If a person is incarcerated, is on probation, or on parole, then no, they shouldn't enjoy all the same rights as free people do. However, if you've paid your state-mandated penalty, and are no longer incarcerated, on probation, or on parole, then you should have all rights restored.
Yes, even the right to own a firearm.
If a person is too dangerous to society to own a firearm, then they are too dangerous to release back into society.
I’ve got no problem with that, in general, for non-violent felons.
However, I think the punishment for certain violent felonies should include a lifetime of probation, when/if the offender is released from prison.
“To: pabianice
I know mine is probably a minority opinion, but we are either free or we are not.”
Agreed-
Mega Up Votes to you
Once time has been served, restore all rights.
I agree with you on the voting part, at least. Except that people who commit vote fraud should lose the franchise for life.
Typical forgetting of history by the NYT. Post-Civil War revocation of the franchise was not initially “racist,” i.e. against blacks, but directed against white Confederates for rebellion as written in the 14th Amendment.
I agree with you. If someone's doing their time for their crime then that's one thing, but once they're finished and back out paying taxes and living a normal life again, I see no reason to put restrictions on them about voting/guns/etc.
If someone committed voter fraud felonies, then I can see blocking them from voting during their parole/probation after they've done their time, and similar restrictions on gun ownership if they have a history of armed robberies or something like that.
But... to forbid someone like Dinesh D'Souza from ever voting again because he was convicted of giving his cousin a thousand bucks during her campaign is completely unfair in my opinion.