Where Do We Draw the Line?
A recent news story details neighbors’ attempts to prevent a man labeled a registered sex offender, from having playground equipment in his own yard. On his own private property! The neighbors are calling for the city to pass laws to prohibit registrants from having playgrounds at their homes.
We already have laws barring people on the registry from decorating their homes for Christmas, from celebrating Halloween, or even from attending church or family events if children are present. These laws are passed indiscriminately, even if the person has their own children! These aren’t punishments, they say. But we have to ask—when registrant families are being banned from participating in everyday, constitutionally protected life, where do we draw the line?
Laws like these don’t just impact those with a past offense. They punish spouses. They punish children. They punish families. They say to a child, “You don’t get to have a swing set because of who your dad is.” They send the message that the entire family’s lives must also be stripped of joy, of community, of basic human dignity.
We’re told this is not about vengeance or cruelty, but when restrictions reach this level of absurdity—preventing a father from installing a swing set for his child in his own backyard (likely because he can’t even take them to the playground to play there) it’s no longer about public safety.
Where do we draw the line? Because if we don’t start asking that question now, there may come a day when no line remains.
You can post comments on the original news article.
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Having good neighbor relations if you are a PFR can be difficult. However, it can, in my opinion, be at least partially overcome. Five years ago I bought a place in the country. I have roommates who are also PFR’s. We initially had some problems. But we keep the place in a neat fashion and wave at the cars as they drive by on the dirt road. Or as we pass them on the entrance road. Slowly, the waves have been returned and sometimes they will stop and comment on work we have done on the property. We don’t socialize with any of them, but we keep a low profile and don’t cause issues. It takes time and isn’t perfect, but it can be ameliorated somewhat.
Mark
On my street there are three kinds. A handful of people love me to death. A handful just ignore more or don’t care either way, and the last group (which is about 20 families, are hateful, have their dogs poop in my yard, throw rocks at my window, scratch my vehicle and give me dirty looks when they drive by. Some, if I am outside doing yard work, glare at me like “How dare you come outside while we are driving by”. One guy almost crashed into a tree while staring at me like I was standing there naked or something. I think there are mental health pills that help with that.
Federal law conspiracy against rights, as defined in 18 U.S.C. § 241, prohibits two or more individuals from conspiring to injure, oppress, threaten, or intimidate someone in the free exercise or enjoyment of their constitutional or federal rights. This includes conspiring to hinder or prevent someone from exercising those rights. Conviction can result in fines, imprisonment for up to 10 years, or even a sentence of death if the acts involve kidnapping, aggravated sexual abuse, or attempted killing.
Key aspects of this law:
Scope:
The law applies to conspiracies targeting rights secured by the Constitution or federal laws.
Intent:
The conspirators must have the specific intent to interfere with the victim’s rights.
Overt act:
While the law prohibits conspiring to violate rights, it does not necessarily require an overt act to be committed to be a violation.
Punishment:
Penalties can include fines, imprisonment, and in some cases, death.
Examples of Rights Protected:
The right to vote.
The right to be free from unlawful violence under color of law.
The right to travel freely.
The right to worship freely.
The right to testify at trial.
The right to be free from discrimination.
Relationship to other laws:
18 U.S.C. § 371:
.
This is a general conspiracy statute that can be applied if the conspiracy involves defrauding the United States or committing another offense.
42 U.S.C. § 1985:
.
This statute focuses on conspiracies to interfere with civil rights, including the right to equal protection under the law.
at what point is it deemed harassment from being on the hit list?
This is another horrible episode of what a Karen can do the mess up someone’s life. The Regular Joe will not understand the complexity of being on the registry and what it entails. However, that does not stop them from creating more and more restrictions. I once had a discussion with someone who told me that he thought people in the registry weren’t allowed near kids, and all types of things. And I asked them to show me, in law, at least where I was located, where is this at. They could not provide me the information. They just made it up. However, this is the problem, now they want to not only make up new things, they want to make sure that it can be established. And with the recent Administration and what is going on, I believe it will give more credence to doing more harsher restrictions.
Sex offenders often evoke strong negative emotions and concerns in communities, which is a major factor why people are generally uncomfortable having them as neighbors.
People may be wary of individuals with a history of such offenses, even if they have served their time and are undergoing rehabilitation.
A lot of people evoke strong negative emotions and concerns in communities, whether a PFR or not, causing people to be generally uncomfortable having them as neighbors until they grow a spine and are willing to overcome their ignorance and bias to learn more about them as a person and situation, usually in person for a face to face meeting. Until that happens, the reflection of these people to characterize others in such a way shows how immature they are in lacking social skills in getting to know others. It is these Karens and Darrens who should be banished to the hinterland for the problems they cause for the thrill of it and because they can in their holier than thou mindset. However, they will never get it since they don’t possess the attitude to be bigger and openly learn more. They are the problem children of neighborhoods, not those who are working to move on with a social structure that will benefit them and others who will benefit from them.
@mrs daksha
Registrants often evoke strong negative emotions and concerns in communities because THAT is what the media-just like the news story above-are about;causing strong negative emotions and concerns . The media, and their stories are edited and meant to engage you, and captivate you and everyone else by causing concern, anger, sorrow, and even fury about every story they publish especially when it comes to registrants, or haven’t you noticed that?
News stories are orchestrated purposefully to bring about strong negative emotions-that is what keeps you watching, and them in business, and also keeps the ‘frightening and high’ recidivism rate
myth alive concerning registrants.
On halloween, there are no more child molestations on that night than any other night, but oh, the media doesn’t want you to know that, because it doesn’t cause drama or strong emotional reaction by it’s reader an viewers.
Unfortunately, much of America is hood-winked by the media, and they hang on what the media spoon-feeds them, instead finding out the real facts, which too many times are purposefully concealed.
You should always beware of half-truths because chances are, you are going to believe the wrong half.
I have NEVER heard of a child going to a registrants swing-set and getting raped, have you, mrs. daksha? Y/N?
@DVC
How many news articles have you seen of a repeat sex offender? I have maybe seen one or two in my lifetime of watching the news and the person was already listed as a predator. Most of the time we see someone arrested that is on the registry, is just for that, a stupid registry violation like forgetting to dot your i’s and crossing your t’s. In other words, a paperwork mistake. Man, that should at least be lethal injection for that paperwork mistake huh?
Meanwhile, robbers, scammers and other repeat offenders not on the registry, keep getting slaps on the wrist.
Mrs Daksha, that is certainly true. But that can apply to anyone, a mother-in-law, an ex, etc. There are a lot of people we’d rather not be around, but we still respect their right to live their lives. If they invade our personal space unwillingly, we have a right to push back, but we don’t stir up mobs to force them out of our neighborhood.
When it comes to your neighborhood children’s safety, the risk of stranger danger is very small. Here are some facts: (via the Internet)
Childhood Death Causes Ranked: (not exhaustive)
Vehicle crashes – 1 in 20,000
Child abuse by caregiver – 1 in 22,000
Cancer – 1 in 25,000
Gun related deaths – 1 in 25,000 (non-suicide)
Drowning – 1 in 40,000
Abducted by a stranger resulting in death – 1 in 3,000,00 to 5,000,000
If this teaches us one thing, you really only have to scrutinize those who have close regular contact with them, regardless of a criminal past or not. Most sex offenses are perpetrated by those who have not had contact with the criminal justice system.
If you care enough to post regularly to this forum, then care enough to look this up for yourself. You’ll see that the facts line up with what is being said repeatedly here.
For those who simply want to sling mud here, you should know that your children are over 200 times more likely to die by your hand through abuse than by the hand of someone on the registry abducting them. FACTS!
@concerned
And where is the child abuse registries? If they exist, they must be private because the only registries I have ever seen that are public are sex offense registries and wedding registries. And many of the wedding registries are mostly shown to those who are attending the wedding.
Supposedly there are murder registries and dog abuse registries, but again, not made public unless you were to somehow request the information.
But for us, even a 12 year old kid can look up our registry. Sometimes I am just browsing news reports or other stories and a link shows up stating “These are the predators in your area”. I sometimes look at them and NONE of the people they showed were predators, but just offenders.
Careful @Concerned, you are sounding very logical and reasonable with the established data points and facts you present that may not get heard by one, anyone, who chooses not to be rational with their thinking. Nicely stated here for the masses to read and hopefully digest appropriately.
Mrs. Dashka, it’s one thing to be wary…we have expected some people to not like us based solely on the misrepresentation of the registry, it’s entirely another to try to interfere in the private life of a person who has paid back their debt to society when they are causing you no harm. This is passive aggressive harassment and no different than someone vandalizing your home. It’s especially disturbing that the person in the article who wants to take away his neighbor’s kid’s swing set had to be peeping into his backyard where the PFR’s child is playing to know the equipment was there in the first place.
I hate to say this, but I hope it passes. FAC, you just said a few days ago we needed more proof, and ammo for our cases. When your children or grandkids cannot even have a safe place to play in their own yard because their dad (Or mom) is on the registry, that is the exact definition of punishment.
They won’t allow us to go to a park, but even way back 25 years ago when I was on probation, I was allowed to go shopping in a store by myself without anybody with me. Now I could understand if nobody was home but dad, then invited the neighbor kids over to place on the swings in his back yard, that is a different story all together.
* I do not agree with the proposed law but just saying at what point are we prisoners in our own homes as well as our kids or grandkids if they cannot even play by themselves or their friends in their own backyard.
The never ending piling on by State legislatures with more and more inane laws that have no basis in fact will likely be what overturns the law. Just the ever increasing number of limitations and requirements being placed on first time registrants, any one of which would not be seen as cumbersome, at some point becomes punishment under their collective weight. In addition, every new group of laws provides another opportunity to argue in the courts the unconstitutionality of SORNA.
ALAN
I am actually surprised we can even leave our homes without a police escort. I had less restrictions in prison that I do in society. I mean, yeah we could not climb over the fence and leave but we didn’t have to register anything. wasn’t until the week I was being released that Florida’s register came about in 1997. If I had no probation, I might not have had to go on it but I still had probation after prison.
And even then, those who did not have to register, were eventually “Extra” retroactively applied in Florida. Meaning they went back on some people who had served their time before the registry was implemented. Mine was still considered retroactive because when I committed my crime, when I got arrest, when I was sentenced, and when I was in prison, there was no registry.
Like I said, I only found out about a registry when my prison time was up and other inmates were laughing about me having to register once I got home, the same week the registry first went live.
What were the chances? That was one Hell of a lottery ticket I got.
I have a trampoline and swing set in my yard for my two kids. I’ll be d*** if any registry terrorists will come onto my property demanding me to remove it. The day they pay my mortgage and property tax is the day they can boss me around.
I’m upset because for past 10 years I don’t get any Trick or Treaters on my street. Unfortunately there is a sex predator living there. Halloween is my favorite holiday and I always enjoy seeking kids dressed up. It is frustrating and I see why people are doing what their doing.
You really do need to be more careful with what you type and do some proofreading before you hit that submit button.
“I always enjoy seeking kids dressed up.”
Sounds like you’re the “sex predator”.
What exactly did you mean by:
“I see why people are doing what they’re doing.”
Seriously, proofread before submitting.👌🏼
Sounds like you should be more mad at those who publish maps with dots on them of PFRs around that time of year instead of misunderstanding there is a PFR in the area who may is very much most likely not even a threat to anyone, but is made out to be a monster by the ignorant who don’t know any better and have nothing better to do.
There has never been a documented case of a sexual assault or kidnapping of a minor by a PFR in the history of Halloween. There have, unfortunately, been many children killed by drunk drivers on Halloween, it is the deadliest day for children as a result of drunk drivers, perhaps that’s where the resources from law enforcement should be.
I agree with the responses and will something constructive to help you. If you are a member of church, suggest having a trunk or treat. (At least that’s what I think they are called). Then you can lavish as much candy on the kids at church as you dare. The kids will be safer because they won’t get hit by cars (#1 cause of injury/death on Halloween) and you won’t have to open your door 100 times.
mrs
WHAT????
If you are an adult take your kids to the house that you know are not lived in by a person on the registry. I am not banned from giving out candy, but no way on Hell I would do so because I do not want to have kids without parents showing up at my door and plus, even with parents, they may come to your door on Halloween, just to harass us. I turn off all my lights and do not turn them back on until after 10 pm when the kids have gotten off the street.
Do not let someone you think of as the boogeyman to take away from you enjoying Halloween. Do you think we have that much power to ruin your trick or treat with the kids or grandkids. Sounds like the lady who drive past my house every morning and give me a dirty look. Funny I ruin her drive to work every morning because she is petty and does not let God into her heart but instead fills her heart with hate and disgust. I would laugh but it is really sad if you think about it, as I have never done anything to her or anyone she knows I can guarantee that 1000%.
Lol .. I wouldn’t preach that too loud, you may end up on the registry