We believe in second chances
EDITOR:
The United States of America, since the Declaration of independence, the American Revolution, and the U.S. Constitution, has promised life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness to every American citizen, regardless of race, creed, color, religion, or sex. This has been the case for 233 years, through two World Wars and from our first president, George Washington, to now our 44th president, Barack Obama.
As a U.S. citizen, taxpayer, and voter, I believe like all Americans, that America is a great country because it is a country of freedom, opportunity, redemption, forgiveness and second chances, especially once you have paid your debt to society and the American people. As Congressman Jim Traficant and NFL football player Michael Vick have.
The truth is Traficant and Vick have already paid their debts to our society by spending years in prison for their criminal activities.
In a country of second chances, they should have the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, just like all Americans have.
WILLIE JAMES RICHARDS
Youngstown
Comments
Just because someone has paid their debt to society doesn't mean they aren't still a convicted felon that lied to people. It's a chance to fix what you did, not a chance to live without consequences.
America is certainly the greatest country the world has ever known. There is no real debate there.
Don't think for one second that the inalienable rights the founders expressed have been afforded to everybody over the last 233 years, however. That is not true.
Just because someone is a "convicted felon" does mean that they actually committed a crime.
Innocent people are convicted all the time. Sometimes, years later, they are shown innocent by new evidence in the form of documents, DNA, or a witness confession of perjury.
Youngstown should carefully note that from Day 1 Traficant was yelling from the rooftops that he had received no bribes ... that Cafaro and Sinclair were both lying in order to keep themselves out of jail for their own cash and tax-related crimes.
There was serious obstruction of justice in the Traficant case ... prosecutor Morford and Judge Wells kept critical witnesses (Detore, Okolo) and critical evidence (Traficant's tapes) away from the trial.
Traficant's case is far from over, as there is no statute of limitations for prosecutorial "fraud upon the court" -- such as the DOJ fraud exposed by Traficant in the 90's.
http://www.c-spanarchives.org/library...
See you at the party!