# I did my time **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 5, 2008, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-did-my-time/466567 "2008-10-05T16:33:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Euthanasiast](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Euthanasiast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euthanasiast)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2008, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-did-my-time/466567/21 "2008-10-05T23:24:39Z")
> [@mrwizard](#): > > I have the gov remind me everytime I want to vote or buy a rifle, so I can go hunting I’ve got to borrow one from my bud Apparently you haven’t learned enough, friend, as you are still acting outside the bounds of the law. Possession of a firearm, even for hunting, by a convicted felon is a crime. The law isn’t just about ownership. ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2008, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-did-my-time/466567/22 "2008-10-05T23:28:16Z")
According to this site, you probably qualify to have your voting rights restored in Florida (where I take it the crimes occured). [https://fpc.state.fl.us/Policies/ExecClemency/newrcrprocess.pdf](https://fpc.state.fl.us/Policies/ExecClemency/newrcrprocess.pdf) [How to Restore Your Voting Rights in Florida](http://www.brevardelections.org/felony.htm) Find out if your voting rights in Florida have already been restored here: [https://fpcweb.fpc.state.fl.us/](https://fpcweb.fpc.state.fl.us/) When your voting rights are restored in Florida, they will be restored in Texas as well, at least according to the ACLU. [ACLU’s pamphlet on Texas voting rights](http://www.aclu.org/pdfs/votingrights/vec/tx_voter_empowerment.pdf) If you are confused as to how to proceed (which is understandable) I’d suggest contacting the ACLU (contact info is included on the pamphlet above) for guidance. I’d stop writing letters to the President; it makes you look like a crackpot. ---
**Author:** ![Euthanasiast](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Euthanasiast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euthanasiast)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2008, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-did-my-time/466567/23 "2008-10-05T23:31:02Z")
> [@Euthanasiast](#): > > Apparently you haven’t learned enough, friend, as you are still acting outside the bounds of the law. Possession of a firearm, even for hunting, by a convicted felon is a crime. The law isn’t just about ownership. To add: Your “bud” is also committing a [felony firearm crime](http://www.criminal-law-lawyer-source.com/terms/felony-firearm.html) by furnishing you this weapon for hunting. ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2008, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-did-my-time/466567/24 "2008-10-05T23:34:00Z")
> [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](#): > > Isn’t it a requirement of having voting rights to be able to create paragraphs, to punctuate sentences, and to capitalize? If not, shouldn’t it be? No, and no. ---
**Author:** ![pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pseudotriton_ruber_ruber)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2008, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-did-my-time/466567/25 "2008-10-05T23:46:27Z")
> [@levdrakon](#): > > No, and no. Okay, but it would make me more inclined to hear this complaint dispassionately. I’m thinking with some decent sentences and grafs, a little bit of voluntary openness about what crimes he committed, who got harmed, etc., a little less defensiveness, maybe some understanding of how he’s continued to violate the law in hunting with prohibited firearms, the SD would have gotten this guy registered to vote by now. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2008, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-did-my-time/466567/26 "2008-10-06T04:45:24Z")
This story gets more and more convoluted. First it’s 30 years ago with no trouble, now it’s 40 years ago As OP is 58 as stated, and conviction happened when 18. OP is sentenced to 5 years for breaking into an unoccupied boat, wait it’s really 6 months to 5 years. OK reset - 16 year olds break into a non-occupied boat and get a variable sentence of 6 months to 5 years (assumedly dependent on good behavior). OP serves some so far unrevealed portion of that sentence between approx 6 -20 months, is released, and then feels entitled to take the (parent’s) car of a friend without overt permission, and is sentenced to 18 months. OP makes 100K annually welding so one one is depriving him of his right to an excellent income. Other than your voting wights I’m not getting the point of this thread. You make it sound like you are somehow being oppressed and people are pointing and whispering as you pass because of a 40 year old conviction for joyriding. This is an absurd assertion. You’re not on the web like a child molester so almost no one on this planet would know about your conviction unless they took the trouble to pull your criminal record, and saw you have a 40 year old conviction as an 18 year old. That you would be denied a job or opportunity in the industrial trades because of something like this is asinine. That your peers or neighbors would even know about it is amazingly unlikely unless you’ve lived in one small town all your life, and if that’s the case that’s a decison you made. There’s too much irrational nonsense in this odd and ever changing tale of woe. My BSOmeter is going from pinging to clanging. ---
**Author:** ![neutron\_star](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/51bf81/32.png) [@neutron\_star](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/neutron_star)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2008, 5:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-did-my-time/466567/27 "2008-10-06T05:51:03Z")
I would totally give up my right to vote and own a guy for 100K a year. ---
**Author:** ![maggenpye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecc23a/32.png) [@maggenpye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/maggenpye)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2008, 6:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-did-my-time/466567/28 "2008-10-06T06:01:00Z")
> [@neutron\_star](#): > > I would totally give up my right to vote and own a \*\*guy \*\*for 100K a year. (emphasis mine) I’d give up my right to vote and a100k a year, to own a guy …😃 ---
**Author:** ![neutron\_star](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/51bf81/32.png) [@neutron\_star](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/neutron_star)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2008, 6:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-did-my-time/466567/29 "2008-10-06T06:01:15Z")
Oh shit! “Own a _gu **n** _,” not “own a guy!” The Thirteenth Amendment took away _that_right. 😃 Regarding the OP, it kind of is bullshit, though, that he can’t vote or own a firearm, especially if the crime did, indeed, go down as he said. I know that there were a lot of times (just about all drug-related) where I could have gone to jail for a good little while had I been caught. In particular, that time in my early 20s when several cops and EMTs saw my magic mushroom grow setup, yet somehow not a damn one of them knew what shrooms even were. I still can’t believe I got away with that shit! ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2008, 6:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-did-my-time/466567/30 "2008-10-06T06:04:47Z")
> [@neutron\_star](#): > > I would totally give up my right to vote and **own a guy** for 100K a year. It really depends on the guy, IMO. ---
**Author:** ![Bear\_Nenno](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bear_nenno/32/3358_2.png) [@Bear\_Nenno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bear_Nenno)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2008, 6:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-did-my-time/466567/31 "2008-10-06T06:55:39Z")
First you say you broke into the boat and didn’t steal anything. Then you say you broke into the boat and drank their liquor. Guess what, that’s stealing. ---
**Author:** ![Boozahol\_Squid\_P.I](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/d9b06d/32.png) [@Boozahol\_Squid\_P.I](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boozahol_Squid_P.I)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2008, 7:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-did-my-time/466567/32 "2008-10-06T07:22:17Z")
> [@Telemark](#): > > It really depends on the guy, IMO. If the guy can own the gun, and makes the 100k a year, I’ll make the trade, too! ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2008, 8:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-did-my-time/466567/33 "2008-10-06T08:07:50Z")
> [@neutron\_star](#): > > Regarding the OP, it kind of is bullshit, though, that he can’t vote or own a firearm, especially if the crime did, indeed, go down as he said. He can’t vote or possess a firearm because during he has never taken the time during the past 40 years to get his rights restored or his conviction expunged. Neither of those would be very hard to do, if the facts are as stated. Even if they’re more serious, this still wouldn’t be hard. But he’s never bothered. Apparently he’s rather whine about it on a message board, and whine to family & friends. Writing letters to the President – why? He has nothing to do with this – these were state crimes, not Federal. Writing to the Governor of the state would be better – still wrong, but the Governors office would likely re-direct it to the proper agency. (That’s assuming they could figure out what the letter was trying to say. Based on his posts here, that might present a problem. It might be advisable to ask someone to proofread this before sending it.) ---
**Author:** ![neutron\_star](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/51bf81/32.png) [@neutron\_star](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/neutron_star)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2008, 8:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-did-my-time/466567/34 "2008-10-06T08:26:06Z")
Oh. Well, that’s different. I do think that at least voting rights should be reinstated automatically (actually, I think they shouldn’t be taken away to begin with), but as long as there’s a way to do it, I can’t really get too worked up about it. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2008, 9:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-did-my-time/466567/35 "2008-10-06T09:11:21Z")
> [@neutron\_star](#): > > I do think that at least voting rights should be reinstated automatically They are, here in Minnesota, as soon as the person completes their sentence (including parole & probation). See [http://www.sos.state.mn.us/docs/when\_civil\_rights\_are\_restored\_website\_version.pdf](http://www.sos.state.mn.us/docs/when_civil_rights_are_restored_website_version.pdf) for details. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2008, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-did-my-time/466567/36 "2008-10-06T17:38:18Z")
> [@t-bonham@scc.net](#): > > Writing letters to the President – why? He has nothing to do with this – these were state crimes, not Federal. Writing to the Governor of the state would be better – still wrong, but the Governors office would likely re-direct it to the proper agency. Well, maybe he wrote to the President back when his brother was the Governor… ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2008, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-did-my-time/466567/37 "2008-10-06T20:50:34Z")
> [@Heffalump\_and\_Roo](#): > > That said, you now have a good job at 58 years old making $100K a year despite your felony convictions, and your biggest issue is that you can’t vote and that you have to borrow a rifle when you go hunting. I’m sure many people would be envious of your situation. Still, I for one place a particularly high premium on being able to vote this November. ---
**Author:** ![greatshakes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/58956e/32.png) [@greatshakes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/greatshakes)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2008, 5:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-did-my-time/466567/38 "2008-10-07T05:11:53Z")
I sympathize somewhat, but you chase away most of my concern for your predicament by calling a crime ‘bad judgement’ and then, when you are called out on it, act as if you were done dirt. I am suspicious that you think anybody above the age of 11 would fall for this juvenile definition manipulation game, and wonder why you would try it. Your problem may be that you hang around too many dorks, and they feed into a self pity frenzy. For 100k a year, I’d gladly give up \*\*neutron star’s \*\*and \*\*maggenpye’\*\*s right to vote. 😛 If I ever voted, or gave a crap, I’d give up for much less. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-did-my-time/466567.md?page=1)