Florida's civil rights problem.

[snooker]

Anyone ever hear of such a thing before?


If your convicted (or just accused of but never convicted) of certian felonies in Florida. You lose all sorts of rights, including the right to vote FOREVER!! (Florida's expunge and/or seal does not even affect these)


I am not happy to admit, but I am a convicted felon from something real stupid I did over a decade ago. (Nothing violent or sexual or anything along those lines, just wanted to get even with an old boss, that backfired) (I was 19 when I got into trouble and was 23 when I finished my punishment (Probation). Now I am 33 and still can not go out and buy a hunting rifle, go out and vote, get a good paying job (All those do not like seeing I am a convicted felon, do any work for the government (With or without a subcontactor) and alot more rights.


Check this out:


==================================================================


Last month in Florida, a Federal District Court heard summary judgment arguments
in Johnson v. Bush, a class action lawsuit that seeks to restore the voting rights of more than
600,000 people. These citizens have been disenfranchised?for life?because they were
once convicted of a felony. The Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law is lead
counsel in the Florida voting rights case. Nationally, the effort to restore the voting rights of
ex-felons is gaining steam, with two major conferences devoted to the subject just this year.





This is from this law document


My stance on this is like this:

I am done with all the punishment I was given and have been for years. I should now be able to be treated like any other US Citizen but I am not, because I live in Florida.


I am glad to see at least this is a Nationwide issue so hopefully these wrongs will be corrected in our justice system here in FL




Ok I will let a little more info out on my crime I did to ease everyones mind that I am an evil person..... I (Along with a bunch of my friends (All aged 16-19)whom I never named to anyone concerning this) used a gas card to fill up our tanks over a 2 week period. We upped the bill to $319 before I was seen doing it........

See, no violent crime was commited, nor was any damage done or any drugs/weapons involved. It all has to do with the $300 deal with the labeling of a felon


Basically If I would have snitched then I would not have been hit with a felony, but since I held my ground (and kept my mouth shut) I was hit with the felony.



I have no other crimes at all other then the 1 felony conviction (Not counting a speeding ticket or 2)

 

[snooker]

Originally posted by: axiom
Your short term solution is not live in Florida. By moving out you are telling the state you don't want to live in a place that denies civil rights. This might be tough, but bite the bullet short term and bring the big guns like the Brennan Center in the long term.

You have committed a felony, served your sentence and rehabilitated yourself in accordance with the justice system. I see no reason why you should be denied the rights of a person such as myself, someone that has not committed a felony.

I agree with you all the way here.

The problem I have with leaving the state is this:

I have lived here all my life with the exception of the first couple years I do not remember in Indiana and do not want, nor feel I should, leave to get back something I didn't even know was gone until I tried to buy a hunting rifle a year ago (Nope nobody to this day has told me what rights I have lost and what rights I still have, I learned from the net)




I am just pissed off at the system and do not know where to turn.

I have contacted the ACLU but haven't heard a response from them yet. They also have things moving on this issue from what I have read so I am hoping something gets changed soon.

 

[gopunk]

why don't you see if the governor can pardon you or something

 

[Triumph]

Yeah, tell the ACLU that you can't vote, not that you can't buy a gun. I've heard of this law also, and it's truly a disgrace. Hell, all of Florida is a disgrace, as far as I'm concerned.

 

[SnapIT]

aaah the double standards in the land of the free...

 

[bGIveNs33]

Originally posted by: Triumph
Yeah, tell the ACLU that you can't vote, not that you can't buy a gun. I've heard of this law also, and it's truly a disgrace. Hell, all of Florida is a disgrace, as far as I'm concerned.

You are just mad that FSU beat VTech in 99' and 2001

 

[Triumph]

Originally posted by: bGIveNs33

Originally posted by: Triumph
Yeah, tell the ACLU that you can't vote, not that you can't buy a gun. I've heard of this law also, and it's truly a disgrace. Hell, all of Florida is a disgrace, as far as I'm concerned.

You are just mad that FSU beat VTech in 99' and 2001

haha, nah, i don't care that much about VT football.

 

[deftron]

I thought that was nationwide that convicted felons can't vote

I know it's like that in Virginia

Stupid law..

If you did your time, you did your time.


And shouldn't have to face more lifelong punishments

 

[FeathersMcGraw]

Originally posted by: axiom

You have committed a felony, served your sentence and rehabilitated yourself in accordance with the justice system. I see no reason why you should be denied the rights of a person such as myself, someone that has not committed a felony.

But just think of all the people who have been turned back from the brink of a life of crime by fear of not being able to cast an incorrectly-counted ballot in the federal elections!

 

[Reel]

I'm not a convicted felon and my vote didn't count in the last presidential election.

Do you still have to do jury duty?

 

[LH]

Do you still have to do jury duty?

Im sure all a convicted felon would have to do is say "Im a convicted felon and I sympathise with the defendent" and they would be out.

 

[EbonyExperience]

I for one am happy that there is one less gun carrying convicted felon roaming the streats.

 

[josphII]

i feel for you snooker. i feel that once a person serves his time all his rights should be restored. i think not allowing convicted felons to vote is wrong. i also think convicted sex offender lists are wrong. if society feels the need to punish these people even after their sentence is up then maybe their initial sentence wasnt harsh enough.

 

[Triumph]

Originally posted by: EbonyExperience
I for one am happy that there is one less gun carrying convicted felon roaming the streats.

Who made you judge and jury, to take away the rights of (now) law abiding citizens? When a felon is convicted, they don't say, "Upon completion of your sentence and repayment of your debt to society, you will have to effectively continue your sentence by not being given the full rights and privelages allowed to every other citizen."

 

[EbonyExperience]

Who made you judge and jury, to take away the rights of (now) law abiding citizens? When a felon is convicted, they don't say, "Upon completion of your sentence and repayment of your debt to society, you will have to effectively continue your sentence by not being given the full rights and privelages allowed to every other citizen."

So I guess you are against sex offender lists huh?

So if convicted sex offender does "his time", he should be able to open up a preschool?

Lame.

 

[Kerouactivist]

I totally agree with you.

I think that felons that have already put their time in should be allowed to vote.

 

[snooker]

Originally posted by: gopunk
why don't you see if the governor can pardon you or something

I have actually looked into this, and Governor Bush (yup, GWB's Bro) says his stance on this issue is, you shouldn't have broke the law and now you must pay for it. My question is when do I stop paying for it


My charge is one of the many that does not give me the right to even apply for my rights back


The Judge who sentenced me even stated (And I do have it documented) that I do not pose a risk to society and he feels I will not repeat what I did, that is why I only got probation. No jail time at all etc.... Just probation.


I would have taken Alot of Jail time in return for my rights back when I get out, if that was even an option.

 

[snooker]

Originally posted by: ReelC00L
I'm not a convicted felon and my vote didn't count in the last presidential election.

Do you still have to do jury duty?

No to Jury duty either.

 

[jackpot]

what did u do to your boss exactly?

 

[AlienCraft]

Originally posted by: ReelC00L
I'm not a convicted felon and my vote didn't count in the last presidential election.

Do you still have to do jury duty?

Felons are not allowed to serve on Juries.

 

[waggy]

well in all honesty i dont belive you should have the right to get a firearm after commiting a felony.

but you should have the right to vote.

while i repsect you have changed your life after that you still commited a felony. It does fallow you around for the rest of your life. Maybe you should have thought of that before you commited it.

 

[snooker]

Originally posted by: waggy
well in all honesty i dont belive you should have the right to get a firearm after commiting a felony.

but you should have the right to vote.

while i repsect you have changed your life after that you still commited a felony. It does fallow you around for the rest of your life. Maybe you should have thought of that before you commited it.

If I was a little older then 19 (And a little more mature) I wouldn't have done what I did. What makes my case odd is, My felony is classified a felony because of the $$$ involved. Florida's felony law puts anything above $300 a 3rd degree felony. (There are 3 degrees of felons, the 3rd degree felony being least) and wouldn't you know it, my charges was based on $319. $19 freaking dollars is hurting me for life!!!!!


As for not being allowed to own a firearm, I can own a bow and arrow set but not a 30-30 rifle? The bow is just as accurate as the 30-30 but far more deadly because it doesn't make any noise, sooo why am I allowed to have one of those but not a gun? Who knows. Maybe because someone 20 years ago decided it was ok.

 

[Triumph]

Originally posted by: EbonyExperience

Who made you judge and jury, to take away the rights of (now) law abiding citizens? When a felon is convicted, they don't say, "Upon completion of your sentence and repayment of your debt to society, you will have to effectively continue your sentence by not being given the full rights and privelages allowed to every other citizen."

So I guess you are against sex offender lists huh?

So if convicted sex offender does "his time", he should be able to open up a preschool?

Lame.

I don't know, but he should be allowed to VOTE.

 

[bGIveNs33]

Well... I could give you the old "you shouldn't have done it in the first place" speech... but, you've heard that millions of times. So... I guess I'll just say that I'm very impressed that you DO hold voting to such a high standard as to get offended that your right has been taken away. That speaks alot to your character.... the majority of convicted felons probably don't even care.

 

[snooker]

I have never been able to vote Never yet in my life have they let me into a voting booth (What does the inside look like? )

Ya I could have voted before I got into trouble, but hey I was young and didn't give a darn about that sort of thing. 13 years later I want to but can't