Arky51's Blog

I have been hearing a reporter giving a tease about a story that is planned to air on Fox13.

His question, loud and clear, is:
How is it that Sex Offenders on Probation are allowed to live in tents at a Campground for the Homeless?  How can that be their Address when they are supposed to be under Supervision by State Corrections Authorities, and the Sheriff's Department?

I am already of the opinion that a person with a Fifty Intelligence Quotient could spell it out where anyone could understand.  But, I will proceed, nonetheless;

1. Nobody: not the Lawmakers, not the Psychologists, and certainly not the Public, is willing to see that there is a difference between the "average" Sexual Offender and the "Predatory" Sexual Offender.
2. Nobody: not the Lawmakers, not the Psychologists, and certainly not the Public, is willing to allow these people to reintegrate into Society.
3. Nobody: not the Lawmakers, not the Psychologists, and certainly not the Public, is willing to allow these people to work and be productive Citizens.
4. Nobody: not the Lawmakers, not the Psychologists, and certainly not the Public, is willing to allow these people to live next door to them.

Actually, one does not even have to be a Sexual Offender to see this dynamic at work against them.  These sanctions are generally applied to most anyone who has ever been convicted of a Felony Offense.  People with a history of serious crime are no longer considered to be human beings, even if they have been going straight for years after they came out of Prison.

If you are not one who feels that way, and you don't happen to believe it is true, just call around to a half-dozen Employment Agencies and ask if they will place someone with a Felony Record.  I recently took such a poll for a friend who is on staff with an Employability Workshop, and I was stunned with the answers I received from the Agencies I contacted.

So, I ask you; if a Human Being is considered not a human being, and cannot find employment, and cannot pay for a place to live IF a place can be found, what are they going to do?  What can they do besides bum around and maybe panhandle for enough to but some food and beer, and live in a tent somewhere?

WAKE UP, PEOPLE!!  Don't you think they would be less likely to repeat their offenses if the were allowed to regain some of their Human Dignity, make an honest living, and go on toward a brighter future?  Evidently, that is what Congress believes in passing the Second Chance Act that was recently signed into Law by the President.

And the ones who repeated, in spite of the second chance given, would naturally be labeled as such, and be given harsher punishment.

Otherwise, what has happened to our concept of Human Rights and Human Dignity.  How can we possibly cry out about other Nations violating the Human Rights of their Citizens when 0.9% of American Citizens are CURRENTLY incarcerated?  That's approximately 27 MILLION in a Nation of 300 Million . . . IN JAIL RIGHT NOW!

Does that make you proud to be an American??

ATL