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