I'm a felon, I've served my time...can I have my rights back please?

Yes I admit it. I'm a Violent felon. I was convicted of an assault charge in 2009 which happened in 2008. I spent six months in jail and three years on probation without any problems. I was younger dumb and a little out of control. I made a mistake and paid for it dearly. I lost everything on top of everything I just described. My life is not an easy road now and I Have no constitutional rights now. I want to open a discussion about the rights of felons for a few reasons.

The government is no longer limited in its authority over my life. A simple background check or name ran puts my life at risk every time. This is disturbing on many levels. I could essentially be put in jail for anything and because of my record my testimony will not be upheld in court. I know I know... This is my fault. But I'm an American citizen!

I can't own a gun. Well, apparently the constitution only protects those in favor of the courts. If you can't see how this is flawed then I don't know what to tell you. Think in today's judicial prejudice how easy it is to fall out of favor with the courts.

This is pretty much my biggest gripe. How is it that the constitution was written to limit the authority of the government but it doesn't limit the authority of the government for those who commit crimes? The same government who defines the crime.... How is this possible?

If we change any law to create a crime that shouldn't be a crime can we effectively eliminate all gun owners by removing their rights for commiting a crime deemed worthy of the elimination of constitutional rights? Was this document created to apply to everyone within the republic or only those deemed worthy?


Before you respond please keep in mind that I am a pretty good person and I really just want my rights and my life back.

I'm posting this from my phone as in live streaming this rant as I type it. I will edit later when I get home and respond to everyone.

Welcome to the real world.

It really is quite disgusting how you can commit a crime, and end up being punished for life. We all mistakes, and learning from them is how we grow. Ironically, the people who continue to punish you for your past crimes are those who commit far greater evils, unrepentantly and consitently, with impunity

reply to post by onequestion


What did you do to your victim, and how exactly did you make it right with them personally?

reply to post by onequestion


The US Federal Constitution defines the specifics of no crime except treason, and limits the penalty for impeachment to removal from office and prohibition of accepting future federal employment.

All other decisions about criminal behavior is left to federal and state legislatures.

If you say "I want my rights back", you won't get much sympathy or movement until you say what specifically you want back, and why, and, most importantly, what's in it for other people if they go along.

No you cant....you have committed a crime and you must be punished forever and a day,
When you apply for a job you must declare your Mistake..eh Crime until the day you die.

Yours sincerely...
A felon with an assault charge for protecting my family from a bunch of Neds...

I think it's quite simple. If you've done the time, you've paid for the crime. So hell yes you should get your rights back.

violent Crimianl in your own words, Not knowing what you did really don't matter, have to remember one thing if it was not for those liberals and if this was 200 years ago and you got caught you would not be here to talk about it. Yes times have changed, and you don't get hung for steeling cattle anymore, instead you are put in jail and loose you rights when it comes to almost everything. No one to blame but yourself, I would guess someone at one point or time in your life told you "that is not a good idea don't do it"

So ask yourself this, is it better to be alive or should we enforce those old laws from years and years ago...

reply to post by dusty1


By law i am not aloud contact with the "victim".

reply to post by mbkennel


The only thing i want back are my constitutionally guaranteed rights.

The government is no longer limited in how it deals with me judicially. Put yourself in that position under different context and what does that sound like?

reply to post by 19KTankCommander


Your missing the point.

Essentially what i am saying is that the US government only applys rights to those it deems worthy of those rights.

Do you not see the inherit danger related to this philosophy?

What if this was happening under a different context?

edit to add, we dont live in the wild west anymore so why would i even consider that a possibility?

reply to post by onequestion

By law i am not aloud contact with the "victim".

They weren't really a victim?


What happened?

reply to post by onequestion


I can agree with and empathize with what you are saying, with three caveats:

1) An across the board loss of rights for all felons doesn't make sense to me. Not all felonies are created equal. I once made the decision to have an employee charged for stealing from the job ( a compact disc ) - not knowing ( I'd just moved to Texas ) that the state of Texas considers all workplace theft to be embezzlement, thus a felony. In attempting to make a statement to my staff I, sadly, possibly ruined a young mans life. All over eight ninety-nine.

The loss of rights for any felony should reflect only the rights that the persons felony categorically fell into. IE commit armed robbery? Sorry... no more guns for you. Embezzle? In that case I can see a loss of the right to be taken solely at ones word.

2) For most felonies there should be some sort of time limit ( if there isn't already ) after which a felon could petition for reinstatement of his rights. If someone makes a stupid mistake in their late teens / early twenties? I see no reason why they shouldn't get some review or consideration come their thirties or forties. Assuming, that is, they keep their noses clean in the interim.

3) If there was a gun involved in your felony, sorry to say it, but I feel that you probably should not ever have the right to own a gun afterward. This isn't personal. I just feel that such stern restrictions might help to keep younger folks from repeating the mistakes of prior generations. I grew up with a lot of older role models, many of whom were severe drug addicts. While I did pick up a few of their bad habits, drugs ( in any form ) are not on the list. Just seeing the trouble, sickness, pain, and death in several cases - that drugs caused and that I witnessed? I was put off of the idea of trying them before I ever had the urge. Kids seeing older felons languishing for their rights might well have the same sort of negatively reinforcing effect.

~Heff

reply to post by dusty1


It was a hairy case and a well fought battle by both sides, myself and the prosecution. I will admit i had no idea what i was doing and had a public defender, still so.

I hit someone once while i was drinking, there was already an ongoing battle between two other people. Lets just say that it was an oddball case. There was alchohol involved and it had an overall influence over the entire situation on all sides.

Most people don't end up committing violent crime unless they are...well violent.

If your rights are so precious why did you put them at risk in the first place? You should accept that you are being punished by society and these laws were in place, and i'm sure you were aware of them before you acted out.

I sympathize with you but only up to a point. I intentionally have held myself back from doing violent things because I know what will happen. This appears to be something you lack.

I'm sure your a wonderful person and just made a mistake but mistakes have consequences and you need to realize this. If you get your rights back who's to say you won't act out again in the future? I mean, you have in the past.

2) For most felonies there should be some sort of time limit ( if there isn't already ) after which a felon could petition for reinstatement of his rights. If someone makes a stupid mistake in their late teens / early twenties? I see no reason why they shouldn't get some review or consideration come their thirties or forties. Assuming, that is, they keep their noses clean in the interim.

reply to post by Hefficide


I agree. Im now nearing my thirties and its been almost five years. (maybe not long enough)

3) If there was a gun involved in your felony, sorry to say it, but I feel that you probably should not ever have the right to own a gun afterward. This isn't personal. I just feel that such stern restrictions might help to keep younger folks from repeating the mistakes of prior generations. I grew up with a lot of older role models, many of whom were severe drug addicts. While I did pick up a few of their bad habits, drugs ( in any form ) are not on the list. Just seeing the trouble, sickness, pain, and death in several cases - that drugs caused and that I witnessed? I was put off of the idea of trying them before I ever had the urge. Kids seeing older felons languishing for their rights might well have the same sort of negatively reinforcing effect.

I can agree with this type of limitation. This however would not be a revocation of constitutional rights but a penalty of the crime.

reply to post by onequestion

I hit someone once while i was drinking, there was already an ongoing battle between two other people. Lets just say that it was an oddball case. There was alchohol involved and it had an overall influence over the entire situation on all sides.

What would have happened if you had a gun?

reply to post by Hopechest


The rights i lost are unrelated to the crime.

If what you say is true then i should have lost my hands as punishment.

Can you address some of the other issues presented by my op?

Such as... should the government be aloud to create a crime and then by proxy constitutionally limit the perpetrator of the crime that they create?

You do see the issue with that right?

No, you should not have any of your rights back.

You were convicted of a felony which is considered breaking a "social contract", not a misdemeanor or a violation. If your get your rights back that sets up a precedent to give rights back to thousands of criminals. What makes you so special? Would give rights back to a serial rapist? A murder? A child molester? I would certainly hope not.

Life is not fair. You don't have to like that fact or even accept it. But if you were serious about getting any of your rights back, like voting, you should be doing research instead of throwing a pity party on a public forum.

Man up.

You did the crime, you served the time. Yes, you should get your rights back. This is an area of our "justice" system that needs addressing, but the debate that would ensue would take years to come to a head before anything got accomplished.

I have always believed if someone has paid the court prescription, they should have their record expunged, and be given a fresh start. However, the problem with that is the habitual criminal behavior of some. We should have a system in place that seals criminal records from all but the alphabet agencies, and LEO's, with the exception of rapists, and child molestors.

This would give people such as yourself the best chance of putting your life back together. Unfortunately, that isn't going to happen. Unless you move to a different country, you'll be punished in some way from now on.

Although, I have known a few people who hired attorneys to get their past felonies reduced to misdemeanors. If you have the money, it's worth checking into.