Small Crimes In A Small World

JANET YU STAFF WRITER
When someone thinks of a politician, most people expect them to be an exceptionally great person because they are the ones who decide the future of the nation and its people. If a politician is associated with the word “criminal,” most people would not trust them or even want them in office. However, politicians are human like everyone else. They should still be able to run for a position even with a criminal record as long as it is not a felony. Like everyone else, they deserve a second chance.
A felony and a miscellaneous crime are different because whilst a miscellaneous crime could happen to anyone, a felony is more severe. Examples of miscellaneous crimes would be petty theft, drug possession, disorderly conduct, simple assault, vandalism and reckless driving. These misdemeanors can be committed by anyone. Such a small mistake should not define people nor should it be regarded later in the future.
There is a misconception that people with a criminal record are sinister people. Although it is not to say that all people with a criminal record are not sinister, many people with a criminal record have been victims of circumstance and have been through hardship. For instance, Kweisis Mfume had several experiences in jail before becoming a Congressman and serving as president of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). He went through many hardships as a child because of the rough neighborhood he grew up in and the lack of parents and money. People like him deserve a second chance and should not be banned from holding a position in office because they may have been victims of circumstances as well. Like everyone else, politicians are only human.