Disenfranchisement: Voting is a Privelege that we Must Not Take for Granted

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Since the establishment of our great country, Americans utilized the ballot box as a freedom of expression. Voting is a basic right that many of us take for granted, some even viewing it as a “God given right.” As citizens, we expect the right to vote. Many oblivious to the fact that voting is a privilege that can be revoked. The process, commonly referred to as disenfranchisement, is the principle reason for my summary. Today more than ever, one of America's post-election concerns is voter turnout. Usually, the numbers are bleak, especially during local elections. As a society, we cannot afford to turn our back on one of the pillars of a democracy. If elected officials are to represent segments of voters, then people from all lifestyles need to be able to participate in the process. As a Republic, our elected officials carry the message of their constituents, uniting many voices into one. This is not the case for some segments of society. Major findings show that over an estimated 5.2 million Americans have lost the right to vote. (Lance 2008) Many of these Americans are members of minority groups. The process that makes disenfranchisement possible has been in practice for centuries. The law states that once you have become a felon you lose your right to vote. This applies even after their release into society. Further aggravating the issue is society’s current tough stance on lawbreakers, which has converted what were once misdemeanors into felonies. The result has been record amounts of prison inmates across the United States, resulting in millions of Americans who hold no voice in their future. The argument made is that these men and women have been reduced to living in the shadows of society. On the other si...

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...chisement was used as a form of discrimination towards poor white, but mainly blacks. It was a way for the political candidate to try and control the “vote” so to say. It has also, in some ways, opened my eyes to view this in a slightly different light. While, I still believe that those convicted of sever crimes lose all their rights, there are those that have only committed a minor felony, and shouldn't lose all of their civic rights. However, with that being said, I think that those who commit crimes should not get off scott free either.

References

(2009). Felon Voting. Retrieved July 11, 2009 from

http://felonvoting.procon.org/newsarchive.asp

(2009). Felony Disenfranchisement. Retrieved July 11, 2009 from

http://www.sentencingproject.org

Lance (2008). Prisoners and Voting Rights. Retrieved July 11, 2009 from

http://politicalinquirer.com

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