This is maybe not well known outside the US - the US Constitution specifically carves out an exception in the 13th amendment - the amendment which made slavery illegal* in the US - which allows convicted criminals to be used as slaves.
We also have in our fifth amendment that anyone can be deprived of their right to life, liberty or property via the due process of the law.
So, via these two aspects of these amendments, you can technically be deprived of any rights you might hold once you are convicted of a crime and placed in prison. Of course, that is not exactly true. You do still have rights and many lawyers make it their livelihoods to try to secure prisoners their rights. At the same time, though, it’s really not much consolation, since we still absolutely do use prisoners as slave labor, and constantly overlook the unjust abuse and killing of prisoners.
Yup! In America convicted felons are not allowed to vote in federal elections and depending on the law of the state they are not allowed to vote in state or municipal elections either. As a result of these policies a disproportionate amount of black and Latino communities have had their right to vote stripped away.
I checked it out and about 4.4 million US citizens cannot vote (excluding the real 51st state: Puerto-Rico) including 1/19 blacks. That’s crazy, it’s as if the country is setup for a one party system from the get go. You don’t need huge prisoner cohorts to make the 3% difference needed for you to remain in power while maintaining an illusion of democracy.
This was by design and started shortly after the civil war. During reconstruction when the South was effectively occupied there was a decade or so where it looked like black people might actually enjoy some enfranchisement. But then the dirty compromise happened and Jim Crow took over. Suddenly black people were going to jail for the most minor infractions, and if they couldn’t get them to break the law, they just lied and said they did anyway.
You have to understand that it’s impressive we got as democratic as we are. Our democracy began with caususes of landowning white men above the age of 21. We were in many ways modeled after the Roman republic, which was also a clusterfuck
It’s a matter of state law, as most election stuff is. Trump could vote because he’s a resident of Florida and Florida only bars people convicted of felonies in Florida from voting, and only then until they have fully completed the punishment laid upon them (meaning both any custodial sentence and any fines). Trump was convicted of felonies in New York, so Florida doesn’t care and Trump could vote.
EDIT: I was incorrect regarding Florida law. Florida also bans people convicted of crimes from voting in Florida if the state where they were convicted would prevent them from voting. This doesn’t impact Trump because New York does not do this.
He was convicted in a state court, not a federal court, so the rules are a bit different.
Additionally, elections are administered at the state level, rather than federally, so his home state of Florida makes the rules allowing or disallowing his vote.
Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction.
they are also legally slaves! the 13th amendment didn’t remove slavery completely:
Section 1. Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction.
Wait. I’m French so this made my brain fry.
In the US prisoners have their constitutional rights removed?
Oh it’s worse than that.
This is maybe not well known outside the US - the US Constitution specifically carves out an exception in the 13th amendment - the amendment which made slavery illegal* in the US - which allows convicted criminals to be used as slaves.
We also have in our fifth amendment that anyone can be deprived of their right to life, liberty or property via the due process of the law.
So, via these two aspects of these amendments, you can technically be deprived of any rights you might hold once you are convicted of a crime and placed in prison. Of course, that is not exactly true. You do still have rights and many lawyers make it their livelihoods to try to secure prisoners their rights. At the same time, though, it’s really not much consolation, since we still absolutely do use prisoners as slave labor, and constantly overlook the unjust abuse and killing of prisoners.
* While Illegal on paper, slavery was still carried out for a century after. Emancipation happened in 1863, 13th amendment in 1865, but there were still cases of privately owned slaves as recently as 1963
Yup! In America convicted felons are not allowed to vote in federal elections and depending on the law of the state they are not allowed to vote in state or municipal elections either. As a result of these policies a disproportionate amount of black and Latino communities have had their right to vote stripped away.
Joe Exotic should just get elected as president. For whatever reason that’s OK.
I checked it out and about 4.4 million US citizens cannot vote (excluding the real 51st state: Puerto-Rico) including 1/19 blacks. That’s crazy, it’s as if the country is setup for a one party system from the get go. You don’t need huge prisoner cohorts to make the 3% difference needed for you to remain in power while maintaining an illusion of democracy.
This was by design and started shortly after the civil war. During reconstruction when the South was effectively occupied there was a decade or so where it looked like black people might actually enjoy some enfranchisement. But then the dirty compromise happened and Jim Crow took over. Suddenly black people were going to jail for the most minor infractions, and if they couldn’t get them to break the law, they just lied and said they did anyway.
German here.
Amazing, right? I found out a few years ago. Between this, gerrymandering and 2 right parties, that hasnt been a democracy for a long time.
You have to understand that it’s impressive we got as democratic as we are. Our democracy began with caususes of landowning white men above the age of 21. We were in many ways modeled after the Roman republic, which was also a clusterfuck
So… Does this mean the current sitting American president couldn’t vote in the last election?
It’s a matter of state law, as most election stuff is. Trump could vote because he’s a resident of Florida and Florida only bars people convicted of felonies in Florida from voting, and only then until they have fully completed the punishment laid upon them (meaning both any custodial sentence and any fines). Trump was convicted of felonies in New York, so Florida doesn’t care and Trump could vote.
EDIT: I was incorrect regarding Florida law. Florida also bans people convicted of crimes from voting in Florida if the state where they were convicted would prevent them from voting. This doesn’t impact Trump because New York does not do this.
He was convicted in a state court, not a federal court, so the rules are a bit different.
Additionally, elections are administered at the state level, rather than federally, so his home state of Florida makes the rules allowing or disallowing his vote.
CNN wrote a piece about it on election day.
Listen. In the us, …. Well…
Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction.
-13th Amendment almost abolishing slavery.
you should look at America’s use of prison (slave) labor, if you haven’t already
In my state, we still have slavery if you’re in prison
https://apnews.com/article/prison-to-plate-inmate-labor-investigation-alabama-3b2c7e414c681ba545dc1d0ad30bfaf5
they are also legally slaves! the 13th amendment didn’t remove slavery completely:
BFE