However, I recently read a comment on the RSOL website that will not get out of my head. I could never write what this man has written, for I have not had his life's experiences, and after obtaining RSOL's permission to use it, I hope I can do it justice.
John had written a comment to Steve Yoder's article "What’s the Real Rate of Sex-Crime Recidivism?" that was posted on the website blog. Another reader replied to him with a commiseration and comment about the waste of taxpayer money to track someone who doesn't seem to have been a threat to re-offend for thirty years.
This was John's response.
Commit another sex crime? Absolutely not!
I finished my probation in Jan. 1991. Between 1991 and 2007, I was called to jury service 4 times and actually sat on a trial, even though I told the judge and both the plaintiff and defense attorneys of my conviction. I have been to 8 other countries, including Can., Mex., and the UK. I traveled all over the US, worked for the government on military bases that required security clearances, and handled some of the most expensive military defense systems in the world. I’ve been invited to a Presidential Fund Raiser; I have met US senators, a couple of state governors, and one state supreme court justice.
There have been a countless number of laws passed after the dragnet of SORNA pulled me in. Those laws not only had a stifling affect on me but also on my wife, my children, and my grandchildren; we all have been affected in negative ways.
I took advantage of the break I received from the justice system and turned my life around. I raised well behaved, career oriented, college educated, civic-minded children. But then came the destruction of SORNA. Anything that I had done that was good, right, or proper had become irrelevant. In fact, I just read the other day that I won’t be able to be buried in a National Cemetery because my Registered Sex Offender status has cancelled out my Vietnam War Military Service.He then asked questions that I would like to have answered.
My question is this. If after my conviction, it was okay for me to do the things that I mentioned earlier, than why can’t I now do some of the little things in life? Such as, attend my granddaughter's school function and not have her be embarrassed because I need to be escorted?
Why is it illegal to go to a family reunion just because of playground equipment in the park?
Why did I have to report to the CLEO and have my mother's home address listed on an on-line sex offender registry because I was in her home for more than 3 nights in one year while she was in hospice care?
Why is it that I can bob for apples at a Halloween party with my grandchildren on Oct. 30th or Nov. 1st, but I will be arrested and sent to jail if I do that on Oct 31st between 5 pm and 8 pm? (That one proves legislatures are imbeciles, and because the police actually drive around to RSO’s homes to enforce it, they look like the Keystone Cops.)He ends with reminding us that he is not the exception and hearkens back to Mr. Yoder's explanation of how this got started.
I’m sure 850,000 RSO’s could fill volumes of books with questions of why. But as of today we learned that Justice Kennedy may have violated a common rule of interpretation: “A text, out of context, is a pretext." Due to this misinterpretation, from the kid in the back seat mooning the car behind the school bus to the most dangerous re-offender, there is no difference between them. He assigned that pretext to all.For once, I have nothing to add.
Thank you for re-posting this. I've been following John W.'s comments on RSOL for a while now. He seems like a truly thoughtful, first-class citizen.
ReplyDeleteWhat more IS there to say? After reading some of John's posts and comments I'm left stunned by the stupidity of our sex crime laws.
This man deserves all the benefits of having served our country in war. He deserves his FREEDOM. Instead, he and his family are being punished. If anyone deserves a clean slate it's this guy.
I second John's sentiment and questions. My husband is in a similar boat from an incident in 1995 that gave him a misdemeanor conviction for which he's now, many years after the fact, had his punishment extended to life. He's not done anything else wrong. He's no more dangerous today than he was in 1995. He's had successful businesses and is now a prized employee for his current employer who, by the grace of God, gave him a chance even though he is forced to register their address online.
ReplyDeleteWhy aren''t people like this speaking more clearly to the authors of the laws and ask for an explaination . The best thing now is to expose parents for megans law for what it really is'nt and that is clearly not for the protection of children . But to claim something that the government has released to an organazation to monitor harass registerd citizens for the employment of retired police . With true facts that those who contributed to PFML are going to jail if not in jail already collecting pensions and on the run from any comment . If we can help John in his fight for a burial in a national cemetery after serveing and defending our freedoms that know longer excist . We would like to have a tour of the PFML headquarters on long island with proof that is for the betterment of child safety . The punishment for John after time served should be equally challenged against the author administrator,for PFML for the deaths of those targeted from her registry after time served . Where are all the police now ?
ReplyDeleteA long time ago a Supreme court Judge and the American people were fooled into thinking that if anyone commits a Sexual crime of any kind they cannot be helped, changed, and are destined to do the same again or worse until the day they die. This was exaggerated more by Hollywood and TV as well as Feminist groups. Now if you are caught skinny dipping or urinating in public you can end up in the same group of destroyed people ex-Rapists and ex-child molesters, with no hope of ever being aloud to pursue happiness again. There are several different ways this treatment of ex-convicts violates the constitution. If viewed all at once make this a crime against humanity. The word "Sex Offender" even suggests they will do so. This is what happens when laws are past based on fear it will be the downfall of our society if ignorance and stupidity do not end us first. " So, first of all, let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself -- nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance. In every dark hour of our national life, a leadership of frankness and of vigor has met with that understanding and support of the people themselves which is essential to victory." - Franklin Delano Roosevelt- This statement can be applied to any situation in which fear exists.
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