The passages present arguments for and against voting rights for those convicted of a felony. Write a response analyzing the arguments in both passages and determining which argument is stronger. Use relevant and specific evidence from the passages to support your response. Take approximately 45 minutes to write your response. Be sure to plan, draft, and evaluate your writing.
Passage 1
Don't Disenfranchise Felons
As of 2010, an estimated 5.85 million U.S. citizens cannot vote because of a felony conviction. This is a horrific number, greater than the total population of Wisconsin. Twelve states deny voting rights to felons after prison, parole, and probation are over: Alabama, Arizona, Delaware, Florida, lowa, Kentucky, Mississippi, Nebraska, Nevada, Tennessee, Virginia, and Wyoming. The laws in these states need to be reformed. No citizen should be denied voting rights after completing their prison sentence. It creates an unjust, permanent restriction. Once a citizen has completed a sentence, that person's rights should be reinstated. The U.S. justice system is far from perfect. While racial minorities make up approximately 30% of the U.S. population, they comprise 60% of the prison population. Disenfranchisement laws denying felons voting rights unjustly target minorities. As the Washington Poststated in the editorial "A Lifetime Sentence for Felonies"(July 29 ,20 ), "In Virginia, Kentucky and Florida, felon disenfranchisement affects a staggering one in five African Americans." A prison sentence is a term of rehabilitation determined by a court. At the end of this term, a felon has paid the debt that society dictated. Denying civil rights after this term is unfair and undemocratic. It is demoralizing to former felons, who can no longer fully participate in democracy. Felony disenfranchisement laws should be overturned.
Passage 2
Let States Decide about Felony Voting Rights
Felony voting rights are governed by state laws, and each state should be allowed to determine the best policy. Two states have no restrictions, and even felons in prison can vote. Twelve states have at least some restrictions after parole and probation. The majority of states fall somewhere in between. In each state, the voters and lawmakers have made a determination of appropriate voting rights. Opponents of voting rights restriction often state that almost 6 million American felons do not have the right to vote, but in truth, almost half of those people are still in prison. Most Americans agree that it is not unjust for felony prisoners to lose voting rights while in prison or on parole. State laws reflect this reasoned belief. States that maintain voting restrictions after parole are not unreasonable. In the February, 2013 National Review article "Eric Holder's Call for Felon Reenfranchisement." Roger Clegg, JD stated: "The right to vote can be restored, but it should be done carefully, on a case-by-case basis, once a person has shown that he or she has really turned over a new leaf." The completion of a sentence is not the same as rehabilitation. It should not necessarily mean an automatic lifting of reasonable restrictions. A felon has shown criminal judgment, and that is a rational reason for restricting voting rights.
No, old age COULD mean death, but we do not know. Young children, or young people are also subjects of death. We do not know our time when we go. It all depends MOSTLY on your lifestyle, smoking, drinking (bad things) can lead to death very fast. But, young people, they are not allowed to do those things, and our teachers, help us not to so we live a long,good life. We have red-ribbon week for a reason, to help people get out of bad-habits that WILL takeaway their life one day. Old age can mean anything, As well as young age.
The Ghost of Christmas Past is the first spirit to visit Scrooge after the ghost of Marley. It arrives as the clock chimes one. It is an ephemeral spirit that appears to be both old and young at the same time with light streaming from the top of its head. ... Scrooge turns on the ghost and demands to be shown no more.
The main similarity between Boo Radley and Tom Robinson is the fact that although they both had good intentions and wanted to help others, they were judged harshly and misunderstood by society.
Boo Radley has a bad reputation around town, and is consider something of a villain in the town's stories. The kids make up crazy lies about him, due to a mixture of curiosity and fear. He is painfully shy and occassionally violent, which means he does not interact with the community often. This, in turn, causes people to be even more scared of him.
Tom Robinson has a similarly bad reputation, but for different reasons. He does not have a reputation as a bad individual, but as an individual from a bad class of people, African Americans. He has not committed any bad action, but people judge him harshly and assume he is a criminal due to their racial prejudices.
Both characters strive to do good and help others throughout the book. Tom Robinson tries to stay out of everybody's way, and only gets in trouble because he feels obligated to help Mayella. Boo Radley similarly helps the children many times, most importantly, when he saves their lives. However, both characters are misunderstood and face a life of pain because of the people's prejudice. Both characters could also be considered "mockingbirds," because the only thing they do is sing (try to be good and do good). Their parallel plots are extremely important as they encompass the main themes of the book.