I'm a felon, I've served my time...can I have my rights back please?

Originally posted by iwilliam

Originally posted by loam
reply to post by AnonyWarp

 

Say what you will.... I get that sentencing and punishment are all hosed up in this country. But forgive me if I remain unimpressed by someone who was convicted of a violent crime and only three years later whines about the consequences.

I have never violently attacked anyone in my life. I think this OP is a poor advocate for sentencing reform.

Well, how nice it must be to feel justified in a sense of smug moral superiority.

Let me ask you-- have you ever defended yourself from a violent attack?

Because in some places, and/or with a little bad luck, that could land you a record for a violent felony.

And if you haven't ever had to defend yourself from violence, then you have little idea of what that feels like, and your opinion becomes more and more irrelevant.....

Ya some of these people I think have lived there whole life's in gingerbread houses were there biggest problems they had were spots on there apples which they just couldn't wash off, oh the dread.

reply to post by onequestion

I hit someone once while i was drinking, there was already an ongoing battle between two other people.

A drunken bar brawl? Like those never happen... Assault, public intoxication, any mitigating circumstances? Like did you "hit them" with a beer bottle or chair and crack their noggin putting them in a coma and now they walk funny ? Or what?

Are you off probation?

Have you been violated for drinking since you got off parole?

Are you drinking now?

Problem with the system is once they got you, it's hard to get away. You have to obey all the rules or zip! in you go. You want to be free of that move to another country, or deal with it. Look at it like this... you got your life back, you ain't in prison anymore. Just live your life, they won't take it back unless you screw up i.e., say f__k it, go to a bar, get drunk and get in a fight.

reply to post by indigothefish


Funny you should mention work place and hiring practices, i have actually been excluded from being hired for having an under 21 drinking MIP (I was 20 and 9months fml lol). In my state, it is considered an ordinance violation, though that roughly translates into a misdemeanor. Currently I'm in the process of having it expunged and will not have to claim it on any official forms outside of law enforcement and some government agencies should I apply.

It's also kinda foolish when put into context that i'm not to young to die for my country and yet, even though I acted in a responsible way (my BA level was below the state's legal limit to drive and I was walking home) I am still to young to make the decision on whether or not i can handle drinking a beer and acting responsibly. Now it comes up as a stigma because I knew the law and I willing broke it, which I cannot argue. In some ways, I think rebellousness against the system is at the heart of American Culture and we all get caught up in such circumstances at one point or another; however, there is a line between youthful folley and destructive social behavior. Determining that line is a debate which plays out daily in courtrooms and in the legislative bodies.

Now that i got that long winded piece out of the way, for the OP, there are penalties that go beyond just "serving time". My personal opinion is they should fit in the context of the offense. Should someone who is convicted of say aggravated assault be allowed to hold a gun permit, no. Now as an active member of society they should retain their voting privledges, Just as if someone is convicted of voter fraud cannot be trusted to act in good faith and should have their voting privledges revoked. Thats not to say there are not extenuating circumstances that should be taken into consideration. One of the reasons, many states allow for minor offenses to be expunged after so long is it allows perspective.

It is a complicated matter with no true right or wrong answers outside of the fact that the society as a whole determines what is deemed right and wrong; acceptable and unacceptable. Laws and the resulting conditions will shift as society shifts. As of right now the is how the law in our society works and the only choices are to seek legal council to determine if there may be some recourse you can follow or start getting involved seeking to change the status quo.

I think it depends on what a person has been convicted of, generally. If you violate someone else's Constitutional rights which most acts of violence do, then no I don't think you should get ALL your rights back. Having said that though I think there could be a process put in place to get most of them back and to be excused from having to disclose for employment purposes with appropriate exceptions of course (ie no child sex offender should ever be working near children, murderers, rapists... none ever). I think properly rehabilitated felons should have a second chance at a normal life, after all in some way or another we tax payers end up supporting every person that cannot function properly in our society. I'd like to see us trying to end the cycle of hopelessness and poverty every which way we can.

Something really important to consider and I wish it would become part of our national dialogue is redefining felony. Our government continues to broaden the definition to ridiculous proportions

A person does not get a felony for a bar brawl. Perhaps you are not telling the entire story? That would be my guess.

I've known several people who have been in fights in bars. And arrested. And they did not spend hard time.. nor lost their rights. How about relating your entire case.. you know.. the truth.. before crying to us about how abused your rights are.

Originally posted by Hefficide
reply to post by onequestion

 

I can agree with and empathize with what you are saying, with three caveats:

1) An across the board loss of rights for all felons doesn't make sense to me. Not all felonies are created equal. I once made the decision to have an employee charged for stealing from the job ( a compact disc ) - not knowing ( I'd just moved to Texas ) that the state of Texas considers all workplace theft to be embezzlement, thus a felony. In attempting to make a statement to my staff I, sadly, possibly ruined a young mans life. All over eight ninety-nine.

The loss of rights for any felony should reflect only the rights that the persons felony categorically fell into. IE commit armed robbery? Sorry... no more guns for you. Embezzle? In that case I can see a loss of the right to be taken solely at ones word.

2) For most felonies there should be some sort of time limit ( if there isn't already ) after which a felon could petition for reinstatement of his rights. If someone makes a stupid mistake in their late teens / early twenties? I see no reason why they shouldn't get some review or consideration come their thirties or forties. Assuming, that is, they keep their noses clean in the interim.

3) If there was a gun involved in your felony, sorry to say it, but I feel that you probably should not ever have the right to own a gun afterward. This isn't personal. I just feel that such stern restrictions might help to keep younger folks from repeating the mistakes of prior generations. I grew up with a lot of older role models, many of whom were severe drug addicts. While I did pick up a few of their bad habits, drugs ( in any form ) are not on the list. Just seeing the trouble, sickness, pain, and death in several cases - that drugs caused and that I witnessed? I was put off of the idea of trying them before I ever had the urge. Kids seeing older felons languishing for their rights might well have the same sort of negatively reinforcing effect.

~Heff

I'm sure this will get deleted, but felony or not you had him arrested for a compact disc? Must have been some mix. It sounds like a real d!ck move. Firing the guy would have probably been just as strong a statement.

reply to post by onequestion


LOL, It's only an assault charge..That's funny, I got 3X of those on my record, and I work for the Gov, with a high security clearance..

I got buddies with murder charges and kidnapping charges, and you're worried about a measly assault charge lmao.

Either America is fked, or that's a joke..gees, all the people I used to know would be happy to have just an assault charge. Heck, I'm happy that's all I got well got caught for when I was a kid hehe

Hey OP I understand where you are coming from. I don't understand all the bashing these people are giving you. One mistake should not define who you are as a person. Would everyone rather he have a unregistered gun. Its not that hard to get you know. At least with a registered gun, he will have to show some form of responsibility because it will be documented.

I too am a convicted felon. I was convicted of the distribution of drugs when i was 19 and spent several years in prison. couldn't care less about my gun rights or sympathy from anyone. What i did was wrong and i regret it everyday. I was a straight A student pursing a career in the medical field and just wanted to make some money during college. It was a lack of good judgment and lack of a hard work ethic. I chose the "easy" way.

Now there is a reason why prison is called a revolving door. Sure there are many criminals who will never change but many who genuinely do want to be a productive member of society are met with road blocks from all angles. It is near impossible to get a white collar job unless you are well connected because almost every good paying job will not hire you if you have a felony on your record. Realistically you would have to become an entrepreneur or develop a skilled trade to make it. For many of those with no support they will fall through the cracks. I just want a fair shot at a career that I know I would be just as good or even better than the next man up.

Like i said someone's character cannot be summed up by the one bad thing he has done. But as I can tell from all the responses on here, everyone is a real square and hasn't ever done anything wrong before.

Why worry about your rights? What rights? You ain't got no stinking rights! What the hell did you do? Punch Nancy Pelosi in the face? How could anyone tell? No seriously, we don't have rights. The king, and the lords and ladies we elect every 4 and 2 years respectively have been telling us that for decades! The only right we think we have, are those we get from our creator, or if you an atheist, from some piece of paper. The king and his lords and ladies in that sewer,er, sorry, capitol by the potomac will be the first to tell you, that they'll tell you what rights
they think you should have and nothing more. We don't get governed, we get ruled, it's that simple. You kno the old saying, might makes rights. The constitution died many, many, many decades ago. History doesn't lie!

Ok, my good deed for the day is to give you some real advice. The observations you've made are pretty common and everybody always suffers for the same, more or less and though you may get some sympathy, nothing anybody else can do will change it. Aside from that, if you aren't being punished by someone, somewhere, or in danger of losing credibility, then you're doing something wrong. If I can convince you that I'm not peddling religion, then read on.

First off, there's a person named Jesus. He's very much alive and well as many people claim, though most refuse to hear it. Jesus says, "I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father but by me." If you read the first several verses of Matthew 5, you will get very literal instructions about how to become born again and saved, not from daily difficulties and oppression, but by the evils of this world unto eternal life and peace. Or not. It all depends on whether or not you're sincere enough and desire enough to find God, only through belief in Jesus. This isn't about blind belief, either, because God will meet you a very vivid and literal way, but you have to take the first step.

Originally posted by byGRACE
reply to post by onequestion

 

It is disgusting, true. Once your time is done all punishment should be done.

The courts categorizes offenses as violations, misdemeanors and felonies for a reason. I find it hard to believe the OP hit someone and got a felony charge and 6 months if jail. Either the courts were trying to make an example of him, he had been in trouble before, or he beat the hell out of someone and sent them to the hospital. Most people in a bar fight or alcohol induced fight, who do not use a weapon get a misdemeanor assault charge not a felony charge.

I do agree that some felons of non violent crimes should be able to wipe their records clean and get their rights back.... but violent offenders are destined to repeat their own history time and again and as far as fire arms are concerned should never have the right to own one.

You served your time.

Never say please and never ask forgiveness. You have paid your debt.

The only thing left is for you to treat your freedom with respect and use it to move forward. Anyone else saying otherwise can go to hell.

Peace

Originally posted by TechniXcality

Originally posted by Creep Thumper
reply to post by TechniXcality

 

I call behavior as I see it. You earned your punishment and whatever you lost.

Decent people don't spit on others no matter who they are.

yea im sure you've never fallen in with the indecent crowd. The difference of criminal and non criminal is who has gotten caught and who has not.

LOL.. Thats something only a criminal would say to justify their actions.... There is always a line between right and wrong, moral and immoral. I like how people with criminal minds speculate that everyone is committing crimes and just are not being caught. Now matter how much you try to justify it you are wrong. "I fell in with an indecent crowd" is just a way of not taking responsibility for your actions. In our minds we know right from wrong even when around the "indecent crowd" i have been around enough indecent people to know. To let those people influence you just shows weakness. To walk away from them is far more moral than to conform to the "indecent" excuse, anyone who can't figure that our deserves their just rewards.

Originally posted by cusanus
Ok, my good deed for the day is to give you some real advice. The observations you've made are pretty common and everybody always suffers for the same, more or less and though you may get some sympathy, nothing anybody else can do will change it. Aside from that, if you aren't being punished by someone, somewhere, or in danger of losing credibility, then you're doing something wrong. If I can convince you that I'm not peddling religion, then read on.

First off, there's a person named Jesus. He's very much alive and well as many people claim, though most refuse to hear it. Jesus says, "I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father but by me." If you read the first several verses of Matthew 5, you will get very literal instructions about how to become born again and saved, not from daily difficulties and oppression, but by the evils of this world unto eternal life and peace. Or not. It all depends on whether or not you're sincere enough and desire enough to find God, only through belief in Jesus. This isn't about blind belief, either, because God will meet you a very vivid and literal way, but you have to take the first step.

Does the vivid and literal way that God meets people have anything to do with giving his servants money or those same servants molesting our children and then instead of getting punished being reassigned to another district to commit the same offense? There are also a lot a child molesters and violent criminals who have claimed to have "found god" and used it as a sort of get out of jail free card. Apparently his hand is not strong enough to hold back his flock from the atrocities they continue to commit. I believe in a supreme being but blind worship in a book a fables and stories is crazy. The bible is on the same level as Aesops fables, its meant to steer people onto a road of morality towards fellow man and nature but sadly even the servants of god have turned it into a way of making money and exploiting people to their own interpretations.

Originally posted by 19KTankCommander
violent Crimianl in your own words, Not knowing what you did really don't matter, have to remember one thing if it was not for those liberals and if this was 200 years ago and you got caught you would not be here to talk about it. Yes times have changed, and you don't get hung for steeling cattle anymore, instead you are put in jail and loose you rights when it comes to almost everything. No one to blame but yourself, I would guess someone at one point or time in your life told you "that is not a good idea don't do it"

So ask yourself this, is it better to be alive or should we enforce those old laws from years and years ago...

Agreed!

OP, you have got your life, be happy with that.
I am sorry but I have walked the straight and narrow for all of my life, because I knew if I messed up I would earn the badge "second class citizen" and lose my rights.
Sorry but a couple of years later does not equate to rehabilitated, it took me 18 years to earn my right to own a gun.
Come back in 18 years and ask.
As for me, I'd still say no to you.

reply to post by onequestion


Im not sure if anyone has mentioned this but you can have your record expunged..

When I was 18 I was convicted of two felonies,And 7 years after the completion of my sentence(probation incuded) I was able to get a lawyer and have my record expunged.

I have all my rights, and if I have to apply for a job I can say ive never been convicted of a felony..

dude my bro is a convicted felon, he did his time, he got out of prison when he was 28. hes 45 now. and the toughest thing is finding job. Find a good hustle man cause ive seen my brother struggle. its depressing. Good luck

reply to post by schizm99


I have a High School diploma.Barely got that TBH.Not dumb,just didn't feel challenged enough to want to learn the crap they were trying to feed me.I come from an upper Middle Class family.I was far from being a saint then,and now,but have never hurt anyone.There was a period of heavy drug use,as well as alcohol but I KNOW right from wrong.What I did was technically wrong,I know that,but noone was hurt.Yet I was given 5 years in the Texas Prison system.Of that I did a little more than 2 years and was paroled.I was raised a southern Baptist but nowadays I call myself an agnostic.

Originally posted by onequestion
reply to post by dusty1

 

By law i am not aloud contact with the "victim".

So you can be quiet with them, then. I don't see the problem with that.

It's nice to be quiet at times... reflecting on the nature of things.

Hmm.. well, seems to me you just want a gun.

they're noisy.. so I hear.

Most of these laws are harsh for a reason. To be a deterrent. So, those that break these laws are made example of.

By the way, after so many years, some felonies won't show on your background checks. You can also get a concealed carry permit after seven years in Mississippi of a violent crime.