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While America prides itself on being a style of democracy, it’s hard to believe that other people are still denied the right to vote. While the fight for voting rights for black Americans has lasted for generations, some other organization has lagged behind. Outside: Other people in prison.
North Carolina has taken a big step forward by granting citizens the right to vote as soon as they are released from prison. However, we can go further, which is what congressional Democrats seek to do with the new legislation. Expanding the right to vote to people incarcerated in prisons might be debatable at first, but it is worth the potential benefits.
Let’s start the verbal exchange by explaining why we even take away your right to vote when you’re in prison. In addition to the argument that we have done it this way (which is never an intelligent argument), it can simply be said that it is because if you commit a crime you lose your freedom and your position in society and therefore the rights you enjoy through others free. friends. It is imperative to recognize that incarcerated individuals remain U. S. citizens with certain inalienable rights. The right to vote is a basic facet of citizenship, and denying it undermines the principles of democracy that we hold so dear. When we take away those rights, we are indispensable by saying that they are no longer citizens and that their voice does not matter. And that’s simply not true.
We will also need to recognize that other incarcerated people continue to make a significant contribution to the society in which we all live. They make products that fuel a multi-billion dollar industry. If you’ve ever been to a workplace party, chances are the dirty laundry came from Oriental Trading Company and was cleaned and packed up by someone in jail. They also create impactful media (because they still have the right to speak freely). such as Ear Hustle, a podcast made at San Quentin State Prison with more than 54 million downloads. Being a citizen is enough to have the right to vote, but we can go further and say that other incarcerated people continue to give their support to the society in which they live while incarcerated.
On another note, denying people in prison the right to vote goes against the principles of rehabilitation and reintegration. Most people who are incarcerated eventually return to their communities, and the goal of our criminal justice system should be to reintegrate them as productive members of society. By allowing them to participate in the democratic process, we are giving them a stake in their communities, and we have seen how creating those connections reduces the likelihood of re-offending. Essentially, we will create a safer community if we let people keep their fundamental right to vote while in prison.
Finally, and potentially most importantly, extending voting rights to people in prison would make our democracy more representative and inclusive. Denying people in prison the right to vote disproportionately affects Black Americans, which we see done through other avenues such as gerrymandering and voter ID laws being enacted in North Carolina. The United States has a long history of systemic racism and discrimination, and the criminal justice system is no exception. Black Americans are more likely to be incarcerated than white Americans, and denying them the right to vote only perpetuates the cycle of disenfranchisement and oppression. All but two states and the District of Columbia (D.C.) take away the right to vote while a person is in prison, and most states also require people to complete parole and probation before being able to vote. By doing this, we exclude a significant portion of our population from the democratic process.
The United States prides itself on being a strong democracy and the laid-back leader of the world. Can we say that when we treat our citizens unfairly? Our elected officials, in fact, do not constitute the other people they serve if their constituents do not have the right to vote. Extending the right to vote to other incarcerated people will give them a say in how their netpaintings are managed and who serves them. It’s time to join the others incarcerated in the debate over voting rights and the path to a more inclusive and constitutional democracy.
More: Opinion: Too many Americans apathetic about voting: nearly 40% don’t show up at polls
Read more: Op-Ed: Call to Action to End Inhumane Practice of Solitary Confinement in North Carolina Prisons
Ava Peters lives in Asheville and is working toward her Master of Public Health degree at UNC Charlotte with a concentration in health policy and research focused on the justice system.
This article appeared in the Asheville Citizen Times: Opinion: Extending the right to vote to others in criminal cases could have benefits.
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