Apartheid’s shadow vs. America’s Stain: which country’s sex offender registry leads on human rights?
On one side we have the United States – the “land of the free”, “with liberty and justice for all” and the self-appointed global moral compass. On the other side we have South Africa, a nation historically scarred by apartheid, oppression and human rights violations. Which country is showing the world what real progress looks like? In this case, South Africa, is putting the U.S. to shame when it comes to respecting human rights and insight into effective criminal justice.
Earlier this year South Africa was supposed to publish its national sex offenders registry. Then it decided not to.
The South African justice system operates on the principle that offenders who have served their sentences should be allowed to reintegrate into society. Therefore, making the registry public could permanently stigmatize former offenders, never allowing them to function in society – thereby making everyone less safe. Also, making former offenders’ details public could lead to community-administered punishment and vigilantism. And finally, the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA) in South Africa protects all personal information, including those of a convicted criminal.
The U.S. loves to point fingers at other countries while ignoring its own sins. Lack of personal privacy, mass incarceration, and police brutality (think back a few weeks ago to Putnam County) are not relics of the past here, but ongoing crises.
The U.S. sex offender registry is a bloated, ineffective mess that violates human rights. It will one day become a stain in this country’s history. In the meantime, South Africa’s was clearly given some thought and consideration of its constitution.
It’s clear that in this case, South Africa is the one leading by example.
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Slavery has not been abolished by a long shot. It’s just changes names. FDLE and DOC are the new slave masters and all races are subject to It’s trappings. Modern day Slavery does not discriminate.
The database set human liberty back nearly two centuries. Slavers!
Being born an American citizen is a true blessing that most other countries idolize. But over the last three or four decades, with implementation of SORNA and the registry, citizens of this country have lost their moral compass. Being on registry is indeed punishment, lifelong in most cases, regardless of what one SCOTUS justice said off the cuff many years ago. That snide remark stuck, and millions of people have suffered ever since. The US could learn a few things from other countries if they weren’t so arrogant themselves.
The Stain of America was created by John Walsh and His Wife
They refused to testify in Court about the Beheading of their Son
John Walsh is America’s Biggest Hypocrite
Maybe this could be the year that things finally change. A lot of things are happening out there in the world right now. Let’s hope for the best.
America tends to enjoy talking about freedoms and liberties but doesnt like to actually deliver. Many country’s Americans have been taught to look down on have better security and freedoms.
I moved to a third world country to protect my family and while we may not have all the luxuries we have much more liberty and freedom. As an American who has family that has served our country in every war it is very sad to realize I have to leave the country my family has shed so much blood to protect for the protections and freedom’s to simply exist …