In his State of the Commonwealth address Wednesday night, Governor Bob McDonnell touted his record of restoring rights to those convicted of non-violent felonies and called for a process to automatically restore those rights. From his prepared remarks:
While we have significantly improved and fast-tracked the restoration of civil rights process, it’s still an executive process. As a nation that believes in redemption and second chances, we must provide a clear path for willing individuals to be productive members of society once they have served their sentences and paid their fines and restitution. It is time for Virginia to join most of the other states and make the restoration of civil rights an automatic process for non-violent offenders.
While I commend McDonnell for his actions, I can’t help but be saddened that the governor failed to mention the champion of this issue, Senator Yvonne Miller, who died last July.
For years – I’ve heard that it was 17 years straight – Miller introduced the legislation. I included it in my legislative agenda for the 2008 General Assembly session. The fate that year was the same as the fate every other year: the legislation died.
McDonnell is well aware Miller’s efforts. His speech writers may not have been, but that is no excuse for someone steeped in Virginia history. He’s well aware that rather than his legacy, it is the legacy of Miller. Paying no attention to childish criticism like this, Miller doggedly pursued restoration.
Not mentioning Sen. Yvonne Miller is a disregard of history – a rewriting, if you will – that is far too common these days. And had she still been with us, I doubt the governor would have slighted her to her face.
McDonnell knows better. As many times as he mentioned “The Virginia Way” in his speech, he should know this is far from it.
Or maybe this is the Republican way, because this is the second time in a week that Republicans have thumped their chests about this issue without mentioning Miller.
Is it too suspicious to think that they are only acting now because finally they don’t have to share the credit with Senator Miller?
Posted by Carolyn Caywood | Thursday, January 10, 2013, 10:23 am
Posted by Vivian J. Paige | Thursday, January 10, 2013, 3:57 pmI am glad that this is finally moving forward. I am sorry that he did not mention Millers work on this issue. This whole process takes a lot of time, effort and money this even after we as a society has said they have paid their debt. I know two guys who went through this process. Both made stupid decisions when they were young. They were non-violent offenses. They are both productive involved members of society now. They , the people that knew them (references), the people that helped them file the paperwork, the government officials that have to process the paperwork and the governor all could have used their time for other things instead of being dragged though this long unneeded process.
Posted by Carole Garrison | Thursday, January 10, 2013, 11:05 amBelieve it or not, the process has gotten better. That’s why McDonnell has restored more rights than any previous governor.
Posted by Vivian J. Paige | Thursday, January 10, 2013, 3:58 pmWill their right to keep and bear arms also be automatically restored?
Posted by Warren | Thursday, January 10, 2013, 2:17 pmThat’s not included in Habeeb’s bill.
Posted by Vivian J. Paige | Thursday, January 10, 2013, 3:59 pmIt should be. If they are not responsible enough to have a firearms, they are not responsible enough to have the vote.
Posted by Warren | Thursday, January 10, 2013, 4:29 pm