Debate: It's Time to Give Ex-Felons the Vote

(April 1) -- It's hard to have sympathy for a convicted felon. Criminals are perceived as pariahs to society. For every action, there's consequence, right?

Yet America is known for providing second chances. Moreover, as citizens of this democratic country, it's vital that we respect the civil rights of all Americans.

But right now, many states prevent felons from voting, even after they've served their time. In fact, according to the Brennan Center for Justice, 5.3 million American citizens can't vote because of a criminal conviction -- 4 million are out of prison. And of that figure, a third are black.

Indeed, according to the Justice Department, "state disenfranchisement laws disproportionately impact racial and ethnic minorities," and "given current rates of incarceration, approximately one in three of the next generation of African-American men will be disenfranchised at some point during their lifetime."

Consider these other devastating statistics:

There are more blacks in correctional control today than were enslaved 10 years prior to the start of the Civil War, according to Michelle Alexander in a piece called "The New Jim Crow."

As of 2004, more black men were disenfranchised than in 1870, the year the 15th Amendment was ratified and prohibited laws that denied the right to vote based on race.

Much of this vast increase in minority incarceration rates stems from the war on drugs. It's a battle that's long been criticized for being waged exclusively in poorer communities. And even with the Senate recently passing a bill that seeks to amend the racial disparities in drug sentencing laws, critics still argue that this bill doesn't go far enough in ensuring racial justice.

Currently, Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee are proposing H.R. 3335, dubbed the Democracy Restoration Act, which seeks to block states from disenfranchising felons from federal elections after they've been released from prison.

One may differ on the politics of what leads to prison sentences, but how can anyone argue that this bill is unneeded?

Conservatives say the Democracy Restoration Act infringes on the rights of states. Some have gone even further and questioned the motives of the Democrats who have introduced this legislation -- alleging that this bill was introduced under the perception that these voters would automatically vote Democratic.

But the past proves that in some cases federal intervention is needed when ensuring the rights of all citizens, regardless of what state they claim residence. It's evident in passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1965.

As for using legislation to improve electability, the GOP is no stranger to such tactics. Isn't that, right, Mr. DeLay?

Let's break from playing politics and opt for a game of making things right.

For those who fear such a bill makes us look soft on crime, there are different ways to explore it. An example is the state of Kentucky, where House Bill 70 would restore the voting rights of more than 186,000 former felons, minus those convicted of murder and sexually related crimes against minors.

This is one of many ways to enact legislation, but no matter how it's done, it's time to restore a right that has been stripped from millions of Americans who have paid their debt to society.

For them and for our democracy.


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