I felt the need to write this letter on the behalf of senior citizens. I have been seeing a lot of older people who are working in stores, trying to help out both the stores and themselves to earn some extra cash.
When the stores are asked where younger workers are, they reply a lot of them have a felony conviction, so we don’t hire them. A felony can be a lot of things, especially in today’s world of frequent drug use in the younger population. If these people pay their fines and serve their jail time and possibly even take counseling, why can’t stores hire them?
I realize maybe working in a school or even a bank might not seem possible. There are a multitude of other jobs that they could do, and then they would improve their self-image and relieve the burden for others who have to do the job, supply housing, food and medical services because the young don’t have a job.
So many apartments think they are doing such a good deed blocking these people, but sad to say a lot are being housed under a girlfriend’s or boyfriend’s name without the apartment knowing. Again, where is the forgiveness if they have done their jail time, paid fines or went through rehabilitation?
The governor of Oregon pardoned more than 40,000 people with low-level felonies so they could move on with their lives. Why aren’t people here in Ohio pushing our governor for the same thing, as we are a state with a lower population of young workers to begin with.
Come on, people, let’s encourage our governor to follow suit and allow people forgiveness for minor offenses. Let’s make our state strong and vital and take the work and burden off those who have already worked 30, 40 or more years.
Joyce Hohenbrink
Leipsic
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