Sunday, September 30, 2012

Once Fallen Fundraising Drive: Raffle to raise funds for the "Beyond the Label" Documentary"



It takes a fair amount of money to create a documentary, more than I first thought. Unfortunately I've been in need for newer equipment and travel expenses as there is still a little fundraising left to do. So I have an idea.

Between now and Nov. 30, every dollar donated to Once Fallen will give you one virtual ticket towards any one of the three items below, so if you donate thirty dollars you have thirty chances to win. The drawing for the items will be December 1st. I will post the winning numbers rather than names on my sites and notify the winners personally.

TO ENTER, donate to the following--

By Paypal: derek_logue@hotmail.com (don't forget the underscore)

By US Mail:

Derek W. Logue
2559 Eden Ave. #14
Cincinnati, OH 45219

Be sure to include your email address. I will send you your ticket numbers in the return email, verifying your entry. Every bit helps, and ALL the proceeds will go to covering the expenses.

If you have any questions, email me, iamthefallen1@yahoo.com or call me at 513-238-2873

On to the items.

ITEM #1



Toshiba DR430 DVD Recorder: This device records TV, VCR and camcorder footage onto DVDs. Everything you see here is included, guaranteed to work, and includes 5 unused DVD+R discs to get you started. For full specifications, visit the following link: http://us.toshiba.com/video-electronics/dvd-players/dr430/

ITEM #2



Item #2 is a huge collection of mostly family oriented DVDs. Most are Christian/ Religious but not all. Below is the full list of movies:


  1. DC Talk: The Movie
  2. Karen Kingsbury's Dandelion Dust documentary
  3. The Pistol (Pistol Pete) 
  4. The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman
  5. The Christmas Blessing
  6. Mandie and the Secret Tunnel
  7. Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed Documentary
  8. Billy; The Early Years of Billy Graham
  9. Steve Harvey: Don't trip- God's not through with me yet
  10. Natalie's Rose
  11. WWJD: What Would Jesus Do?
  12. Believe In Me
  13. The Wild Stallion
  14. The Last Adam
  15. The Courage To Love 
  16. Come What May
  17. Comedy: The Road Less Traveled (documentary)
  18. Relative Stranger
  19. The Gospel
  20. Blessed and Cursed
  21. Angels Love Donuts
  22. The Cross and the Towers (Documentary)
  23. A Greater Yes
  24. The Time Changer
  25. Come Dance at my Wedding
  26. Secret at Arrow Lake
  27. Daniel's Lot
  28. Change of Plans
Since someone begged me for the Chonda Pierce DVDs I will replace them with two more movies of my choosing. 

ITEM #3



Item #3 is a very good pair of amplified computer speakers. If you are a bit hard of hearing, like I am, you won't have much trouble hearing these. 

Thursday, September 20, 2012

Two Once Fallen-created videos from the RSOL Conference

I created two video clips from the RSOL Conference, giving two people the opportunity to promote their projects, as well as give me some experience with film making.



Lynn Gilmore, SOSEN CEO, promotes www.sosen.org


Jon Cordeiro of New Name Ministries promotes his new book, "Unprecedented"

Wednesday, September 12, 2012

Of all the residency and proximity restrictions I've seen, this one takes the cake.

"White man says, 'Pass AWA or your federal aid and sovereignty go away.'
White man smoke too much crazy weed."

You may have heard about it by now, but during the RSOL conference some Native Americans brought their own tribal law they recently passed, and once I've seen it, all I could do was shake my head. I don't know whether to laugh or to cry, this is the most ridiculous residency restriction I've ever seen ever. Ever.

This is from the Laguna tribe of New Mexico, retyped verbatim as it is written on paper:

____________________________________________________________
Other requirements
section 15 – 17 – 10

I. prohibited areas for tier 1, two, and three sex offenders
a. Schools, public library, parks/village playgrounds, bus stops
II. prohibited areas for tier 2 and tier 3 sex offenders
a. The following is a list of social events that are considered prohibited areas, including but not limited to:

Public ( a.k.a. general public) means a population of individuals in association with civic affairs, or affairs of the village or villages..

1. Social events open to the general public
2. Village feasts
3. Craft shows
4. Fundraisers
5. Sporting events
6. Traditional and ceremonial activities
7. Organized walks or runs
8. Church
9. Grab days
10. Cultural enrichment classes at the Kawaika center
11. graduation ceremonies
12. Events advertised at the village meeting where everyone is invited
13. dances with in the villages
14. Plaza dances
15. Social dances at recreation halls

**Note: Sex offender participating in village meetings, grave digging, ditch work will be at the discretion of the village officials and communicated to the compliance officer.

The following opinion was drafted and approved by the sex offender compliance committee.
____________________________________________________________________

Now, let that soak into your mind for a minute.

I have seen many crazy laws over the years, but this one takes the cake. This law was hastily passed for the purpose of coming into full compliance with the Adam Walsh Act. The federal government has threatened Native American tribes with not only a loss of federal grant money, they threatened to take away their sovereignty in handling their own criminal justice affairs. But this is still overkill. It is sad to see a once proud nation of people debase themselves for the sake of a few American tax dollars.


Monday, September 3, 2012

Choosing what to do with sand

In just a couple of days, a number of us are going to the 2012 RSOL Conference in Albuquerque. There has been a lot of publicity, some good and some bad, about the upcoming conference. Many of those who are involved in the efforts to fight the myriad of American Sex Offender laws are relatively new. There are a lot of fresh, new faces in the movement. So to them, the fear of negative publicity is a brand new experience. But to a seasoned activist like myself, the threat of confrontation and negative publicity is nothing new.

*****

On December 1, 2007, a group of reformists descended upon the city of Columbus, Ohio. Members of groups like SOClear, SOSEN, Roar 4 Freedom (now RSOVA), and others attended and participated in what was called the "Silent No More Rally." The intent was to protest Ohio's version of the Adam Walsh Act.

Vigilante groups like Absolute Zero United got wind of this rally early in its creation and staged their own counter rally. They mocked and threatened would-be attendees, even posting private info, in hopes of scaring us. But it didn't work.

There were individuals within our cause, like the SOHopeful Board of Directors, who opposed a public showing. They felt we should keep a low profile and work "behind the scenes" to propagate changing of the laws. In fact, SOHopeful went so far as condemn the rally, which led to a mass exodus of activists from the SOHopeful forums to the SOSEN and Roar 4 Freedom forums.

Sure enough, when I arrived at the rally, the counter-protesters were there -- Judy Cornett from Predator Patrol, Bikers Against Child Abuse (BACA) and AZU, under the banner of "Women Against Sexual Predators" (WASP)-- holding derogatory signs and looking menacingly at the rally attendees. Some took pictures, others yelled obscenities. The only thing keeping the peace was a row of uniformed members of the State Patrol, paid for by the rally committee.

That didn't deter the dozens of us who came to the rally, despite the counter-protestor's efforts. This rally was the catalyst for a major growth of our cause, and from it sprung the concepts of state affiliate websites and, of course, the annual RSOL Conference.

*****

Nearly five full years after the Ohio Silent No More Rally (the official name of the 2007 Event), we are going to a conference which has received a decent amount of publicity. The city of Albuquerque has even gone so far as to hold a town hall meeting to address the public's fears about RSOL coming to their city. A few vigilantes have spread propaganda claiming the group is full of evil pedophiles or are advocating sex with children in an attempt to discredit the conference. Despite the allegations being completely false, we recognize some members of the general public will listen to the trolls or the misinformed media. To some, it may even feel like you're walking into a lion's den.

It won't be my first time.

New Mexico is known for deserts and sand, among other things. We have two metaphors about sand. It is up to you to decide what you want to do.

BURYING YOUR HEAD IN THE SAND: Some in our cause feel it is better to keep a 'low profile' until the conference blows over. It would have been easier for Rosa Parks had she kept a low profile by scooting her butt to the back of that bus. Some of us feel we need to be politically correct in our speech and actions. We can't get "angry" in public. We can't say words that burn virgin ears. Some of us even want those of us with records to stay in the stands and not participate in the game at all. I'm so glad Martin Luther King decided to sit on the the civil rights movement and waited for some great white savior to come in and speak on his behalf, aren't you? [sarcasm, of course]

This cause needs to recognize there is a need for us to stand our ground. I understand there is a time to be politically correct, but not within the confines of our own groups. Censorship of ideas and words within our groups is wrong.

In regards to worrying about external interference in the conference, do you think any group with an unpopular agenda never had the threat of outside interference? MLK and others in the civil rights movement knew they were going to be targeted; rallies were met with resistance, members were threatened or attacked, and danger loomed behind every effort. Not every saboteur rode into town in a pointy hat and matching white sheet.

It is scary. But greater and lesser people have been hurt or even killed for their beliefs. Jesus was hung on a cross, MLK was killed, and thousands of their followers were ridiculed, teased, and harassed. "But Derek," some will say, "they did nothing wrong." That's what what their enemies believed. So what if I'm on the list? I have served my time. I apologized to the victim's family. I fulfilled my obligations to the state. Now I'm a reformed individual forced to live a label that does not define who I am. just like those before me judged by a label and a stereotype, I can either bury my head in the sand, or....



DRAW A LINE IN THE SAND: MLK wasn't a "violent" man, but he drew a line in the sand, and was willing to stake his stand. Rallies, marches, and sit-ins were held. They marched in the faces of their enemies, some here hurt or killed, and some were arrested. But they were willing to do what they felt was necessary to achieve their goals.

We should be willing to have that same mentality.

Some of us have things to lose-- they have families, jobs, and creature comforts. I imagine MLK did too. He was a preacher man, after all. He had a wife and kids. He had a home. He had a life. He had freedom. He had a lot to lose.

He also risked that for the sake of a greater good. Even his peaceful approach made him a target. I imagine there were times of anger, doubt, and sadness. He was a human being.

Even Jesus wept, lamented for Jerusalem, and drove the money changers from the temple, and seemingly felt doubt while on the cross. Emotions are part of the human nature. Jesus never told us never be angry, the bible said to be angry but not to sin while in anger. Anger can be used for a greater good.

I have been loyal to this cause no matter how many despair, have philosophical differences, get angry with me, or reject me, both outside the cause and from within. But until some of you pull your heads out of the sand and instead draw a line, don't expect much in the way of change.

You don't have to see this cause as a "war." War, after all, has casualties and innocent victims caught in the crossfire. Are we under siege? Do we resort to caving into the enemy because we're getting desperate? Are we at the point where we eat our horses and dogs out of desperation and have defections? I don't think so. We are a far bigger movement since 2007. We are more organized, have more members, and have made great strides since that time.

But at the same time, there is a lot of fear, and we are still a small grassroots campaign. We should have EVEN MORE members, more active members, more rallies and conferences, and more meetings with the media and legislators.

When you go to the conference, decide what you want to do while in Albuquerque. Bury your heads in the sand? Or draw a line in the sand.

There is plenty of sand to do either one.