. Marijuana possession can land you a felony, and whether or not you actually receive a felony during court proceedings is going to be heavily influenced by the colour of your skin.

sublupo 8y ago

Because democracy only works when the voters are good. If a large majority of voters were Nazis then a Hitler would be elected. Similarly, I wouldn't want people who are proven to do something criminal to influence who becomes my leader.

Crye 8y ago
> Because democracy only works when the voters are good. If a large majority of voters were Nazis then a Hitler would be elected. Similarly, I wouldn't want people who are proven to do something criminal to influence who becomes my leader. Bringing up Nazis is a little more then ironic in this context. Considering the Nazi's passed laws to remove citizenship and prevent voting for a large portion of their population. On September 15, 1935, at a party rally in Nuremberg, the Nazis announced two new laws that changed who could be a German citizen. The Reich Citizenship Law required that all citizens have German “blood.” As a result, Jews and others lost their rights to citizenship, which not only stripped them of the right to vote but also made them stateless. This meant that they could not get a valid passport for travel between countries or acquire a visa to leave Germany. Allowing everyone to vote is fundamental to democracy.
unmole 8y ago
So, democracy doesn't work anywhere outside America?