12-01-2020, 01:11 AM
TexHill Wrote:By benefit to society I mean that: it has been 5 or more years since they completely served their time and any further obligations (probation, restitution, etc.); they are employed and not on government assistance; they are paying their child support if they owe child support.
I'd take a slightly different stance. I don't think that it's unreasonable for someone who has been incarcerated to be temporarily on government assistance. That alone, should not be a qualification, for restoration of rights. But I certainly agree that anyone who has served out their sentence, and not been convicted of some crime like treason, should absolutely be eligible for restoration of rights.
The best tenant I ever had in one of my properties, ended up becoming a very good friend of mine. He got mixed up in some gang stuff growing up, and did time for firearms, drugs, and attempted murder. He grew up in prison. Realized he never wanted to go back. Got some influence that was absent in his life, before he went in. Today, he's a business owner, and one of the most responsible people I know. When he rented from me, he paid me 3 months at a time. He took care of my place, where others would have trashed it.
If I had listened to my father or grandfather, back on the farm, we would have relegated him to obscurity. Written him off as unredeemable.
What so many people FAIL to realize, is that we are creating a legion of ideologically opposed political denizens, by way of our refusal to evaluate how we treat others. It was decided long ago, that as a collective, we believe that government has a responsibility to protect and care for its citizens. We all love to spout off about our rights - but very few of us are as adamant about our responsibilities. Those responsibilities aren't just to Jesus and the NRA. You want something better for your country? Educate yourself. Make sure that others get the same chance. Because if you don't, your political opponents will.
It's pretty much the same line of thinking as being a parent. Any man with even 2 brain cells, knows that if he doesn't pay attention to his daughter, some other guy will. It's literally exactly the same thing. For freedom and culture, and community to thrive, one must invest themselves in it. Otherwise, as per usual, welcome to the shit show.