Should we not allow felons free speech rights or freedom of religion?

[The Straight Story]

It seems we can restrict other things (voting, owning a piece of metal called a gun, etc).

[DrDan]

1. I certainly have no problem with felons being restricted from legally owning a gun

[OneTenthofOnePercent]

2. Depends on what kind of felony.

There are a ton of stupid felonies on the books.
I'll bet most of DU has committed a felony one way or another and just not known it.

[DrDan]

3. yeah - I guess there are "felonies", then there are felonies

But . . . I would still not have a problem with extending the restriction to anyone commiting (and being convicted of) a felony.

[Posteritatis]

4. Post-sentence restrictions suck. (nt)

[Uncle Joe]

5. So long as they've paid their debt to society, prison term or fine, the answer is yes, otherwise

we endanger our own claim to those rights.

Thanks for the thread, The Straight Story.

[tularetom]

6. Depends on what we mean by "paying your debt to society"

If we aren't going to restore full constitutional rights after someone has served their sentence, we should stop using this phrase because we have created a "debt" that can never be repaid.

If we don't think the jail sentences for certain crimes are sufficient, OK, let's increase them. But once the term has been served, that should constitute full punishment for the crime. No further restrictions should apply.

[jody]

7. Any person who lost their civil rights because of criminal conviction and had those rights restored

without exception enjoy all the rights a person enjoys who has never been convicted.

Most states and the federal government have legal processes that allow such people to have their rights restored however the federal government does not fund agencies that would restore some of those rights.

IMO that's immoral since the law permits restoration of rights but presidents by inaction deny restoration of fundamental rights. That includes Dem & Rep presidents.