I am writing to you with humility, clarity, and purpose.
I am a Tier 3 Registered Sex Offender. That is a fact of my life, and I do not hide from it. What I write to you about today is not denial, but meaning, what comes after a sentence, after punishment, and after society decides whether a human being is allowed to exist again as more than a label.
Since July 7, 2015, I have worked every day to prove, to myself first, and then to the world, that a person does not lose their inherent worth because of the worst thing they have ever done. Over the past ten years, I have become a published and peer-reviewed physicist. My work has appeared in academic journals and books, and I have authored a book that presents a unification of fundamental forces, an achievement I offer not as self-praise, but as evidence of what is possible when a human being is not erased.
I am not exceptional because I survived. I am exceptional only because I was allowed to survive.
Many are not.
Some are murdered in prison. Some are assaulted or killed after release. Some are driven to suicide. And many more are simply erased, excluded from employment, housing, community, and hope. We will never know what discoveries, cures, inventions, art, or wisdom we have already lost because our systems favor permanent exile over accountability followed by restoration.
Even with the level of work I have produced, my recognition and support have come largely from outside the United States. I do not find that surprising. It has taught me something painful but important about how we treat those we decide are no longer worth listening to.
I am writing not only for myself, but for those who have no voice. For the people who believe their life ended the moment their name was placed on a list. I want them to know that they still have purpose, that they are not finished, and that someone remembers what “the least among us” truly means.
The past decade has been financially difficult, often brutally so. Survival alone has been an achievement. But with the recent launch of my book and its availability on Kindle, I am now in a position to share my story more openly and more widely.
I want to take this message to every ear willing to hear it, starting with you.
Not to ask for sympathy.
Not to erase responsibility.
But to ask a harder question:
What kind of society do we become when we decide that some human beings are beyond redemption, and what do we lose because of that decision?
Thank you for taking the time to read this.
Regardless of your response, I appreciate your willingness to listen.
Respectfully,
Derrick C.
Very well said, Derrick. I wish you and everyone who is “on the list” success as you move forward in your journeys towards recovery.
I have calculated that I have lost one million dollars of pre-tax income due to my attempted offense.
Thank you for this articulate message, Derrick. I am forwarding to others.
Derrick, I enjoyed your post!! Thank you for sharing. It takes a lot to acquire a formal education but at least it can NEVER be taken away. Best wishes to everyone during this holiday season and remember, you all matter and have something to contribute!!
Kindest regards, H
Derrick, this is just my opinion, so treat it as such.
It seems to me you would be an excellent candidate for emigration to places like Europe, where your work is perhaps already being recognized. While a career in Academia may not be easily attained (I hear it is increasingly difficult to do so, even without such legal burdens) your knowledge and, specifically its application, would be sought after in a wide variety of fields. I like to go deep into physics myself, but purely for recreational purposes. 🙂
Great to hear your story! I have been very successful myself here in the US, but only by the grace of God and with the help of fellow believers in business and industry who saw my potential and its benefit to their own success. People on the registry make the most loyal workers, employers will often find. Too bad the rest of society hasn’t figured this out.
Christmas is the only time of the year that we get to “pretend” everything is normal.
Such a fantastic and inspiring commentary Derreck C. I wish only the best for your future ! My loved one is also a Tier 3 and it has been so difficult for him. I will show him your letter today – Thank-you so much !