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Comment by londgine | Hacker News Reader

you may consider an ex-felon to have paid their debt to society, but I don't. I don't think that someone being forced to sit in a cell for a few years, and receiving abuse from guards and inmates. Maybe even abusing other inmates. Makes him deserving of forgiveness from society. Sure, that is not ideal. In an idea world someone leaving prison would be deserving of forgiveness, but that is not the case in the US.

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What's the alternative then?

From the looks of it, this individual offended in 2011 and did his time (120 days in prison). Hasn't offended since (nearly 11 years). It seems to me like he made a mistake, did his time and did something useful with his life since. If he can't "re-enter" society, then who can?

For the record, I never said society needs to forgive this guy. You don't even need to like him. But if you work in the same company or committee, you need to do your job and let him do his (or quit).

Everyone is so quick to cancel people these days. Everyone needs to grow up.

His debt will be paid in full when the victim has been "made whole". The nature of the crime means the victim will likely never be whole again. Also, forgiveness is not absolution.

I'm not sure what the alternative should be. Unfortunately I am much better at recognising a bad system than providing the framework for a good system. Maybe this specific offender is now fit for society. However, my point is that by virtue of having served a sentence does not make him fir for society.

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