Blog Public Service Announcement - Help Erase That Felony and Vote Again....

 

"Armed Madhouse" Book Tour

This weekend I will be blogging about how every citizen can help their fellow citizen to become whole once again. That is for every half citizen that is 'without' their voting rights because of a felony conviction.

This is only the tip of the iceberg......

Conyers Requested 'Vote Caging' Evidence from BBC "Experts have concluded the caging lists were designed for a mass challenge voters right to cast ballots. The caging lists were heavily weighted with minority voters including African-American homeless men, students and soldiers sent overseas." By BRAD BLOG

'Vote Caging' BRAD BLOG

Stolen Votes ~ How Soldiers and Civilians Lost Their One Voice, Their One Vote... Monday, May 21, 2007...A BUZZFLASH INTERVIEW Greg Palast, Author of Armed Madhouse, on How Rove May Have Already Stolen the 2008 Election....Submitted by BuzzFlash...

After all -- It’s all about the 2008 election....

Greg Palast Says It Is All About The 2008 Elections

Ideas will be put forth as to how to create humane and dignified ways to get the word out to those that live in the shadows of a felony conviction each and every day of their life. And I will invite comments and ideas as to effective proactive ways to approach this looming matter.

Every year that goes by, we are missing a bigger and broader piece of our mainstream voice.

I'm sorry, but there are way too many average Joe's and Jane's out there walking around doing the right thing, doing all the right things, after getting out of prison and still they do not have their voting rights back.

The worst part about this, is not that the person lacks the will to try to get that right back. Its the desire to stay on the right track that is most important, but it's the misinformation, stereotyping and attitudes of others that can stop a person from getting their voice back. Stop them cold in their tracks.

The Washington Post ~ The Neighborhood War Zone Sunday, August 13, 2006

It seems that every state's system is different and actually has either very few or way too many hoops for that person to jump through by themselves. If the person doesn't know the correct steps, to go it alone may be a burden too great and why deal with that too. It's about maintaining one's dignity people!

There are citizens out there who would rather not see these folks get their voting voice back, ever.

There are citizens out there who may have done everything in their life on their own, they think, and don't see why anyone would deserve or need help.

A 17 year old boy charged as an adult for a drug conviction turns 30 years old today, out of prison for maybe 5 years and he still does not have that amazing right to exercise his voice and vote?

A 16 year old girl repeatedly runs afoul of the law right up to her 18th birthday, she is thrown into prison and emerges to work and raise a family, but she still cannot vote, because she still has a felony conviction hanging over her head.

A father commits grand larceny, pays his debt to society, strives to be a good parent and becomes president of his kids school PTA, he then lives the remainder of his life without the one thing that makes him an important part of our democracy -- Earning back the right to vote.

If you had something hiding in your closet, tucked far away in the back of that dark cluttered closet, what would be the worst possible consequence of having it be known?

People who leave prison, young and old, often times are not told how to recover and earn back their voting rights and are not assisted along to do so. I think it's the least one citizen could do for another, help that person get back their voice in the most dignified manner possible.

So, I'll be blogging about how Minnesota helps a citizen to vote again. Minnesota is not without its failings where there are cracks in the correctional system foundation. But Minnesota has been able to sustain some of the most rational 'Habilitation' programs that blossomed some 20 plus years ago.

Wouldn't it be nice if all states made the same effort to treat their ex-offender citizenry with the idea that a whole citizen's voice to vote will do far better for society, than a silent citizen half way there.

These people paid their debt to society, Now let them have their voice back.... Buzzle.coms Zoe Williams ~ Inside Those Walls

White collar and corporate crime are a whole other subject and do not fit in this post. My main objective is to reach out to regular working class America....the part of America that has been silent for far too long.

PS...wouldn't it also be nice if the system itself saw a way to prevent felony convictions in the first place....there seem to be a few too many that target certain groups severely. And the system won't let go of some of these groups. It's almost as if job security depended on it.

Part 1 - Part One....Off Paper? No, Not Yet? How Many Years Later? Never? Saturday, June 02, 2007

#1 Blog Public Service Announcement - Help Erase That Felony and Vote Again.... Thursday, May 31, 2007