Cartoonist’s view

equal rights are the foundation of any society. This is what Marsy’s Law seeks to provide, nothing more, nothing less.

Nearly 35 states have constitutional protections for crime victims and one in three Americans already lives in a state that has specifically passed Marsy’s Law. It would be a tragedy if the great Commonwealth of Pennsylvania was to be left behind. It would be sad to allow the opportunity for progress to pass by.

Changes to the constitution are not taken lightly and nor should they be. But the process by which our elected officials scrutinized these ideas has been as rigorous in Pennsylvania as it was in Illinois. The bar for passing such changes is rightly high. But in this case so too is the public support. It is a rare moment in our history that people all across the country can come together behind an idea.

Of course there are those who are trying to resist our progress. But then, there are always people who will be opposed to equal rights, as there always have been. Our experience in Illinois is testament to the fact that the claims of these opponents are at best misguided and at worst, misleading. None of the outlandish scaremongering came true. None of the supposed unintended consequences came to pass.

We should not allow special interests to hamper progress; we should not allow lawyers to stand in the way of justice. Without enforceable rights for crime victims, the criminal justice system cannot function properly. Without that, there can be no justice at all.

Join me in fighting for meaningful, enforceable rights for crime victims and vote yes on Marsy’s Law, the Crime Victims’ Rights Amendment.