Everyone who is reasonable admits (nowadays) that homosexuality is not a disease, nor should the LGBTQIA+ community be treated as irredeemable. However, there is a growing population of people, starting as low as age 7, that the law and society have decided to treat the way it used to treat the LGBT folks: “Sex Offenders.”
The Sex Offender Registry (SOR) laws are one of the last bastions of righteous indignation and medieval bigotry. It seems that, despite studies and statistics to the contrary, SOR folks are thought to be highly dangerous and at high-risk for recidivism. They are forced into highly dangerous housing situations (due to distance restrictions); they are subject to severe employment restrictions; they are subject to forced public exposure of their identities — often leading to increased exposure to assault and murder. They are subject to arrest simply for walking, unaware, through a restricted area, and when arrested, subject to revocation of what limited personal freedoms they do have because their probations are cancelled.
Even if they survive to the end of their registration period, they must jump through labyrinthine hoops in the court systems to be released — if it is even allowed in a given state. Furthermore, the DAs can demand all sorts of extraneous requirements and paperwork, delaying any action and, thus, denying any justice. Full Article
When reading this article and reviewing the comments, I’m reminded once again of how useless a broad term such as sex offender is and yet people are content to argue apples and oranges at length.
That opinion piece could have been better written. A reader could be left with some incorrect impressions that I attribute simply to poor writing.
For example, the article implies that there is an end to the registration period, when in fact there is not for a large percentage of registrants. Also it implies that everyone on a SOR is on probation, when in fact, the majority have already completed their sentence.
Finally, politicizing the opinion piece with references to the “pseudo-president” only serves to detract from the primary issue, which is the SOR, and is practically guaranteed to attract trolls. Not smart.
I read a lot of comments about who is “educated” enough, or how not enough people attend meetings…..in California. This problem is nation wide, and needs to be addressed from across the country. The current SO laws in our nation are wrong, and even a very good lawyer with thousands of clients and years of experience is still only one voice.
Real change only begins when the people speak out about what is wrong and why. Lawyers are the second step in a legal process for change, step one starts with the people….us, WE are the people. The reason our Law makers and the general public at large are not educated enough rests squarely on OUR shoulders. Who knows more than us about how we are all subject to laws and “punishment” that violate not only the constitution of the United States, but our basic human rights……no one. We are the most educated, we know the truth and we, all of us need speak out.
Right now we are just a scattered group with a lawyer here and there and who knows how many years to wait for something to change. We are all over the country, and we all need the same thing…..laws that put an end to the mistreatment of a group of American citizens and their families. Right now our loved ones are even being punished and kept part from us simply because they dared to love a good person who has been branded a sex offender for life under our laws.
We need someone with the knowledge, compassion, strength and courage to step up and lead us all as an organization dedicated to bringing the truth to light. The women’s rights movement, the LGBTQ community and now the “me too” movement have all called for change by organizing and making their voices heard. All of the groups that ever had success had one thing in common…..a leader, an organizer who called their people together and taught them how to speak out the right way with one huge voice.
I know there is someone out there who can be the one to say the five words that will start something that is long overdue. Is it you….. then please say it….say “yes…..I can do this”. I promise we will follow, we must. It’s time for our voice to be heard, peacefully, lawfully and with steadfast determination. Real change only begins when the people speak out against what is wrong and why….and WE are the people.
@Chris f: You said ” I don’t think that is the proper way because there is a huge difference. Gays and blacks were born that way and they had to fight to prove there is nothing wrong with it.”.
You are correct in the general sense but don’t forget that pedophilia is a mental issue people are born with. I don’t see that as “wrong” either as they were born that way.
“…educating judges…” Yeah ok.
The “judges” are mostly elected officials and want to stay that way.
Don’t get me wrong; I do agree with most of what you said such about having the public informed/educated and lawsuits but how do we do that if they already have their minds made up regardless to the facts? See this article:
https://all4consolaws.org/2018/11/one-criminal-defense-attorneys-lament-scott-greenfield-argues-that-innocents-are-being-sacrificed-in-the-name-of-utopian-causes/
and my comment there.
Well, you really don’t have to make people feel sorry for you. Many people are just not aware of what these laws are or how counter productive they are. They think everyone is a raving sex maniac and the laws are constitutional, that we don’t have families or friends, a moral code, and we can’t feel empathy. When they find out these laws are junk legislation and props to get politicians elected, that we are actually humans, and the laws are actually making things worse, doing collateral damage to children, the smart people will listen, maybe not to agree at first, but smart people are attracted to problem solving. You have to get the smart people to listen, the ones who are able to bat for you. You have to get their attention first in a controlled fashion. Our lives are a sinking ship. Do you think the passengers on the Titanic met after the ice berg hit to discuss how they were going to sue the ships owners? Get out the life boats. How are you going to get people to listen unless you get noticed? But don’t respond to the lead heads. They just waste your time. You have to gain the smart people’s attention somehow and do it in an urgent, but dignified way. They are already occupied with other issues. Sure, hate groups parade and terrorists tweet. They have done, do bad things. The difference between them and us would be their message is one of chaos and violence. That is what they are trying to achieve. Ours will be rehabilitation and deliverance. We are striving for peace. People will say “what, sex offenders? peace? rehabilitation? No registry? No more abuse? That would seem like a contradiction, a conundrum to them, but it would occupy their minds because of that. They will try to resolve the contradiction, because that is what minds try to do when faced with two opposing views, and if you just remain silent or hidden the Valigators and Books of the world will resolve it for you, not to our benefit. So that is when you talk about facts, right after you get their attention. You have to get there, get in the lifeboats so to speak, before the next child murderer gets in the news or you’re simply trying to bail out the water from the gaping gash through the slow, tedious court process. After these tragic events the best thing is to just condemn the acts or remain silent. No win situation if you wait ’til that happens. We’re sunk. Again.
@d k
David, my opinions on the lack of effectiveness on our group protesting comes from lots of reading of books, historical articles, and talking with people. I wont say it could never work or help, but the things that have to fall into place to make that happen are a long shot. You would need the group to be composed of mostly low level or sympathetic causes, because the press or public will focus on the worst cases. You would need those sympathetic cases to join the protest, and those mostly may be the least likely to join as they may have gained enougg support and sympathy to maintain family or a job and not want to risk it.
The exception would be a monumental protest that draws enough attention that real facts can get out, but I don’t see that happening. Look at how few registered citizens even have the motivation to post on forums like this out of over 800,000 and out of those that do, how many are willing to do research and understand the issues or contribute to the cause?
My remarks of how we committed a crime to get on the list wasnt meant to villify those whose crimes were minor, shouldnt be a crime, or actually didnt do what they were accused of. It was meant in the context of the discussion to show the only way the outside will perceive us as a whole if we try to protest. The public doesnt know or care if a few non deserving people are mixed in if the overall group is made up of people they think deserve what they get.
I dont want to diacourage anyone from doing what they can. I also would prefer our scant resources and short list of vocal advocates focus on the most likely methods of making progress.
While I prefer the methods remain non violent, I will not be surprised if there are more instances where people give up and do desperate things.