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

reply to post by Toots

it was almost two years before my case made it through the grand jury and in that time I was determined to start making something of my life and after a period of time passed had become active in the community directing a summer camp program while working steadily (nights driving a forklift loading aircraft with freight) with a son approaching his first birthday. I figured what the hell, I don't have any priors, never even arrested before and the amount of drugs was not a lot, they've got more serious things to deal with. (loud buzzer noise!!!) so they drive up to my job one day, cuff me and off I go just like that. while in there got to see what goes on inside and gained a lot of insight to how the system tends to perpetuate resentment once the system is inside you. don't get me wrong there are PLENTY of rotten bastards out there who deserve what they get and probably more (inho)

As individuals we want our freedom, we want our rights, we want to live our lives as we see fit. As a society, a line has to be drawn. Presently, the line is drawn at felonies. It may not be the "best line" but it's the line we have. We also have courts to decide on whether an action is a felony or not. In this case, it was deemed a felony after a court trial.

Although it may not be the outcome you want and even if others may agree or disagree with it, it's the line that has been drawn. The personal rights, the freedom that you see as an individual, apart from the government are there, but within society you are limited due to the crime that was committed. It may or may not be the ideal situation, but it's the situation that exists due to the line that society has drawn.

We know your side of the story, but we don't know the whole story. If we allow for one exception, then millions of other exceptions come up. We, as a small group of people, do not have that authority nor do we have the ability to make that decision, especially based on an internet message board.

There are sometimes steps that can be taken to readdress with the court, appeals and such, and that is the route you should take if you feel you would be successful. Until then, due to the felony, you are in the position you are in and with good reason as far as society is concerned.

Originally posted by ChaoticOrder
Now a underground drug manufacture may bring harm to people by supplying drugs to children or by supplying low quality drugs. But this only occurs because the Government refuses to regulate the industry like alcohol or tobacco. Naturally underground drug dealers will pop up to meet the demand, regardless of how long the war on drugs continues.

quality control is your livelihood in that arena and I would posit that big pharma has killed way more people and harmed more children than drugs like coc aine heroin or pot. the war on drugs is a smoke and mirrors game that cowards buy into (not aiming that at you by any means)

reply to post by bottleslingguy


If the liberals don't want to punish violent criminals, then what crimes do they think should be punished?

reply to post by onequestion


In most cases you are able to pettition the court of action against you if your crime was not of a violent nature.

My uncle is a convicted felon and pettitioned the court t own a firearm to protect his family.

They ( State Gov / Court ) granted him that right with limitations such as type of weapon / type of ammo and random check in's. The paperwork also states that they can come take it away from him at anytime without reason or appeal. Begining of the end if you ask me.

So even if you pettition the court you will never ever get your alienated rights back.....peroid.

Im Sorry....this i just the reality of the world that we live in until there is a re-birth.

Deny Ignorance!

Hello,

I am new here I did not read through all 11 pages but I can give you my point of view.

Laws really should change when it comes to background checks/credit checks .



I think that the system has serious flaws. I agree that your past should go away after so many years or only be released to employers where your past may be a risk factor for their danger as well as putting you in the spot of possibly committing the same crime. For example a conviction of child abuse should be made aware to a daycare center but not to employers that do not deal directly with children. A fight got out of hand in your situation and it could have happened to anyone I don't know the reasons behind the fight but its been years with out problems so i would say an average employer shouldn't have access to that record.

Personally I think prospective employers/renters have way too much access to a persons life. I do not like the fact I have to give out my social security number for an application. I know they need it for tax purposes but how many of us have applied for jobs we never even got a call back about it? How secure is the application that has enough info on it to take my identity? Some ask for your divers lic number when its not a job that involves you driving for them. They shouldn't have access to that kind of info unless they fully intend to hire me and need to confirm I am a US citizen or something. Yet most places take apps online and it won't let you submit an app with out entering a valid number. I don't think employers shouldn't have the right to do a credit check. I do not think that an employer needs to know I owe a few back medical bills that never got paid. Or that I defaulted on a credit card or something because of being unemployed due to a 20% unemployment rate in my aria. I have had jobs hint at they only hire people with good credit. Kinda hard to build good credit if no one will hire you so that you can earn money to pay off past debts. Also those debts do not mean I am a bad employee, just a poor one. Rental places also do credit and background checks and charge application fees so that they can snoop around. I was once evicted because I lost my job, couldn't pay the rent and they wouldn't let me voluntarily move out before the lease was up. After losing your job it can take you up to 3 weeks to get paid again once you start a new job and they can evict after being one month late. After that happens you have an eviction for 7 years and can not find with out a ton of issues a place to live. Even if your new renter gives you a clean reference. I understand renters do not want to rent to people who get evicted because they do not want to have to evict themselves yet a 7 year ban for something you didn't mean to happen is harsh especially now with high unemployment rates, business closing and layoffs.

You may not like this but I agree that YOU should not have a gun only for RIGHT now only because you have a history of a violent crime and you should have the opportunity to gain back your rights.

I know exactly where you are coming from. I am a non violent felon.

I see it as we are a victim of the law. Like toying have paid my debt to society. Paid thousands back to the community.

But that doesn't matter because somewhere along the way someone decided that they are better than us and what they proposed should be law.

Why should I not be able to vote?

Wow. I'm at work on my phone but ill jump back in the thread when I get home. A lot of replys already ready to go.

reply to post by liejunkie01


I think he mentioned that he was a Violent Felon and not a Non Violent Felon. If you are not currently incarcerated I believe you should have the right to Vote.

reply to post by br0ker


Mentally scared for life over a fight? That's got to be the most wimpiest thing I have heard all year. Wow.

Originally posted by TheComte
reply to post by bottleslingguy

 

If the liberals don't want to punish violent criminals, then what crimes do they think should be punished?

ohh noooo!!! not the LIBERALS!!!!!

I don't think it's about whether someone should be punished or not. it's more about how much punishment is enough. small crimes can become a life sentence

Originally posted by TKDRL
reply to post by br0ker

 

Mentally scared for life over a fight? That's got to be the most wimpiest thing I have heard all year. Wow.

that's got to be one of the most ignorant statements I've heard in the last two years

Criminals in this country complain too much. A felony is not an easy thing to get and is reserved for the most serious offenses. The OP did the crime and now can't live with the consequences boo hoo. He should have thought about them before he viciously attacked someone.


Posted Via ATS Mobile: m.abovetopsecret.com

Originally posted by Superhans


I don't believe that, you don't get a felony conviction and 6 months for that.

said the guy with no clue

Originally posted by acmpnsfal
Criminals in this country complain too much. A felony is not an easy thing to get and is reserved for the most serious offenses.

said the guy with strawman statistics and no clue

Originally posted by bottleslingguy
reply to post by JohnPhoenix

 

you're obviously biased and not rational about this. better hope you're never on the other side to experience what it's like.

edit on 17-2-2013 by bottleslingguy because: (no reason given)

I have been to jail 5 times for stupid stuff in my 45 years like DUI's and public intoxication shooting fireworks in city limits etc.. I'm no stranger to the system and i do know what it's like. Sure you can screw up and make mistakes but I always had the presence of mind not to do anything stupid enough like committing a violent felony. Willfully harming another human being is where I draw the line and this guy should have known better also.It was so bad.. whatever he did.. it was a Felony. They dont charge you with a Felony for simple stupid battery. This guy did something very BAD.

Originally posted by Hopechest
Most people don't end up committing violent crime unless they are...well violent.

If your rights are so precious why did you put them at risk in the first place? You should accept that you are being punished by society and these laws were in place, and i'm sure you were aware of them before you acted out.

I sympathize with you but only up to a point. I intentionally have held myself back from doing violent things because I know what will happen. This appears to be something you lack.

I'm sure your a wonderful person and just made a mistake but mistakes have consequences and you need to realize this. If you get your rights back who's to say you won't act out again in the future? I mean, you have in the past.

Ummm.....you should be able to see past your oversimplification here.......Not everyone grows up in an optimal situation. There are cities full of people all over this land that (not of their choosing) grow up around violence and in violent cultures (gangs). A very large percentage of these people "go along to get along...to survive"...........Many times as well situations are thrust upon us and we just happen to be in the wrong place at the wrong time and the end result becomes violent...That being said it only illustrates the fight or flight response and sometimes flight just isn't an option...........I think it's too easy to generalize and make sweeping pronouncements without having the facts...I think you did that here...

YouSir

You were probably a decent guy when you snapped the first time, your probably a decent guy now but personally I dont think you should be trusted with a gun. Whats to stop you from snapping again?
All we have is your word saying your sorry and you wont do it again, I wonder how many serious violent offenders have said this then gone on to reoffend?

I wouldnt treat you any differently if we met in a bar but as far as Im concerned when you do seriously hurt another person on purpose you lose some rights for the rest of your days, Sorry.

But as the words of the 2nd dont allow for any restrictions I agree that your rights are being infringed when a gun is with held from you.
Just one of the many reasons the 2nd needs to be either changed drastically or scraped completely

Reply to post by bottleslingguy

Yea let me go dig up the statistics on how serious felony crimes are............


Posted Via ATS Mobile: m.abovetopsecret.com

I feel your pain my friend. I committed forgery by writing checks my ass couldnt cash...literally. So I "steal" $2600 from a bank essentially. That was in 1999. I got sent to state prison for 2-6 years on my first offence here in NY. It is entirely true that the system will never release people who they think wont re-offend because I ended up getting hit at the parole board every six months until my six years was up.
The reason they gave? They said I didnt complete an anger management course! I had been on the list for five full years, but never got in because violent offenders get priority. Let that sink in...I had to do two full years more solely because the state didnt allow me to do a program...I had no control!

So I get out in 2005 and havent gotten so much as a speeding ticket. Decent job, house, car, ie: I am a regular Joe like most of you. And yet, I can never get a CAREER because my record follows me everywhere. When I have been pulled over, I am treated like a pos because the LEO has seen my history on his computer before he even approaches my window.
I cannot vote. No owning guns. And the reality that no matter what I do for the next 50 years I will always be treated like dirt.

It has been 15 years since I wrote 5 bad checks totalling $2600 and I am still paying for it. The system is broken. If I can be stripped of my rights as a tax paying citizen, then I should be able to renounce my citizenship and not have to pay taxes.
But ya know what? I tried that already and was denied. I then tried to leave the country and apply for citizenship in Canada but now, Im on the no-fly list and who knows what others so essentially, am forced to stay in the country and be beaten down for the rest of my life.
This life sentence for petty crimes is asinine and unjust. The bank was paid, I did six years, but when I try for a certificate of relief from the Governer of NY (which would give my rights back) , I am denied. Last year, I was denied WITH predjudice so I can never file again.

Im over it though. Im just biding my time for when The People take this country back. I will be on the front lines and I will do what needs to be done with the same exact predjudice the state of NY gave me.

Thats right, just because the state says I cant own weapons doesnt mean I dont have them. Silly politicians...a #ing illegal immigrant has more rights than me. Pfft...

Nice thread op S+F