Felons, Families and Friends

Do you have a felony in your past? Are you a family member or a friend of a person with a felony?

There are over 24 MILLION people with a felony on their record…24 MILLION! And that is just those who live in The United States! Add to that, all the moms and dads, brothers, sisters, spouses, children…all of the family members affected and impacted and then add the number of friends and where do we stand? 75 MILLION? 100 MILLION people.

That is a lot of folks. How many of those 24 Million were truly guilty? Do you realize that in the United States we have a 95% plea-out rate? How many of these individuals are considered “first-time” offenders? How many millions have served their time and positively satisfied all of their post-conviction requirements with no further problems (I mean legal trouble because as we all know, they are definitely still having further problems!)?

Have we all done the math? I didn’t either, I didn’t have to because the answer is simple: A LOT! A LOT AND A LOT of people.

And how many of these folks and their family members and friends still continue to “pay the price” again and again and again, forever? Almost ALL!

What the hell are we doing in this country? In the rest of the world it is horrendous as well, however, here in the “Land of the FREE and the home of the brave”?

Are all these people (and family and friends by association) “evil criminals” (very few actually) or are these people who were penalized and deemed “criminals” by some legal statute that they may or may not have even known existed (many).

A quick history lesson: at one time in this country to have an abortion made you a criminal, having an inter-racial marriage made you a criminal, being a homosexual made you a criminal, if you made, distributed or drank alcohol you were a criminal. I could go on and on but I won’t because you get the point.

Our system is broken…our societies perception is manipulated, fabricated, indoctrinated with fear, and seriously flawed…and WE are the solution.

For all those who have a felony (if you have a misdemeanor you should jump on board too!) on their record and have completed all requirements of the court, especially “first-time” offenders and all their family members and friends we must come together in a unified, articulate, intelligent, and POWERFUL voice.

It’s time for freedom but that freedom comes with responsibility and accountability. For all those who are “redeemed” live as that child of redemption that you are. It is time to end the stigma. It is time for the restoration of rights and opportunities.

There are some very good, solid people, true caring leaders, in all levels of our government, on both sides of the aisle that are pushing for a reform of our criminal justice system and they need to hear from us…all of us. And for all of those politicians that are blind and deaf to these problems and people, or those that continue their “fear-mongering” or Puritan mentality of perpetual punishment, well we need to encourage them to find a new job by firing them.

The future is up to us…OUR future is up to US…ALL OF US.

Just for conversation sake, I want to add some key points: Redemption is very much a true gift from God. God has been hand picking rebels. outlaws and outcasts as His warrior/servants since the beginning, for example: Moses was a murderer, King David was a murderer and adulterer, Mathew was a “tax collector”, Paul was a murderer and yes the list goes on; it’s all there in the Book. Even Jesus Himself is a convicted felon, executed by the state…think about that…..

Now, no matter what your past is, no matter what anyone else thinks or says, YOU take this day and be the best version of you that you can be…you owe it to yourself and damn it, we need you, because there is no one else in this world quite like you.

YES YOU CAN! Now go rock this world and make it a great and blessed day!