FAC Media Committee: Call to Action
This past week, FOX News and the New York Post caused damage to hundreds of thousands of people on the sex offense registry in this country over the way they covered the story of the attempted kidnapping of the 11-year-old girl in Escambia Co.
I am contacting both outlets and would greatly appreciate having other people let them know the damage that was caused by the careless way this story was covered.
The New York Post article, used by FOX News, was written by Jesse O’Neill. The best email address that I have come up with so far for the New York Post is: [email protected] or 646-357-3838.
To contact FOX News, go to foxnews.com, scroll to the bottom of the page and click on Contact Us. On “Submit a request”, use the dropdown arrow and choose “request a correction or clarification to a story”. You will need to paste the URL (web link) for the page that you are reporting a problem with:
https://www.foxnews.com/us/11-year-old-florida-girl-fights-off-sex-offender-at-bus-stop
In the New York Post article, I counted O’Neill’s use of the term “sex offender” 5 times, mostly in the captions under the photos and, of course, in the title. FOX News also used the term from the Post article. None of the other national or local news outlets that I have listened to has used “sex offender”. The New York Post is listed as a tabloid meaning it likes to print sensational articles. FOX is doing the same thing.
Some points that can be used in our replies to the NY Post and FOX, which are contained in the Weekly Update found at the FAC webpage under Media, are:
- This guy will likely be in prison forever; it’s the other 74,000+ people on the Florida registry who will be subjected to whatever new legislation named after this poor 11-year-old, that will unquestionably be introduced in the coming legislative term. What new collateral consequence, additional requirement, further restriction, or punishment will be imposed on registrants because of this tragedy they had no responsibility for?
- Who is this unidentified “sex offender”? Jared Stanga. He is not on the Florida Department of Law Enforcement sex offender registry. In a national search including all states, territories, and Indian Country, Mr. Stanga is NOT listed on a sex offender registry.
- The “sex offender” registry did absolutely nothing to prevent the attempted abduction of this girl, except point the finger at a population that had nothing to do with it and potentially divert the focus of law enforcement had they not captured the perpetrator.
- When the politicians use this tragedy to try to expand the registry or enact proximity ordinances around bus stops, let’s remind them that the registry did nothing to prevent this, as it did nothing to prevent the abduction of Jacob Wetterling and as it did nothing to prevent the abduction of Adam Walsh.
- If everyone would just take a deep breath and rational look at these policies, they will see they are ineffective and should be abolished.
THE BIG TAKEAWAY THAT FOX AND THE NEW YORK POST NEED TO UNDERSTAND: THEY GOT IT WRONG. MR. STANGA WAS NOT ON THE “SEX OFFENDER” REGISTRY, AND BY TRYING TO CONNECT PEOPLE ON THE REGISTRY WITH MR. STANGA, THEY HAVE JUST MADE A LIFE, THAT CAN ALREADY BE DIFFICULT BECAUSE OF THE MEDIEVAL STATUTES AND ORDINANCES RELATED TO THE REGISTRY, EVEN MORE DIFFICULT FOR THE HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF REGISTRANTS IN THIS COUNTRY WHO ARE NOW LAW-ABIDING CITIZENS.
Thank you for your help,
Media Chair ([email protected])
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Actually Ed C you are right about much of this registry in a lot of ways. If the situation and the question came up when I was taking some criminal justice courses at a couminity college back in the late 70’s about the use of the word sex offender and the classification of said title it would of been dismissed. While drunk driving can be a bit more accurate for that offense, and even I have had two in my life.
Sure one can all be embarrassed from much of this such as job loss, discrimination of housing and other things even going back to a college to take say a license for real estate or some class like that.
The biggest industry in Florida is tourism and I’m sure that much of this sex registry and rights go against the grain. That right there is discrimination of a deceptive means and measures and is against the bible as wel. in some or many of these registry ordeals.
Even other states should take note of that one as when truth in justice is flushed down the toilet than were is the constutition today or even human rights for that matter.
Its been said on some of these forms two wrongs don’t make a right so who is Judging who in many of these registry ordeals.
You know after its all said and done “Actions” speak louder than words. Sure their are negative actions and positive ones. Even this article that FAC presents has a lot of meanibng to it. Whether law enforcement blundered or the Newspaper blundered who was led astray in many of these registry ordeals?
Actually FAC, this is a very good article you presented. Sure my uncle lived in Pompano Beach and my brother that is retired from denistry set up his practice in the Tampa area. Yes we are all thankful for advocacy groups as a lot of good understanding and meaning can come out of advocacy to help others.
Sure one pastors I correspond with told me to take the rights given back to me. In a way he’s right but still truth and justice has to be served. Even one of the lady probation officers that came to my door this past month or two to do a check and she asked me if things were ok and also I posed the question who are you protecting and who are you serving and she said the community.
Strange that one has to use a deception and deceptive methods to protect and a court of law is for truth and justice. Justice by deceptive means… thats a new one on me in any criminal “Justice” field and I’m sure many would have to agree on that one? Isn’t the sword of Justice a bit better?
While I am still wrestling whether to write the Governor again to not accept these rights or just leave it alone, thats were advocates come in to strive to seek justice for all or do we all still have some power to the people. Sure true justice delayed is justice denied in many ways.
This article that FAC has brought up is a call to Action and true truth and justice. Sure I am up here in VA but I have visited Florida several times. I believe I even mentioned that they wanted me to work in the Everglades once for a summer job during my teen years. I will be 67 in July and much of this registy ordeal is Government Mischief in many ways.
Sure Chicken Little couldn’t prevent the sky from falling but police and authorities seem to want to compound things for many via this sex registry enticement in these chat rooms or which ever the case may be whether it be in an adult chat room or teenage chatroom. Yes I got my rights back and am still on probation for another year from my 10 year ordeal. Sure nobody wants to be in jail with something like this and I’m sure no one wants to have this registy hanging over their head. Police bleed like anyone else and make mistakes also. Look at the Floyd mess for an example.
Government is at fault by this inducement on those that stumble into this whole ordeal. So is government playing the harlot in many ways with this or is all this to make headlines to solve issues. Myself or anyone else if they wanted to talk to a teenager common sense is they would go iinto a teenage chatroom or on a teenage site.
Sure one can chat or one can be mislead in this computer type game of blind man’s bluff and even upset a man’ or woman’s life, job status, even cause them emotional pain but were is the truth. Is it in a court of law or read about it in the newspaper the next morning.
Now everyone on these advocate sites need to stand up all over the USA.. Don’t be embarrassed as those that did the sting operation on you embarrassed themselves to start with this type ordeal of a sexual enticement which is devilish mischief.
Also
A kidnapping is NOT a sex offense in and of itself. Many people are kidnapped for reasons other that to be sexually violated. Not going to begin to think of the horrors if he was successful but even if he was successful and was caught with her before doing anything else, the charge would have been kidnapping.
Yes that is a serious charge, even attempted, but again, NOT a sex offense. Even if against a child, if nothing sexual occured, that has nothing to do with the registry. News always loves to state how they report “Fair and accurate” then they sensationalize and make things up.
Kidnapping in Florida puts one on the SO registry.
i’m on it. Excellent points btw