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The 21st Century-Making the Connection! MARCH 1999 MBC Wolverine OBSERVER 7
By Tejan Muata
MS
Racquet Watson
First MBC
Student Goes
to Italy Study
PROGRAM
►
disenfranchised CONTINUED
those affected come from demographic
groups with low rates of voting partici
pation in any case. This may or may
not be true, but in a nation that pro
duces one of the lowest rates of voter
participation in the industrialized
world, it seems rather senseless to
perpetuate policies that contribute to
the weakening of democracy.
These Are Alternatives
Alternatives to disenfranchisement
laws would not-be difficult to imp le
af STft . ; Thterfe r ie -clearly r^fcicift&hi for
depriving felons of the vote after they
have completed their sentences. To
the extent that legislatures wish to
disenfranchise those currently incar
cerated, they should identify the
crimes for which such a penalty is rea
sonable and proportionate, and require
that such a penalty be imposed by a
judge as part of a criminal sentence.
At the national level, Congress could
require that states permit those con
victed of felonies to vote in federal
elections. This would remedy the bi
zarre situation whereby an ex-offender
can vote for president in West Virginia
but not in Virginia.
When our nation was founded, the
franchise was restricted to a self-selec
ted group of wealthy white men. The
United States prides itself, and right
fully so, on the extension of the vote to
those originally relegated to the politi
cal sidelines—the poor, blacks, women,
illiterates. But we continue to pursue
an extreme policy when it comes to ex
offenders—a policy that is far out of
line with those of other nations. No
other country bars ex-offenders from
voting for life or has such a significant
percentage of its citizens who cannot
vote as a result of felony convictions.
Today, for Americans, voting is a
right, not a privilege, and one pos
sessed by all. As with any right, it
should not be restricted unreasonably.
We should be particularly wary when
the harm to basic democratic rights is
compounded by severe racial dispari
ties. Do we really want to function as
a democracy—when we maintain laws
and practices that virtually guarantee
the exclusion of a significant portion of
African-Americans from participation
in democratic life?
Permission to reprint article granted by Marc
Mauer and Fulton County Legal Reporter
Racquel Watson, junior art student
at MBC, received a once in a lifetime
opportunity to study abroad in Cor
tona, Italy for the summer of 1998.
An honors student, Ms. Watson is the
first student ever to be chosen from
MBC and one of only a few students
in the entire Atlanta University Cen
ter to be a part of this extraordinary
program.
She said, “From the moment I ar
rived in Italy until my departure I
felt like it was a big, beautiful dream.
In this experience I learned so much
more than art. I learned about me,
and how to appreciate the rich cul
ture of other countries.”
Ms. Watson received numerous fi
nancial gifts from MBC, CAU, and
many members of the Atlanta and
Las Vegas communities. Ms. Watson
said, “Thank you, thank you, thank
you. Without the help of so many
generous people my trip would have
never occurred. May God bless you
all.”
Using her newly acquired skills and
knowledge, she plans to proceed with
many new creations. “The influence
of Italian art will forever influence
my work. I plan to be an advocate of
study abroad programs for the re
mainder of my life,” Ms. Watson said.
After her graduation from MBC Ms.
Watson plans to study abroad for two
or more years.
■•I r\ %> w
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