THOUGHTS AND CONSIDERATIONS ON “PAYING YOUR DEBT TO SOCIETY”
It seems that when it comes to felons in America, justice can never really be served appropriately under the common laws of this nation.
I was just about to put out a nice update on the current state of my garden, and then another dangerous thought popped into my head again. I guess life can’t always be manicured lawns, white picket fences, and another Pleasant Valley Sunday in the suburbs.
Because of things like the recent Poetry Slam Contest from @prufarchy on "If I Ruled the World" and the upcoming election, I was thinking about what would happen if I were in charge. I'm currently 35, so this is the first election that I am actually "qualified" to be a valid candidate, so you can write me in this year if you don't want to throw away your vote. I'll put the official press release post on @papa-pepper running for office later.
Of course there is always a lot of injustices and corruption that seem to persist in polyticks that never gets taken care of. For the record, I spell it that way because it makes it easier to understand the word.
When one gets involved in polyticks one should expect there to be many bloodsucking parasites. With the amount of time that I spend out in the woods and swamps, that's kind of right up my alley. Sometimes I wonder if they are all so "bad" that high in the government that any truly decent person gets scared away from polyticks in the lower levels.
Anyway, one of the things that I would change about the current judicial system and the laws is the way that convicted felons are treated. Here is a quick diagram to show the difference between those who are not convicted felons in America and those who are not.
With the absurdity of some of the laws in this country, I believe that the vast majority of citizens have committed some sort of felony. Even once the questionable laws are thrown out, many more of us still committed felonies. We just didn't get caught. (I am neither affirming nor denying any allegations at this point.)
The motto is usually "DO THE CRIME, DO THE TIME" with "if you get caught" conveniently omitted from the end of that slogan. The general concept is that if you commit the crime, do the time, and pay your fine, you should be back to square one.
They'll even say that you have PAID YOUR DEBT TO SOCIETY.
However, in many ways, convicted felons still lose out.
For one, an absence of a few years on your resume always looks bad when you are applying for a job. Plus, until you are "off paper," you can't even vote. (Though many now believe that makes no difference anyway.) There are other examples too, but I'm concerned about the 2nd Amendment.
The founding documents of this nation demand that the citizens of this nations are entitled to certain "rights."
Being a convicted felon doesn't mean that someone has lost their citizenship, so how could they no longer have the same rights promised to all of the citizens? If the rights of a citizen are going to be taken away, shouldn't the burdens of a citizen also be removed? Shouldn't convicted felons also be exempt from paying taxes to the government that has denied their right to bear arms?
I'm not a convicted felon nor am I an active advocate for the "felon's rights campaign." However, this is one of those things that I would fix if I was in control down here. I believe in forgiveness, and if a debt has truly been paid, then it should be actually considered as such.
Let's say that you commit a felony and I am society. "Disorderly Conduct" is a great example of a potential felony that you could be charged with that is very arbitrary.
Let's say that you do something that a police officer labels as "Disorderly Conduct." Since the average jury these days is not made up of your actual peers and knows nothing about jury nullification they find you guilty as charged and the judge sentences you. Your sentence is 2 years in prison and a $5000 fine.
After you pay me $5000 out of your own pocket and sit in a cage for 2 years, I say, "Thanks, you have now paid your debt in full and all is forgiven." You are glad that it is finally over that you can finally put all of this behind you and move on with your life without facing any more repercussions because of your mistake.
Then, I take your gun away too!
What? Why? How? What gives me the right?
Basically, the answer is "Who cares? Shut up!"
If this is some sort of attempt to keep potentially deadly weapons out of the hands of "dangerous people" we once again become arbitrary and subjective.
I know of a lot of people that I would consider to be much more dangerous than some convicted felons. Plus, those who intend to break the law with a gun will also break the law to get a gun. Guns are everywhere, both legal and illegal. I've heard it said that "BLAMING GUNS FOR KILLING PEOPLE IS LIKE BLAMING SPOONS FOR PEOPLE BEING FAT." If we banned spoons would the general population slim up?
Conclusion
Forgiveness is crucial to existence.
If a debt had been paid, it had been paid.
We are mostly all guilty, we just didn't get caught.
I think that convicted felons should also be able to:
Hunt food for themselves and their families.
Be able to use firearms to defend themselves if they see fit.
Enjoy recreational gun use if they desire to.
Still be part of an armed population able to defend itself from tyranny.
In the end, if you try to be a good guy...
Some bad guys will always come your way.
With, or without, a felony.
And, with, or without, a gun.
What would you change if you could?
Except for the Monkees video and the definitions,
FOLLOW
Awesome Handcrafted @papa-pepper logo kindly donated by @vlad - Thank you!!
OPERATION TRANSLATION logo provided by @oecp85.
(click link above for more info on Operation Translation.)
yup.
rights are inherent.
Governments can't grant something they don't have...they can only infringe.
Government is insane...it should be treated in the same way any other large, rabid , DANGEROUS animal is treated.
Be very, very careful...don't draw attention to yourself.
Eventually it will die.
Unfortunately the next one will grow to be just as bad...given time.
Congenital insanity is like that.
Aw man!
You mean when we get rid of one sick dog another one is right around the corner ready to take its place?
Something different is being tried this time.
What will come about is a protectorate (government means Mind control, so we will stop using that word) where the power to authority is actively given. In other words, when you no longer want to support someone, you just stop.
Just like, when you are helping someone build a shed, and they something stupid and hurtful, so you go take a break...
An example would be that when you file your taxes, you also give a list of which agencies get your tax money. If an agency gets $0, then it is a defunct agency.
If only we could vote with our taxes like that, they'd almost be worth paying!!!
History would indicate that is what happens unless something different is tried.
Something different never has been tried.
Doing the same thing, time after time, expecting a different result.
That's crazy.
But I'm crazy too, so that makes it different, right?
Why do you think you are crazy?
Because if that is documented in the blockchain now, I may not be "mentally stable" enough later to stand trial and then I can just be like Murdock from The A-Team.
Right?
Or does that sound crazy?
The opposite of progress is congress.
There is a book written by a lawyer, "Three Felonies a Day". He states that he can follow anyone around for a day and find they have committed at least three felonies.
https://www.amazon.com/Three-Felonies-Day-Target-Innocent/dp/1594035229
Opposite of PROGRESS is CONGRESS.
I like that one, only heard it earlier this year.
Yeah, felonies, they'll give them to you if they want you to have them.
That's why I don't carry a gun, I figure, if they want me to have one, they'll plant one on my body.
(remember that - I was unarmed)
I go away for a few days and come back to a lot of papa pepper to read, on a host of topics.
You're probably in my top 5 favorite people on Steemit. Missed you and thanks for the shout outs, it's been a REALLY tough month but that reminded me why I'm on this platform with people like you.
Keep peppering, papa!
Don't worry, life is busy...
That's why it me two days to reply to this (LOL)
Top 5, really??? I hardly even write poetry for you anymore!!!
Will you be in WI around the end of the year?
You had mentioned that you might...
Haha, you don't have to write poetry for me or the slams to be my among my favorite Steemians... I just really enjoy your blog and your flow and the perspective you have and encourage.
I'm still on schedule to be in WI in December and can't wait to get some fresh country air. I'll probably hack up a lung getting nyc out of me.
Cool. I'll be heading to the center of the state with an ETA of the 16th.
Not sure when we will head back to AR, but probably sometime after the 25th.
A felony regardless of which class it is can really put a damper on a young adults life. Finding a job or a place to rent can be extremely hard. I've heard that it is better to move out of the state that the felony occurred as background checks often search state databases more often than federal.
Sounds the the appropriate aftermath of a "debt paid in full" doesn't it.
Many times young people are foolish and make horrible choices that can haunt them for the rest of their life.
many times they can miss out on a lot that life has to offer because of it, as you mentioned, like even having to leave their home state just to try to succeed in simple things like having a job or a place to stay.
Thanks @thedrollyears!
We all have rights to err, we also have the right to change and compensate our mistakes also have the right to forgive and be forgiven. excellent post my friend@papa-pepper congratulations
You have erred.
It is Papa, not Potato.
But have no fear, I forgive you.
Your reply is apparently very valid!
sorry my friend@papa-pepper I modify the translator google
I thought it was a running joke!
Hahaha!
Thanks @jlufer.
Seriously, no hard feelings.
I was only joking my friend!
There are so many "governments". Restoration of civil rights after a felony conviction is so variable, state by state by state. Are you upset with Arkansas specifically and a specific statute or set of rules? Or just frustrated with a generic "government"?
What would I change? I would change environmental laws to allow enforcement actions to be initiated by citizens, rather than having to wait for state or federal agencies to bring the suits. And I would stop court cases from being sealed so that people can learn what's being agreed on in settlements. And I would make all Terms of Service short and simple to understand!
The most damaging thing to a person's freedoms is done at the very first thing a police officer does. Being arrested carries with it a devastating, for the rest of your life, consequence. And the police have a quota for arrests.
When you are arrested, your name and location and supposed crime go into a national database that anyone on the internet can access. So, if you like corporate jobs, forget it. You will never be called to an interview. They all check for arrest records. And, if you want to work for a bank, it is actually law that they cannot hire someone with an arrest record. (It used to be that arrest happened after they took you in and questioned you, back when they had to fill out paperwork for it. Now, the arrest happens as soon as they scan your license.) And since the arrest database is national, it is almost impossible to delete bad information.
And, what you would change? You don't know THE LAW. What you think is simple, would actually require destroying the BAR.
Give unto Caesar what is his. We should always give the government whatever is their property, and as much as we may disagree with their laws, we still must find a way to better our environment by going beyond the confines of what we feel we are capable of. If we are in a position to help a previously convicted felon, especially as an employer or the like, we should be willing to not be quick to judge, condemn and be able to give second chances. Many have sinned, yet few are reprimanded and apprehended for their decisions.
I would definitely like to see someone of your values in office as opposed to our current president. I'm not much of an advocate for guns as we live by the sword and die by the sword but it is important to exercise our rights from the constitutional amendments if we so choose, especially if we have paid our dues to society. The whole system is ran by un caught crooks, the fleshly driven nature of humanity allows me to not expect anything less, therefore the faith can never be in any particular individual here on earth.
Thanks for sharing. Upvoted
Well. in South Africa , Felons get to vote! Mind you I suppose they are on first name terms with most of the candidate's, so, only fair!
somebodies gotta be the scapegoat for why theres all stupid laws. btw no pardon til death
This post has been linked to from another place on Steem.
Learn more about and upvote to support linkback bot v0.5. Flag this comment if you don't want the bot to continue posting linkbacks for your posts.
Built by @ontofractal