A Study of The Movement Advocating for Fair Chances for Former Prisoners, and Outsiders in The Community

Ex-Convicts and Social Outcasts

Ex-convicts are held to different standards than the average person: they are excluded, ridiculed, some have lost their rights, and others cannot find housing or jobs. In the Kingdom of God, in the present and physical world, Jesus’ teachings tell humankind that we are doing something wrong. Open commensality and inclusion should be something that is regularly occurring, without effort, and with ease. This change will correct the problems that ex-convicts are facing. As Jesus of Nazareth would say, we need to be the change, we need to challenge our complacency in what is going on around us; just because your neighbor doesn’t support ex-convicts and the idea of helping them succeed, does not mean that you cannot support them.

Day in and day out we struggle to find words to explain how to be inclusive of the people around us, especially if who they are stands against what we believe to be morally true. How can a criminal allowed to live in the same building as my children? Why can they work in the same place I have even though I have worked so hard to get here? We often find ourselves excluding others, because of who they are and what their pasts may have entailed. Although not every criminal is the same, it is unknown why criminals of petty crimes are treated the same as those who have done the unspeakable. Jesus of Nazareth calls for the inclusion of everyone and this is something that, as humankind, we need to work on. The society we live in teaches us that everything has something to do with basic human rights. That no person should be denied the right for a place to live and succeed. No one should be denied the right to start a family or to live a life filled with joy and hard work. Jesus of Nazareth calls for equal opportunity for all. In his time he was speaking about orphans finding homes and living successful lives, but we can say the same about ex-convicts. They should be given the chance to show their worth and succeed in whatever they chose to do. After ex-convicts release from prison, people begin to forget that they are only human too, that no one person is superior because someone had not caught them in the act of a crime, such as the ex-convicts who were. We often forget that all people struggle with moral dilemmas day in and day out. We judge people based on the actions that they have produced due to the dilemmas or situations they have encountered.

I would start my campaign to help ex-convicts by reminding people that they are just as imperfect as many of those who have been imprisoned. By building a rapport with ex-convicts who have been able to escape the prejudices and have successful lives after their release from prison I can further my campaign and my knowledge on the subject. They know what it is like to be ignored and pushed aside and having the people involved backing your cause is where it all begins. I would move to help the ex-convicts find a place to live and succeed, even though society wants to inhibit their ability to do so, this would be achieved through conversations with business owners and landlords. But nothing good can come without action. If the community can become accepting of ex-cons as people they will be able to succeed better in all that they do. Once people see and understand that hiring ex-cons is not as difficult as many people make it out to be, then they are proving that the past does not limit nor define who you are and what you are doing with your life. Once everyday people have backed the campaign, I will move on to speaking with elected government officials. In such a formal situation, I will have to readdress what I am saying because my audience has changed, however I will start by still addressing the idea that ex-convicts are human, that life is uncertain and that any action could call for imprisonment, not just horrendous crimes. This is where everyone fighting for the cause makes the biggest impact. Giving ex-cons back specific rights (such as the right to vote) shows a breakdown of the hierarchal government and the way it runs. Breaking down this structure will help ex-convicts find a way to succeed after prison once the stigma surrounding prison and the way it hardens people dissolves.

In every meeting and in every conversation held whether it be with one individual or an entire group I would stand strong to show that ex-convicts are humans as well, and they deserve a chance. I will hold their hands, help them find jobs, and help them create a better life for themselves after their release from prison. Just like Jesus of Nazareth, I will place my arms around the people who are not accepted because of the stigma of their illness, which is not a disease, being seen as unclean and unworthy, but as a problem they may have brought upon themselves. I want to be the catalyst of change, which propels this program forward. I want to find and drive businesses to hire ex-convicts as well as find landlords that will rent to them. With lists made, I would get this information to parole officers and prison consolers to help them better prepare paroles and ex-convicts for their release from prison. I understand that in every situation people will be uncomfortable with the idea of ex-convicts returning to society because of the stigma surrounding them, but this is not about being all inclusive like Jesus of Nazareth. The difference is, I do not believe that absolutely everyone should be reintroduced into a society and welcomed with open arms, because those who do the unimaginable should not be welcomed with such understanding and openness. Yes, we can compare Lepers to criminals who need to be cleaned of their illness, but not all illnesses are the same. I believe that those who have done petty crimes, done their time, and shown remorse, should be welcomed back into society with open arms, not thrown aside. I do not believe the treatment of all ex-convicts should be the same after their release from prison.