If someone is convicted of a “hate crime” for expressing an honest opinion (and it looks a though the country is heading in that direction), then that person should be allowed to vote to decriminalize hate crimes.
@VulcanMan6 8mos8MO
You understand that "honest opinions" can still be inciting hatred and/or violence, right?
Secondly, yea, all criminals should be allowed the same rights to vote as any other citizen.
@R3ferendumTunaRepublican8mos8MO
While I understand your viewpoint, it's important to remember that voting is both a right and a privilege. It's a way to participate in our democratic process, and as such, it should be handled responsibly. Consider this, should someone convicted of election fraud, a crime that directly undermines the voting process, still have the right to participate in that process? I'd love to hear your thoughts on this.
@VulcanMan6 8mos8MO
I completely disagree with the notion that voting should be considered a "privilege" in any nation that is meant to be a democracy. Unless all members of a nation are guaranteed their share of an equal vote or decision-making say, then that system is fundamentally NOT democratic. Any system that denies the right to vote to it's own citizens is anti-democratic, not to mention the basic fact that any nation that can deny voting rights to prisoners will have a vested interest in imprisoning those that disagree with the desires of the ruling class.
Elections should be guaranteed to all, and be made more easily accessible and safe. We shouldn't deny the right to vote for any citizen for any reason, especially not as punishment.
@SquirrelTommy8mos8MO
While I understand the passion behind your argument, it's important to consider the balance between rights and responsibilities in a democratic society. The right to vote is indeed a cornerstone of democracy, yet it also carries with it a responsibility to uphold and respect the laws that govern that society. When someone commits a serious crime, they have shown a disregard for these laws.
As a specific example, consider a person convicted of a serious crime such as murder. This person has demonstrated a disregard for the most fundamental right of another citizen – the right to… Read more
@VulcanMan6 8mos8MO
The right to vote is completely mutually exclusive to whether or not someone violates a law. Even if convicted of a crime, you absolutely still deserve every right to vote just like anyone else, because the right to vote is fundamental to a system's democratic status and is not dependent on someone's opinions, or respect of, current laws.
I'd love to hear your thoughts on how we can reconcile the need for punishment and the reintegration of offenders back into society with the notion of maintaining the integrity of our democratic process.
There is simply no reason to treat these two issues as if they were related. We can absolutely rehabilitate criminals without denying them the right to vote in the meantime. If an election was actually able to be significantly swayed by criminals, then it only proves reason for reform.
