| Georgia. Iowa. And soon....Kentucky.The Welcome | | | | and over and over until politicians have sufficiently |
| Wagon of these states have a message for | | | | vote-mongered respective constituencies into |
| persons convicted of a sex-related offense.Sex | | | | full-fledged fear and hysteria.The United States |
| offender? Living within 1000 feet of a school, | | | | Constitution. Remember that document? Signed |
| playground, day care, public bus stop, school bus | | | | by our forefathers? The impressive groundwork |
| stop, or any other place where children are | | | | for our country that apparently, has been |
| known to congregate?Get out. Pack your bags. | | | | RECYCLED?Holy crap, people! Are you paying |
| NOW.Own your home? Lived there for years? | | | | attention?Kicked out. Spit out. Forced to move. In |
| Too bad. Break up your family? So sorry.No | | | | Georgia, the residency restriction law puts |
| grandfather clause. If the above designated | | | | everywhere off limits. No place to live. Banished |
| locations exist in your neighborhood now or is built | | | | from the entire state!. Whether you have lived |
| in the future, time to relocate. Don't slap yourself | | | | there 3 months or 30 years. Bye-bye. In Iowa, |
| in the rear on your way out the door.You are | | | | cars have become home. Those without cars are |
| hereby evicted."I don't care how inconvenient we | | | | camped out in the woods. Many are choosing to |
| make it for these guys," said Kenton County, | | | | go underground, refusing to comply with |
| Kentucky Sheriff Chuck Korzenborn. "Don't | | | | registration requirements. Kentucky residents, |
| commit the crime and you won't have to do the | | | | designated as sex offenders, will soon face the |
| time."Korzenborn's comments lead all to believe | | | | same choices, come July 12.Fresh out of prison, |
| that all sex offenders are child molesters.Well, | | | | Kerry Skora would much rather be known as a |
| aren't they?WRONG.Welcome to the Witchhunt of | | | | murderer than a sex offender, due to the stigma. |
| Modern Times.Much controversy exists regarding | | | | "The reality is sex offenders are a great political |
| how persons become labeled a sex offender. | | | | target," said Rep. John Fritchey, a Chicago |
| Most Americans believe that the registry lists | | | | Democrat.The legal battles are brewing. "We are |
| convicted child molesters when in actuality, many | | | | looking into the constitutional issues and are |
| offenders listed on the Registries have been | | | | concerned that people's civil liberties are being |
| convicted of poor-behavior-choice offenses, which | | | | impacted," said Lili Lutgens, a lawyer with ACLU of |
| involve no victim and no physical contact. An | | | | Kentucky. Well, Lili, depends on your local ACLU. In |
| example of such would include online talk with an | | | | Florida, the organization has been unnaturally silent |
| undercover police officer posing as an underage | | | | on the issue. In Michigan, the ACLU has no |
| minor. Teenagers involved in a consensual sexual | | | | problem defending the civil rights of male |
| relationship, known as "Romeo and Juliet" | | | | cheerleaders.So much for the ACLU.We have |
| relationships, with the male or female partner | | | | blacklisted Americans known as sexual offenders |
| considered underage in the eyes of the law, are | | | | based on misrepresentation of the truths swirling |
| also listed as sex offenders on the nation's | | | | about this issue. The collective "we" have allowed |
| registries. ("Groups Propose Tier System For Sex | | | | politicians to exploit our most vulnerable fear, the |
| Registry" Internet Broadcasting Systems and | | | | safety of our children, for personal political |
| Local6.com, May 2006)."This new law has a great | | | | advantage. We are all responsible for allowing |
| amount of surface-level attraction," said Richard | | | | hysteria driven legislation, at the city, state, and |
| Tewksbury, justice administration professor at | | | | federal level, to remain unchecked due to the |
| the University of Louisville. But the negative | | | | manipulation of our emotional bonds to our |
| effects are significant enough that they far | | | | children by politicians.We are better than |
| outweigh the positive benefits." Tewksbury says | | | | that.Enough is enough.References Cited: |
| Kentucky's new law is "a bit misguided" in that it | | | | Rebecca Van Drunen, Confederation |
| assumes all sex offenders are targeting children. | | | | College,"Outcast Society: A Closer Look at North |
| He called it "politically popular.""It's a furthering and | | | | American Sexual Offenders in the Twenty-First |
| widening of the sentence (sex offenders) | | | | Century", May 5th, 2006.Sharon Wilson is a |
| received in a court of justice," Tewksbury said.In | | | | freelance writer who rants and raves via her |
| other words, a violation of constitutional rights. Ex | | | | political blog, Smashed Frog, Get Smashed! Join |
| post facto, i.e. after the fact, retroactively, | | | | the online discussion regarding the absurdities of |
| repunishing an American citizen repeatedly, over | | | | government. |