My letter opposing Alabama Senate Bill 48, which bans registrants from social networking sites, and is broadly interpreted and can include other non-social sites.
Dear Senators Benefield, Smitherman, and Denton,
I am writing to you today in opposition to your proposed Senate Bill 48, the proposed law to ban sex offenders from "social websites."
I am a former sex offender residing in Sheffield, Alabama, and a nationally-known civil rights advocate for the rights of individuals who have completed their sentences. I was granted a partial pardon, restoring my voting rights, from this state in May 2007, a powerful testament to my status as a reformed individual. My primary web address is www.oncefallen .com, but I use certain sites like Twitter and Google Blogspot to showcase my authorship and writings. In addition, I am involved in a national movement to reform well-intentioned but ill-conceived laws, which also utilize forums and sites that could be considered "social networking sites" under your proposed bill.
I am very concerned your bill gives a harsher penalty for simply participating in a social networking site than someone who has actual physical contact with a child. I would also like to point out that many social networking sites ban the access or use of their services by minors, FaceBook allows 13-year-olds, and MySpace 14-year-olds to access such sites, which also allow adults on said sites. Even without age restrictions, there is no way to monitor every internet activity. [See http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1156136/Children-exposed-pornography-prostitution-drugs-Twitter.html]
In addition, your bill is not very clear as to what is licit and illicit use. For example, I use Twitter [http://twitter.com/oncefallenbook] as a way to advertise my book and website, as well as keeping my followers up to date on the latest must-read articles, research papers, and site updates. By virtue of the fact that the aforementioned article states Twitter has no explicit age restrictions, this would mean I'd be in violation of this law and be incarcerated for 20 years, with no good time or parole, simply because I have a Twitter account.
In passing this bill, you will be criminalizing legitimate uses for the internet or sites that could be deemed social networking sites. For example, I have posted online responses to articles at the Montgomery Advertiser website. As with many sites, the Montgomery Advertiser has a profile page as a registered member of the site, and you have to be a registered member in order to post comments. And children could theoretically access my Montgomery Advertiser profile. Thus, by exercising my First Amendment right to comment on a public message board, I'd be a Class B felon in this state, and I'd serve more time than if I had touched a child. In addition, places that offer both IM services and email, such as “Yahoo!,” would fall under these laws, as the profiles connected to the service could possibly be accessed by children.
This bill is difficult to enforce, but could be subject to abuses. It only takes a couple of minutes to create a new account. I could even create an account in the name of a Senator if the name is unused by a certain service; as I’ve discovered as a victim of online harassment, my identity can be used by someone else in the commission of a crime. There are also anonymous browsers, web services, and netbooks/ PDAS/ notebook computers to mask illegal activity. What would be next? Will registrants unable to use or possess cell phones or portable computers? On one hand, criminals could easily circumvent the law; on the other hand, reformed registrants using web services for legitimate enterprises could be locked away for years or decades!
Courts have ruled against many restrictions that criminalize normally legal activities [see Johnson et al. v. City of Cincinnati, 2002 FED App. 0332P (6th Cir.), cert. denied, US Supreme Court case no. 02-1452]. In addition, courts have ruled that the mere suspicion that one might engage in illicit activity is not enough to justify punishment [see US v. Cintolo, 818 F. 2d. 980, 1003 (1987), Tot v. US, 319 US 463 (1943), and Robinson v. California, 270 US 660 (1962)].
Studies have shown the fear of "online predators" is grossly exaggerated, and laws directed at "online predators" fail because of our misconceptions regarding online “predators” [Janis Wolak, David Finkelhor, Kimberly J. Mitchell, and Michele L. Ybarra. "Online 'Predators' and their victims." American Psychologist, Vol. 63 No. 2 February-March 2008). Sadly, we’ve based our perceptions of the nature of online solicitation by watching re-runs of “To Catch a Predator;” many of those cases on that show were thrown out in court. Studies have shown most teens solicited online for sex were from their peer group. Also interesting to note is in the study of online solicitation, not one online solicitation resulted in physical contact [http://www.csicop.org/si/show/predator_panic_a_closer_look/].
The vast majority of sex crime arrests are of people not on the sex offender registry, i.e. first time offenders. We’d spend millions of dollars on an expensive law that will do nothing to prevent crime, yet we won’t spend a dime on treatment and prevention programs. We spend millions on long periods of incarceration, denial of parole, and good time, but not a dime to treat the offender to become a productive citizen upon his or her release. We’ll spend millions to incarcerate a teen for “sexting,” but not one dime to educate our youth on sexual responsibility and accountability .
Thus, I implore you to look long and hard at this law and realize it is nothing more than another piece of well-intentioned but poorly designed laws. It is time Alabama learns to do what is RIGHT rather than what is popular. The thought of spending millions to incarcerate people, who simply use the internet to make a living, protest or petition our government, or even keep up with family and loved ones, is simply appalling. In regards to certain sites like Face Book and MySpace, they do not allow registrants to use their services in the first place; however, the potential for abuse of these laws and overextending of the punishments to legitimate purposes of this law is unconstitution al, and likely to be successfully challenged in a court of law.
I am most troubled there is no disclaimer on your state website regarding the abuse of registry information (thus allowing vigilantes to target registrants and family members without recourse), while simultaneously pushing a bill barring registrants from legitimate enterprises. At what point do we, as a society, put a stop to draconian punishments of those who have finished their sentences and stop sliding down the slippery slope of Predator Panic? I hope you do the right thing and repeal support for this terrible law.
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Message from a REAL THRIVER
Of all the comments I read from the CNN article on civil commitment on Jan. 12, 2010, none touched me more this comment from someone using the screen name "nowathriver." I'm not against punishment or sex offenders, but I also believe in healing and therapy for both offender and victim to put an end to the cycle of abuse and address the root causes of sexual offending.
I couldn't even hold a candle to this comment.
nowathriver
"No, it's not worse than murder. I recovered from three years of being raped beginning at the age of seven. I am married, happy, educated, and a productive member of society. Your comments suggests that I would be better off dead. I find that insulting. Many people feel that those of us who were once victims can never recover and that is simply not true. While there are some who struggle all of their lives there are many of us who actually are strengthened by what happened to us. I was asked once if I could go back in time would I changed what happened to me. I replied no. It is part of who I am now and I use my experience to help others. Please do not tell a survivor that their living is worse than death. That is just an awful thing to say.
What is needed is more access to affordable therapy for survivors. I'm thankful that articles like this get people talking about the topic so that it is not hidden behind secrecy and shame. Survivors need to know that it is never their fault and that the adult had all the power. Therapy works and survivors need more access to it."
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Addressing Hate Mail
Recently I was briefly mentioned in an article for CNN. I'm used to hate comments in message boards, but yesterday and today I had more than my fair share of hate mail. So I thought I'd share the hate because to me it illustrates the lack of character and insight many people have in regards to this issue.
Response: If that is all you have to add, save it for the sharks in the message boards. Its not worthy of a reply. Of course, this is the cowardly crap I expect from AZU/ Pee-J cultists. I have more important things to do than waste my time on obscenity-filled diatribes.
Response: Please DO NOT try to use God to justify hate mail. I may be rusty on my Biblical knowledge, but I know that:
A: The context of the "whoever harms a child should have a millstone tied to his neck and cast into the sea" is in Matthew 18. The passage calls ALL believers Children of God, we're to approach God as lowly as a child, and also warns us about abusing the grace God gives us in the parable at the end of the chapter.
B: The "Mark of Cain" in Genesis chapter 4 is a MARK OF PROTECTION FROM WOULD BE VIGILANTES. Cain, though punished, was still given a chance to marry and have a family and start a tribe.
C: While God does punish, God also teaches rehabilitation. If God simply killed, then David, Solomon, St. Paul, St. Peter, Noah, Moses and virtually every Biblical hero would have been dead long before their time. The Bible teaches a little thing called MERCY, and Christians seem to gloss over that.
Also, if you're going to throw out a stat, you better be ready to QUOTE YOUR SOURCE. Teresa, where's your proof of the 99% stat?
Finally, don't assume you know anything about me. You obviously didn't even read my "about me page."
Its a good idea to never, EVER, send hate mail from your place of employment. L's boss was not pleased with wasting company time to harass someone over the internet.
Also, again with the assumptions. People have been so trained to equate sex offender with raped and murdered child, they cannot see beyond it. I put what I did up on front street, and you're free to believe it or not, but facts are facts: http://www.oncefallen.com/aboutme.html
Finally, people need to read up on the facts. Please, when debating me bring references, because in a debate I'm armed to the teeth with facts. See http://www.oncefallen.com/SOMyths.html
This addresses many of the typical responses I received from haters. If you disagree with me fine, but if you try to feed me a load of shiitake, I'll call you on it, and if you debate, use FACTS not FICTION!
Response: If that is all you have to add, save it for the sharks in the message boards. Its not worthy of a reply. Of course, this is the cowardly crap I expect from AZU/ Pee-J cultists. I have more important things to do than waste my time on obscenity-filled diatribes.
Response: Please DO NOT try to use God to justify hate mail. I may be rusty on my Biblical knowledge, but I know that:
A: The context of the "whoever harms a child should have a millstone tied to his neck and cast into the sea" is in Matthew 18. The passage calls ALL believers Children of God, we're to approach God as lowly as a child, and also warns us about abusing the grace God gives us in the parable at the end of the chapter.
B: The "Mark of Cain" in Genesis chapter 4 is a MARK OF PROTECTION FROM WOULD BE VIGILANTES. Cain, though punished, was still given a chance to marry and have a family and start a tribe.
C: While God does punish, God also teaches rehabilitation. If God simply killed, then David, Solomon, St. Paul, St. Peter, Noah, Moses and virtually every Biblical hero would have been dead long before their time. The Bible teaches a little thing called MERCY, and Christians seem to gloss over that.
Also, if you're going to throw out a stat, you better be ready to QUOTE YOUR SOURCE. Teresa, where's your proof of the 99% stat?
Finally, don't assume you know anything about me. You obviously didn't even read my "about me page."
Its a good idea to never, EVER, send hate mail from your place of employment. L's boss was not pleased with wasting company time to harass someone over the internet.
Also, again with the assumptions. People have been so trained to equate sex offender with raped and murdered child, they cannot see beyond it. I put what I did up on front street, and you're free to believe it or not, but facts are facts: http://www.oncefallen.com/aboutme.html
Finally, people need to read up on the facts. Please, when debating me bring references, because in a debate I'm armed to the teeth with facts. See http://www.oncefallen.com/SOMyths.html
This addresses many of the typical responses I received from haters. If you disagree with me fine, but if you try to feed me a load of shiitake, I'll call you on it, and if you debate, use FACTS not FICTION!
Monday, January 11, 2010
Old Helium.com article on why AWA is onconstitutional
I can't believe a two year old article i wrote is still up, and it is worth sharing. It was written way back in the beginning of 2008.
http://www.helium.com/items/837058-is-the-adam-walsh-act-about-sex-offender-notification-unconstitutional
http://www.helium.com/items/837058-is-the-adam-walsh-act-about-sex-offender-notification-unconstitutional
Why the Adam Walsh Act is Unconstitutional
Congress knew the Adam Walsh Act was unconstitutional from the very beginning. The AWA began as the Child Protection and Safety Act of 2005, but stalled out in both the House and the Senate. Then John Walsh began his crusade to resurrect this stymied bill. During the lobbying campaign for the AWA, John Walsh had told critics that he suggested electronic implants in the anuses of sex offenders and "if they go outside the radius, explode it, and that would send a big message." His wife, Reve, suggested asking those stymieing the AWA if they molested kids or had child porn on their computers. (Lisa de Morales, "Summer Press Tour, Day 16: An Explosive Interview," Washington Post, Wed., July 26, 2006, C7). He gained the backing of disgraced Florida Congressman Mark Foley to help push this bill through a "special" legislative session. These special sessions are reserved for "emergency" provisions such as disaster relief, or any legislation expected to have no opposition. Thus, there was no hearing and no opportunity for opponents to challenge this law. Even Senator Kennedy was pressured to drop hate crime legislation he attached to the bill (ibid.). After the bill was passed, Attorney General was given the power of "interim rule" by Congress (violating Separation of Powers); interim rule allowed Gonzalez to bypass proper procedure. One of the provisions he passed was the retroactive application of the law (violating ex post facto).
The AWA, like all other sex offender legislation, has been argued the same way by those passing these laws, namely, that these laws are meant to be "regulatory/ civil" rather than "punitive/ criminal." This argument effectively bypasses all constitutional safeguards! However, when it has been successfully argued such laws are indeed punitive, there have been victories against sex offender legislation.
Ohio is one of the first states to pass the AWA. Much like their US counterparts, the state legislators held a closed-door "special" session. Under the new law "SB 10," many offenders would be reclassified, many raised to a Tier III. Also, those who were no longer required to register would have to continue registering for at least five more years. In Hamilton County alone, an extra 800 people would join the 350 already on Tier III (Sharon Coolidge, "Sex Offenders face tough rules" Cincinnati Enquirer, Dec. 29, 2007). As of this writing, over a thousand RSOs have filed litigation against the AWA. The Ohio Public Defenders' Office is handling many of these cases, as it is now considered a criminal matter. Among the arguments used in the possible class-action lawsuit is ex post facto, separation of powers, and double jeopardy.
To make it worse, the AWA attaches a penalty to states refusing to implement the AWA; a 10% cut in the Byrne grant (though Bush and Congress has just cut the grant significantly and is being debated). But many states such as Arizona have found the cost of implementing the law exceeds the amount that would be lost if they DON'T Implement the AWA (Sarah Tofte, "Protect children from sexual violence" Pasadena Star-News, Jan. 21, 2008). If the law was not controversial, then why must the federal government force the states to adopt it under penalty? Something is fishy here.
In short, the origins of the AWA are shady. The effect of the law is onerous and obnoxious to our constitution. Nothing seems or feels right about the provisions of this act. In the next few days, I will have a breakdown of the AWA at my website, www.oncefallen.com, for anyone interested in further research into the practical effects of the AWA.
Saturday, December 26, 2009
"Recession Bells of Christmas" Spoof Lyrics
Here's the lyrics for my spoof song "Recession Bells of Christmas, which was featured on Mary ad Kevin's "American's Reality Check" show on 12/24/2009. You can click on the link to access the show's home page and archives!
www.talkshoe.com/talkshoe/web/talkCast.jsp?masterId=29521&cmd=tc
Recession Bells of Christmas [Sung to tune of “Carol of the Bells”]
Written by Derek W. Logue
12/22/2009
Money’s all spent, How could we let
Our government, Put us in debt?
Health care is broke, that ain’t no joke
Young and the old, out in the cold
Interest rates up, getting fed up
STILL in Iraq, why aren’t we back?
And those Chinese, jobs overseas
Cheap lead-filled toys, to girls and boys
O How they pound, raising their sound
Capitol Hill, lies to us still!
They bailed out banks, GM says thanks
What’s that about? Where’s MY bailout?!?
Do you have some change that you can spare?
Do you have some change that you can spare?
Black Friday Blues, Credit card dues
Bleeding us dry, I wanna cry!
All my stocks sank, Can’t fill my tank
Damn SUV, please help me!
401-K, all went away
Got my Pink Slip, Welfare’s a trip
Can’t make ends meet, Now I people greet
At a Wal-Mart, Hey it’s a start!
Recession’s away, that’s what they say
But I can’t tell, stuck in this hell
O How they pound, raising their sound
Capitol Hill, lies to us still!
Last dime was spent, Buying this tent
White-Collar dude, Will work for food
Do you have some change that you can spare?
Do you have some change that you can spare?
Debts of Today, Our grandkids pay
Put off today, that’s the American way!
www.talkshoe.com/talkshoe/web/talkCast.jsp?masterId=29521&cmd=tc
Recession Bells of Christmas [Sung to tune of “Carol of the Bells”]
Written by Derek W. Logue
12/22/2009
Money’s all spent, How could we let
Our government, Put us in debt?
Health care is broke, that ain’t no joke
Young and the old, out in the cold
Interest rates up, getting fed up
STILL in Iraq, why aren’t we back?
And those Chinese, jobs overseas
Cheap lead-filled toys, to girls and boys
O How they pound, raising their sound
Capitol Hill, lies to us still!
They bailed out banks, GM says thanks
What’s that about? Where’s MY bailout?!?
Do you have some change that you can spare?
Do you have some change that you can spare?
Black Friday Blues, Credit card dues
Bleeding us dry, I wanna cry!
All my stocks sank, Can’t fill my tank
Damn SUV, please help me!
401-K, all went away
Got my Pink Slip, Welfare’s a trip
Can’t make ends meet, Now I people greet
At a Wal-Mart, Hey it’s a start!
Recession’s away, that’s what they say
But I can’t tell, stuck in this hell
O How they pound, raising their sound
Capitol Hill, lies to us still!
Last dime was spent, Buying this tent
White-Collar dude, Will work for food
Do you have some change that you can spare?
Do you have some change that you can spare?
Debts of Today, Our grandkids pay
Put off today, that’s the American way!
"Anarchy in Miami" Spoof Lyrics
Here is the song I wrote for Mary and Kevin's "Americans Reality Check Radio" show for their 2009 Christmas Eve special on 12/24/2009. Click on the link to access the show's Talk Shoe page and archive. I'm sure Ron Book and Gov. Charlie Crist will LOVE this song! (I sang the song on the show, by the way)
www.talkshoe.com/talkshoe/web/talkCast.jsp?masterId=29521&cmd=tc
Anarchy in Miami [Sung to tune of “Anarchy in the UK” by the Sex Pistols]
Spoofed lyrics by Derek “The Fallen One” Logue
I am anti-Crist
Ron Book is such a crook
Can’t trust politicians and they just don’t get it
They wanna destroy human lives
And all I ever see, anarchy!
In Miami
Homeless camp at the JTC
National shame for the world to see
Ron Book and Crist hogging media time
Blaming each other for this crime
And all I ever see, anarchy!
In Miami
Using deception just to get what they want
Exploiting the law, knowing it’s flawed
Residency laws just don’t work
But they don’t care because they’re jerks
All I ever see, anarchy!
In Miami
Is this the USSR
Is this state ruled by a czar
Nothing worse than FLA
The dumbest state in the USA
This is a muffed up country
Another council hypocrisy
I don’t wanna see anarchy!
And its time to end anarchy!
Abolish residency laws!
And its time to end anarchy!
Residency laws destroy!
www.talkshoe.com/talkshoe/web/talkCast.jsp?masterId=29521&cmd=tc
Anarchy in Miami [Sung to tune of “Anarchy in the UK” by the Sex Pistols]
Spoofed lyrics by Derek “The Fallen One” Logue
I am anti-Crist
Ron Book is such a crook
Can’t trust politicians and they just don’t get it
They wanna destroy human lives
And all I ever see, anarchy!
In Miami
Homeless camp at the JTC
National shame for the world to see
Ron Book and Crist hogging media time
Blaming each other for this crime
And all I ever see, anarchy!
In Miami
Using deception just to get what they want
Exploiting the law, knowing it’s flawed
Residency laws just don’t work
But they don’t care because they’re jerks
All I ever see, anarchy!
In Miami
Is this the USSR
Is this state ruled by a czar
Nothing worse than FLA
The dumbest state in the USA
This is a muffed up country
Another council hypocrisy
I don’t wanna see anarchy!
And its time to end anarchy!
Abolish residency laws!
And its time to end anarchy!
Residency laws destroy!
"The Troll Bash" Song Lyrics
Here is the song I wrote for Mary and Kevin's "Americans Reality Check Radio" show for Halloween 2009. Click on the link to access the show's Talk Shoe page and archive (Note: I did not sing the song, simply wrote it!)
www.talkshoe.com/talkshoe/web/talkCast.jsp?masterId=29521&cmd=tc
www.talkshoe.com/talkshoe/web/talkCast.jsp?masterId=29521&cmd=tc
The Troll Bash [Sung to “Monster Mash” by Bobby “Boris” Pickett]
Spoofed lyrics by Derek “The Fallen One” Logue
I was working online late one night
When my eyes beheld an eerie sight
When the comment boards became filled with lies
By honestly I’m not surprised
[They did the bash] That site was troll bashed
[The TROLL bash] Everything they said was trash
[Their site was trashed] It made my computer crash
[They love to bash] They did the troll bash
From the West Coast News to the Daily East
The trolls came out for their nightly feast
While hiding within their slummy abodes
They sign in and start up in attack mode
[They did the bash] That site was troll bashed
[The TROLL bash] Everything they said was trash
[Their site was trashed] It made my computer crash
[They love to bash] They did the troll bash
The P-Jerks were having fun
The comments were really dumb
The pests included Stitches
Jacey and her son
They found all my posts like a pack of hounds
And the extent of their lies had no bounds
But as soon as our voice of truth had arrived
The trolls decided it was time to take five
[They did the bash] That site was troll bashed
[The TROLL bash] Everything they said was trash
[Their site was trashed] It made my computer crash
[They love to bash] They did the troll bash
Rob Taylor was spewing non-sensical things
Static and TSand tied to puppet strings
They opened their mouths and shook their fists
Every word they say they distort and twist
[They did the bash] That site was troll bashed
[The TROLL bash] Everything they said was trash
[Their site was trashed] It made my computer crash
[They love to bash] They did the troll bash
The trolls have all their heads stuck in the sand
Spreading their lies across the land
So spread the truth whatever you do
And when they complain tell them Mary and Kevin sent you
[Then you can bash] Then you can troll bash
[The TROLL bash] The truth beats all their trash
[The troll bash] They’ll be gone in a flash
[The troll bash] Then you can troll bash
Saturday, December 12, 2009
Stop Vigilante Violence and Websites Act 0f 2010
This is an important petition so I ask everyone to please sign it!
http://www.petitiononline.com/vigi2010/
All the info on this bill can be found at thelink provided. My goal is to have 1000 signatures by the first of the year!
http://www.petitiononline.com/vigi2010/
All the info on this bill can be found at thelink provided. My goal is to have 1000 signatures by the first of the year!
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Of Myths and Monsters: The Plague of Sex Offender Panic
This is an editorial published in the Cypress Times. It wasn't easy getting them to publish it; I had to remove any references to the original article that spawned this retort. Still, I am happy to get a full length piece published anywhere.
http://www.thecypresstimes.com/article/News/Opinion_Editorial/OF_MYTHS_AND_MONSTERS_THE_PLAGUE_OF_SEX_OFFENDER_PANIC/25996
OF MYTHS AND MONSTERS: THE PLAGUE OF SEX OFFENDER PANIC
http://www.thecypresstimes.com/article/News/Opinion_Editorial/OF_MYTHS_AND_MONSTERS_THE_PLAGUE_OF_SEX_OFFENDER_PANIC/25996
OF MYTHS AND MONSTERS: THE PLAGUE OF SEX OFFENDER PANIC
Published 11/24/2009 - 5:12 a.m. CST
By Derek W. Logue
Ignorance is not always bliss, nor is knowledge power. Even in this so-called “Age of Information,” we rely on Mass Media to think for us, reminiscent of the scene from the film “Wall-E,” where we let computers do everything for us. We forget Mass Media is a big business, and relies on sensational stories for ratings and advertising dollars. One of the most tragic stories we can think of is a murdered child, and every one of these tragedies keep us glued to the televisions in fear and anger. Fear sells, sex sells, and sex offenders sell.
The media reports covering the Somer Thompson case stated they were “interviewing 160+ nearby sex offenders” (interviews of registrants are typically standard operating procedure for Law Enforcement, as it was the original intent of the sex offender registry). Then the Mass Media suggested we check the maps at Family Watchdog; after all, if Oprah endorses it, it must be good. Alarmed by “blood red” dots and statistics with huge numbers implying a global epidemic, the average reader comes to the conclusion to be hyper-vigilant while watching the red blips on the radar. After all, they’re “always on the verge of re-offending” and “we’re powerless to stop them,” Mass Media says.
“Knowledge” brings “fear," but not always “rational fear.” It depends on what you find in your search for answers. In our fear and anger, we search for a solution to what bothers us; after all, our myriad of laws aimed at registered former sex offenders were birthed from reactions to tragedies. Every law in place targeting sex offenders, from publicly accessible registries, to laws dictating where registrants live and work, to laws dictating who a person can date, came on the heels of one of these high profile but rare tragedies. These tragedies spark public outrage, which in turn calls for a demand for some new panacea for our fears; politicians are pressed into action, creating new laws or expanding existing laws to cater to their constituents; without a single debate or “nay” vote, the new “panacea” passes and the world is at ease. At least until the next high profile tragedy hits the national airwaves.
When I was a child (as young as age 8 as I had an older brother), it was not uncommon to walk down to a friend’s house down the street to play, or go into the woods to play “War,” or to even be home alone while mommy and daddy went to town to run errands. We were taught to do chores around the house, how to answer the phone and take messages, and what to do in emergencies (like how to call 911). Those responsibilities I was taught as a child is now called “child abuse and neglect,” which will land you on a registry under the Adam Walsh Act.
I watched society slowly change over the years, beginning with the death of Adam Walsh in 1981. At first the changes were small; we were taught “secret passwords,” “don’t talk to strangers,” “walk with a buddy.” Then the sensational media reports of “Satanic ritual abuse” in America’s daycares began (which eventually turned out to be false), followed by the high-profile disappearances of Jacob Wetterling and Megan Kanka, which led to a public registry of persons convicted of “dangerous sex crimes.” Rather than grant us the “rational knowledge” to protect ourselves, we became even more fearful. Helicopter moms and dads hover over the child’s every move; only under the watchful eye of the parent can the child surf the web, play in the yard, or attend public social events. Now, little Johnny cannot go play by himself, lest he be kidnapped or molested.
Fear tends to hide the truth from us. Most of what our society believes about sex offenders is not true. Below are just a few of the beliefs we were taught that are either misleading or completely untrue:
• Epidemic of rape-murders: The Somer Renee Thompson case is a tragedy indeed, but is a very rare tragedy. In the NISMART-2 study from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, only 115 “stereotypical kidnappings” occurred in the year of the study, with only 45 of those cases ended in death or were permanently missing [1]. Your child has a far greater chance winning a multi-million dollar lottery or dying of Swine Flu than dying at the hands of a registered sex offender.
• All registered sex offenders are pedophiles: Pedophilia is a mental disorder and is exceedingly rare; only a very minute portion of sex offenders are “true pedophiles.” To make matters worse, our zeal to fight this “epidemic” has led to some other tragedies—Teens landing on registries for consensual sexual relations with their peers or “sexting” (sending naughty pictures of themselves to their boyfriends). The Dallas Morning News recently complied a list of over 4000 Texas registrants who landed on the registry as juveniles, some as young as age 10 [2]. Another recent case in Utah involved a 12 year old boy and 13 year old girl on the registry for “sexually assaulting” each other [3].
• Sex offenders are highly likely to re-offend: Studies have consistently shown sex offenders, as a whole, have a far lower rate of re-offending than any other crime type. Even long-term studies by reputable researchers found low rates of recidivism (between 2%-10% in most studies as long as 15 years) [4]. For every ultra-rare tragedy like Somer’s, there are thousands of “blood red dots” on that registry who have no involvement with that case, or another case, for that matter.
• Most sex crimes are committed by sex offenders: The registry leads people to believe sex offenders are the only ones committing sex crimes, but stats show the vast majority of sex crimes (between 87% and 96%) are committed by someone not on a publicly accessible registry [5]. Furthermore, the people most likely to molest a child are the immediate family members or closest acquaintances of the child, nearly all of them are likely not on a public registry, either [6].
• Sex offenders cannot be cured: Many treatment programs are available, and studies show treatment works, reducing recidivism rates by at least half or more [7]. Unfortunately, treatment programs for sex offenders are rarer than the tragedies which spawn sex offender legislation.
• Sex Offenders have 117 victims on average: The stat is a misinterpretation of a result from a study with relied on self-reporting and polygraph examinations, which came on the heels of the ill-fated Daycare Abuse scare of the late 1980s/ early 1990s [8]. Again, while some pedophiles have had many victims, the vast majority of sex offenders have had one victim, not counting the cases involving streaking, public urination, or consensual teen relations.
• Tougher sex offender laws are the solution: Sex offender laws come with a heavy price; vigilante violence, homelessness and unemployment, social ostracism, and stress are just a few of the negative consequences facing not only those forced to register, but also those loved ones who support the registrant [9]. The city of Miami recently made international headlines for forcing recently released former offenders to live under the The Julia Tuttle Causeway, with powerful lobbyist and head of the homeless trust Ron Book spearheading the movement to keep them there [10].
Our society is so plagued by myths, mistruths, and misconceptions, I could write a book about it. Actually, I did write a book, entitled “Once Fallen,” a look at the “other side” of this issue, along with a free fact based site on sex offender laws and issues (www.oncefallen.com). Over the course of my research, I found we have forsaken programs that work in favor of fear-based and anger-based legislation. Even Patty Wetterling, who lobbied for a national sex offender registry, has stated we have gone too far with our laws and are in serious need of reform [11]. Exploitation of children goes far beyond abuse, as many organizations are selling fear and anger to the masses while reaping the benefits. There is no incentive to offer a rational solution to this crisis, because a solution means loss of business.
Sadly, many churches and “Christians” also jump on the bandwagon; many churches deny services to sex offenders, who are also in need of God’s giving grace and salvation. Recently, the Jefferson Hills Christian Church in Imperial, Missouri sponsored a series of billboards asking, “What’s Forgivable?” The general consensus in the local media was only sex offenders were unforgivable [12]. Some even stated sex offenders deserve “The Mark of Cain.”
But the Bible is very clear on forgiveness, on God’s giving grace, on repentance, and penance. With the exception of Christ, virtually every great Biblical hero fell short and committed great sins. Even mighty King David had one of his most faithful servants killed to hide the fact he impregnated his servant’s wife. God gave punishment, but after David repented God granted mercy and favor upon him. God even granted mercy to the first biblical villain, Cain; the “Mark of Cain” was not a scarlet letter, but a mark of protection from would-be vigilantes exacting revenge for his crimes. Cain was also allowed a wife and founded a city.
Few people, Christian or otherwise, have given much thought to dealing with sex offenders in the community outside of fear and loathing. In 2006, a man used the Maine registry to execute two registrants, one of whom was a 19 year old who had consensual relations with a 16 year old. Across the country, in Washington, a similar double murder of registrants had occurred in 2005 [13]. The wife of a man accused of possessing child porn died in a fire set by the man’s neighbors in Tennessee in 2007 [14]. In 2008, a Washington woman with a decade long history of violent assaults and drug crimes was canonized for an unprovoked assault with a baseball bat on a registrant, who was age 14 when he was listed on the state registry. People across the country sent this woman money and protested the woman’s meager 90 day sentence for assault with a deadly weapon [15]. Message boards are filled with death threats and hatred, even on Christian sites, even this very site. None of these acts have helped to solve the issue, instead, giving more incentive for registrants to disobey the laws.
If we want to address sex crimes in America, we need an honest approach. We need to seriously consider what truly works, not what simply feeds our anger and fear and makes us “feel good.” We forget sex offenders are also human beings, capable of remorse and redemption. We forget how easily we can fall into our own sins, all of which is the same in the eyes of God.
There are ways to address this issue from a realistic standpoint. We may not be able to stop every tragedy from happening, but we prevent much more sexual abuse by looking at the issue honestly. We must put aside our preconceived notions and our emotions and stick with what works. The right knowledge is power. Prevention and education programs do indeed exist, which addresses sexual abuse from a realistic and rational standpoint (such as the Jacob Wetterling Resource Center and Stop It Now!). We need to educate our youth on sexual responsibility and accountability, and not just from a fear mongering perspective. Sex education must include discussions on sex crime laws. We also need to have a balanced and healthy view of sex, meaning we can teach sexual responsibility in a tasteful manner without simply saying, “Don’t have sex or you’ll go to hell or jail.” Remember, we are a culture that needs disclaimers on coffee cups lest we burn our laps. We also need to actually talk about sex; these days when a person is struggling with sexual idolatry, they have almost nowhere to turn. Our society shuns sexual deviancy so much, even mental health professionals who work with sex offenders or deviants are shunned.
Prevention is only part of the solution; proper rehabilitation of the sex offender is a must. Of those who do re-offend, two-thirds of them will do so within the first two years of release. Thus, transitional homes and support networks (such as www.sosen.org) are keys to reducing already low recidivism rates. Social ostracism and denial of services, housing, employment, and support has already proven disastrous for our society; all those approaches achieve is reinforcing faulty belief systems of those struggling with sexual idolatry and giving ample incentive to disobey the law. A Rand Corporation study has shown every dollar spent on prevention and rehabilitation programs save up seven dollars that would otherwise be spent on running offenders through the justice system [16].
Most importantly, we need to honor victims by helping victims of sex crimes overcome the crimes committed against them. These days, if a victim forgives his or her attacker, many people look at them like they are crazy. What good does keeping victims thinking about what happened to them and the guilt and anger they feel rather than dealing with those feelings? The result is many more lives remain broken rather than healed, making them lifelong victims rather than “Thrivers.”
In our narrow focus on the “Registered Sex Offender,” we tend to forget the big picture. Appeals to emotion rather than reason helped create a legal system of perpetual brokenness for victims, offenders, and the community alike. So has the illusion of “innocence.” Your child is innocent until he is thrust into the criminal justice system for crossing a line he or she never addressed or even knew about. Ignorance is not bliss, nor is it an excuse for breaking the law. McDonald’s will give you a disclaimer for hot coffee in a cup. Yet no one is giving your child disclaimers on our legal system. If you don’t learn to be honest with your children about sexual issues, who will?
Derek Warren Logue
Civil Rights Advocate, Author of “Once Fallen”
www.oncefallen.com
References [Please note: All references can be found at www.oncefallen.com]
1. http://hawaii.gov/ag/mcch/main/faqs/files/nismart2_overview.pdf
2. http://www.dallasnews.com/database/2009/sexoffenders.html
3. http://www.denverpost.com/ci_4783650
4. http://www.drc.state.oh.us/web/Reports/Ten_Year_Recidivism.pdf; http://www.oncefallen.com/Recidivism101.html
5. Jeffrey C. Sandler, Naomi J. Freeman, and Kelly M. Socia, “Does a Watched Pot Boil? A Time-Series Analysis of New York State’s Sex Offender Registration and Notification Law.” Psychology, Public Policy, and Law, Vol. 14, No. 4, Nov. 2008; http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/pub/pdf/rsorp94.pdf, page 11
6. Janus ES: Failure to Protect: America's Sexual Predator Laws and the Rise of the Preventive State. Ithaca, NY, Cornell University Press, 2006
7. http://www.drc.state.oh.us/web/Reports/Ten_Year_Recidivism.pdf; http://www.vcsc.state.va.us/sex_off_report.pdf
8. See http://www.oncefallen.com/SOMyths.html, Myth #7
9. John Q. La Fond, "Preventing Sexual Violence." APA 2005; http://ccoso.org/Vilification.pdf
10. See http://www.oncefallen.com/juliatuttlecauseway.html
11. http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2007/06/11/sexoffender1/
12. http://www.ksdk.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=183424&catid=3
13. http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/04/17/national/main1501271.shtml
14. http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/09/14/national/main3262871.shtml
15. http://www.komonews.com/news/local/40457662.html#idc-container
16. http://www.pbs.org/wnet/closetohome/policy/html/treatwork.html
Ignorance is not always bliss, nor is knowledge power. Even in this so-called “Age of Information,” we rely on Mass Media to think for us, reminiscent of the scene from the film “Wall-E,” where we let computers do everything for us. We forget Mass Media is a big business, and relies on sensational stories for ratings and advertising dollars. One of the most tragic stories we can think of is a murdered child, and every one of these tragedies keep us glued to the televisions in fear and anger. Fear sells, sex sells, and sex offenders sell.
The media reports covering the Somer Thompson case stated they were “interviewing 160+ nearby sex offenders” (interviews of registrants are typically standard operating procedure for Law Enforcement, as it was the original intent of the sex offender registry). Then the Mass Media suggested we check the maps at Family Watchdog; after all, if Oprah endorses it, it must be good. Alarmed by “blood red” dots and statistics with huge numbers implying a global epidemic, the average reader comes to the conclusion to be hyper-vigilant while watching the red blips on the radar. After all, they’re “always on the verge of re-offending” and “we’re powerless to stop them,” Mass Media says.
“Knowledge” brings “fear," but not always “rational fear.” It depends on what you find in your search for answers. In our fear and anger, we search for a solution to what bothers us; after all, our myriad of laws aimed at registered former sex offenders were birthed from reactions to tragedies. Every law in place targeting sex offenders, from publicly accessible registries, to laws dictating where registrants live and work, to laws dictating who a person can date, came on the heels of one of these high profile but rare tragedies. These tragedies spark public outrage, which in turn calls for a demand for some new panacea for our fears; politicians are pressed into action, creating new laws or expanding existing laws to cater to their constituents; without a single debate or “nay” vote, the new “panacea” passes and the world is at ease. At least until the next high profile tragedy hits the national airwaves.
When I was a child (as young as age 8 as I had an older brother), it was not uncommon to walk down to a friend’s house down the street to play, or go into the woods to play “War,” or to even be home alone while mommy and daddy went to town to run errands. We were taught to do chores around the house, how to answer the phone and take messages, and what to do in emergencies (like how to call 911). Those responsibilities I was taught as a child is now called “child abuse and neglect,” which will land you on a registry under the Adam Walsh Act.
I watched society slowly change over the years, beginning with the death of Adam Walsh in 1981. At first the changes were small; we were taught “secret passwords,” “don’t talk to strangers,” “walk with a buddy.” Then the sensational media reports of “Satanic ritual abuse” in America’s daycares began (which eventually turned out to be false), followed by the high-profile disappearances of Jacob Wetterling and Megan Kanka, which led to a public registry of persons convicted of “dangerous sex crimes.” Rather than grant us the “rational knowledge” to protect ourselves, we became even more fearful. Helicopter moms and dads hover over the child’s every move; only under the watchful eye of the parent can the child surf the web, play in the yard, or attend public social events. Now, little Johnny cannot go play by himself, lest he be kidnapped or molested.
Fear tends to hide the truth from us. Most of what our society believes about sex offenders is not true. Below are just a few of the beliefs we were taught that are either misleading or completely untrue:
• Epidemic of rape-murders: The Somer Renee Thompson case is a tragedy indeed, but is a very rare tragedy. In the NISMART-2 study from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, only 115 “stereotypical kidnappings” occurred in the year of the study, with only 45 of those cases ended in death or were permanently missing [1]. Your child has a far greater chance winning a multi-million dollar lottery or dying of Swine Flu than dying at the hands of a registered sex offender.
• All registered sex offenders are pedophiles: Pedophilia is a mental disorder and is exceedingly rare; only a very minute portion of sex offenders are “true pedophiles.” To make matters worse, our zeal to fight this “epidemic” has led to some other tragedies—Teens landing on registries for consensual sexual relations with their peers or “sexting” (sending naughty pictures of themselves to their boyfriends). The Dallas Morning News recently complied a list of over 4000 Texas registrants who landed on the registry as juveniles, some as young as age 10 [2]. Another recent case in Utah involved a 12 year old boy and 13 year old girl on the registry for “sexually assaulting” each other [3].
• Sex offenders are highly likely to re-offend: Studies have consistently shown sex offenders, as a whole, have a far lower rate of re-offending than any other crime type. Even long-term studies by reputable researchers found low rates of recidivism (between 2%-10% in most studies as long as 15 years) [4]. For every ultra-rare tragedy like Somer’s, there are thousands of “blood red dots” on that registry who have no involvement with that case, or another case, for that matter.
• Most sex crimes are committed by sex offenders: The registry leads people to believe sex offenders are the only ones committing sex crimes, but stats show the vast majority of sex crimes (between 87% and 96%) are committed by someone not on a publicly accessible registry [5]. Furthermore, the people most likely to molest a child are the immediate family members or closest acquaintances of the child, nearly all of them are likely not on a public registry, either [6].
• Sex offenders cannot be cured: Many treatment programs are available, and studies show treatment works, reducing recidivism rates by at least half or more [7]. Unfortunately, treatment programs for sex offenders are rarer than the tragedies which spawn sex offender legislation.
• Sex Offenders have 117 victims on average: The stat is a misinterpretation of a result from a study with relied on self-reporting and polygraph examinations, which came on the heels of the ill-fated Daycare Abuse scare of the late 1980s/ early 1990s [8]. Again, while some pedophiles have had many victims, the vast majority of sex offenders have had one victim, not counting the cases involving streaking, public urination, or consensual teen relations.
• Tougher sex offender laws are the solution: Sex offender laws come with a heavy price; vigilante violence, homelessness and unemployment, social ostracism, and stress are just a few of the negative consequences facing not only those forced to register, but also those loved ones who support the registrant [9]. The city of Miami recently made international headlines for forcing recently released former offenders to live under the The Julia Tuttle Causeway, with powerful lobbyist and head of the homeless trust Ron Book spearheading the movement to keep them there [10].
Our society is so plagued by myths, mistruths, and misconceptions, I could write a book about it. Actually, I did write a book, entitled “Once Fallen,” a look at the “other side” of this issue, along with a free fact based site on sex offender laws and issues (www.oncefallen.com). Over the course of my research, I found we have forsaken programs that work in favor of fear-based and anger-based legislation. Even Patty Wetterling, who lobbied for a national sex offender registry, has stated we have gone too far with our laws and are in serious need of reform [11]. Exploitation of children goes far beyond abuse, as many organizations are selling fear and anger to the masses while reaping the benefits. There is no incentive to offer a rational solution to this crisis, because a solution means loss of business.
Sadly, many churches and “Christians” also jump on the bandwagon; many churches deny services to sex offenders, who are also in need of God’s giving grace and salvation. Recently, the Jefferson Hills Christian Church in Imperial, Missouri sponsored a series of billboards asking, “What’s Forgivable?” The general consensus in the local media was only sex offenders were unforgivable [12]. Some even stated sex offenders deserve “The Mark of Cain.”
But the Bible is very clear on forgiveness, on God’s giving grace, on repentance, and penance. With the exception of Christ, virtually every great Biblical hero fell short and committed great sins. Even mighty King David had one of his most faithful servants killed to hide the fact he impregnated his servant’s wife. God gave punishment, but after David repented God granted mercy and favor upon him. God even granted mercy to the first biblical villain, Cain; the “Mark of Cain” was not a scarlet letter, but a mark of protection from would-be vigilantes exacting revenge for his crimes. Cain was also allowed a wife and founded a city.
Few people, Christian or otherwise, have given much thought to dealing with sex offenders in the community outside of fear and loathing. In 2006, a man used the Maine registry to execute two registrants, one of whom was a 19 year old who had consensual relations with a 16 year old. Across the country, in Washington, a similar double murder of registrants had occurred in 2005 [13]. The wife of a man accused of possessing child porn died in a fire set by the man’s neighbors in Tennessee in 2007 [14]. In 2008, a Washington woman with a decade long history of violent assaults and drug crimes was canonized for an unprovoked assault with a baseball bat on a registrant, who was age 14 when he was listed on the state registry. People across the country sent this woman money and protested the woman’s meager 90 day sentence for assault with a deadly weapon [15]. Message boards are filled with death threats and hatred, even on Christian sites, even this very site. None of these acts have helped to solve the issue, instead, giving more incentive for registrants to disobey the laws.
If we want to address sex crimes in America, we need an honest approach. We need to seriously consider what truly works, not what simply feeds our anger and fear and makes us “feel good.” We forget sex offenders are also human beings, capable of remorse and redemption. We forget how easily we can fall into our own sins, all of which is the same in the eyes of God.
There are ways to address this issue from a realistic standpoint. We may not be able to stop every tragedy from happening, but we prevent much more sexual abuse by looking at the issue honestly. We must put aside our preconceived notions and our emotions and stick with what works. The right knowledge is power. Prevention and education programs do indeed exist, which addresses sexual abuse from a realistic and rational standpoint (such as the Jacob Wetterling Resource Center and Stop It Now!). We need to educate our youth on sexual responsibility and accountability, and not just from a fear mongering perspective. Sex education must include discussions on sex crime laws. We also need to have a balanced and healthy view of sex, meaning we can teach sexual responsibility in a tasteful manner without simply saying, “Don’t have sex or you’ll go to hell or jail.” Remember, we are a culture that needs disclaimers on coffee cups lest we burn our laps. We also need to actually talk about sex; these days when a person is struggling with sexual idolatry, they have almost nowhere to turn. Our society shuns sexual deviancy so much, even mental health professionals who work with sex offenders or deviants are shunned.
Prevention is only part of the solution; proper rehabilitation of the sex offender is a must. Of those who do re-offend, two-thirds of them will do so within the first two years of release. Thus, transitional homes and support networks (such as www.sosen.org) are keys to reducing already low recidivism rates. Social ostracism and denial of services, housing, employment, and support has already proven disastrous for our society; all those approaches achieve is reinforcing faulty belief systems of those struggling with sexual idolatry and giving ample incentive to disobey the law. A Rand Corporation study has shown every dollar spent on prevention and rehabilitation programs save up seven dollars that would otherwise be spent on running offenders through the justice system [16].
Most importantly, we need to honor victims by helping victims of sex crimes overcome the crimes committed against them. These days, if a victim forgives his or her attacker, many people look at them like they are crazy. What good does keeping victims thinking about what happened to them and the guilt and anger they feel rather than dealing with those feelings? The result is many more lives remain broken rather than healed, making them lifelong victims rather than “Thrivers.”
In our narrow focus on the “Registered Sex Offender,” we tend to forget the big picture. Appeals to emotion rather than reason helped create a legal system of perpetual brokenness for victims, offenders, and the community alike. So has the illusion of “innocence.” Your child is innocent until he is thrust into the criminal justice system for crossing a line he or she never addressed or even knew about. Ignorance is not bliss, nor is it an excuse for breaking the law. McDonald’s will give you a disclaimer for hot coffee in a cup. Yet no one is giving your child disclaimers on our legal system. If you don’t learn to be honest with your children about sexual issues, who will?
Derek Warren Logue
Civil Rights Advocate, Author of “Once Fallen”
www.oncefallen.com
References [Please note: All references can be found at www.oncefallen.com]
1. http://hawaii.gov/ag/mcch/main/faqs/files/nismart2_overview.pdf
2. http://www.dallasnews.com/database/2009/sexoffenders.html
3. http://www.denverpost.com/ci_4783650
4. http://www.drc.state.oh.us/web/Reports/Ten_Year_Recidivism.pdf; http://www.oncefallen.com/Recidivism101.html
5. Jeffrey C. Sandler, Naomi J. Freeman, and Kelly M. Socia, “Does a Watched Pot Boil? A Time-Series Analysis of New York State’s Sex Offender Registration and Notification Law.” Psychology, Public Policy, and Law, Vol. 14, No. 4, Nov. 2008; http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/pub/pdf/rsorp94.pdf, page 11
6. Janus ES: Failure to Protect: America's Sexual Predator Laws and the Rise of the Preventive State. Ithaca, NY, Cornell University Press, 2006
7. http://www.drc.state.oh.us/web/Reports/Ten_Year_Recidivism.pdf; http://www.vcsc.state.va.us/sex_off_report.pdf
8. See http://www.oncefallen.com/SOMyths.html, Myth #7
9. John Q. La Fond, "Preventing Sexual Violence." APA 2005; http://ccoso.org/Vilification.pdf
10. See http://www.oncefallen.com/juliatuttlecauseway.html
11. http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2007/06/11/sexoffender1/
12. http://www.ksdk.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=183424&catid=3
13. http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/04/17/national/main1501271.shtml
14. http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/09/14/national/main3262871.shtml
15. http://www.komonews.com/news/local/40457662.html#idc-container
16. http://www.pbs.org/wnet/closetohome/policy/html/treatwork.html
Sunday, September 27, 2009
RISING FROM THE ASHES: A MESSAGE OF HOPE AND UNITY
RISING FROM THE ASHES: A MESSAGE OF HOPE AND UNITY
By: Derek "The Fallen One" Logue
December 12, 2007
Introduction
This is the speech I was to give at the Silent No More Rally in Columbus, Ohio on December 1, 2007, but
due to scheduling conflicts was unable to give. I now offer the speech here in hopes that the few who read
this site to seek answers or assistance may find hope and strengthen you to take up the fight against
these increasingly oppressive laws. This was originally posted at www.oncefallen.com, but moved here because it is a better fit.
The Speech
Today we stand in the hostile weather and against a more hostile crowd in a show of unity because we
truly believe in being "silent no more." I truly believe there is great power in a public show of unity, not only
for the greater good, but for ourselves and those in our situation as well. Through this public stand, we
strengthen those who are afraid to take a stand or feel they are all alone in this battle. I bear witness to
this fact, and will share with you the following story.
One year ago, almost to the day, I was just settling into a new apartment. I was forced to move from my
first apartment, an apartment pre-approved by the sheriff I might add, after the Hamilton County
Prosecutor's office evicted me. I had spent over a year and called around 200 landlords before I found a
new place that met the state's residency requirements. My mother and I were still unpacking from the move
when we heard the city of Cincinnati was having an open forum to discuss a proposal to increase
residency restrictions in the city. Immediately my mom and I grabbed the camcorder and hopped the bus
downtown. I managed to get on the speaker's list; I would be the last person to give a three minute speech
that day.
As you can imagine, every speaker applauded the proposal, with the exception of representatives of the
Ohio Justice and Policy Center. Councilman Chris Monzel, the one who drafted the proposal, called it "a
great Christmas present for the children of Cincinnati." Another person boldly proclaimed all sex offenders
should get the death penalty. Nearly a dozen speakers all repeated similar sentiments. Finally came my
time to speak. I told them I was a registered sex offender who had not re-offended in the four years since
my release; I addressed the fallacy of sex offender myths and the efficacy of residency restrictions.
Immediately my simple three minute speech changed the entire course of the fight against the ordinance.
After the meeting, a reporter from Channel 5 shook my hand and told me, "You've got guts." I was
interviewed on the local news; I was encouraged that the local media at least gave not only my views on
the law, but gave the truth about the low recidivism rates of sex offenders as well. No one targeted me for
speaking out; in fact, those who recognized me from the news congratulated me for speaking out. Most
importantly, I saw a great change in the direction the city council meetings had taken since that day I first
spoke out. I had attended two more meetings, and the chambers were filled with individuals speaking out
against the ordinance, including other sex offenders. As a result, the council made significant changes to
the ordinance, adding a grandfather clause allowing allow sex offenders to remain in their current
residences, and remove parks from the prohibited zones.
The fact that anyone, including sex offenders, spoke out against the law is amazing in itself, but it took one
man to start the change. I later discovered that nearly a dozen registered sex offenders attended that first
city council meeting, but I was the only one who had the "audacity" to speak out. That one act set a great
change in motion, strengthening the weak, encouraging the fearful, and guiding the lost. All it takes is one
snowflake to start the avalanche, one straw to break the camel's back, one drop to send the bucket
spilling over. You can be the one.
Every time we stand at a rally, share our knowledge with another individual seeking answers, debunk the
myths propagated by the media, or contact your legislators, you are that one, that visible presence that
strengthens, that encourages, that unites. Our numbers may be small now, but we are indeed making a
difference. Every major movement was accomplished with both a few large steps and countless smaller
steps. Each of us have a role to play. But we must stand strong and not falter, to show bravery when we
are scared to death inside, and show unity even if we have petty disputes with others on our side of the
cause. This is the time to put those differences and fears aside and devote yourself fully and wholly to the
task at hand.
Regardless of whether any of you believe in the Christian Holy Bible or not, the Good Book has a lot of
historical value; it is a testament to the unchanging nature of man. History is filled with wars, strife, people
who committed great atrocities, some in the name of a some just cause or of their god or gods. But the
Bible is also a message of hope, filled with great deeds and acts of great mercy.
Without a doubt, the central figure of the Bible is Jesus Christ. Many people have a vision of Jesus as
"meek and mild." I have a problem with this "meek and mild" image.; it implies weakness, running away
from conflict, not fighting back when attacked. But if you read the Gospels closely, The Biblical Jesus was
not as "meek and mild" as many believe. Theologian Dr. Scott Hahn's dissertation on John chapter 6,
known to Catholic Christians is the "Bread of Life Discourse," offers the best example for Jesus as
anything but meek and mild.
Earlier in the chapter, Jesus performed two famous miracles, the feeding of the five thousand and walking
on water. Now Jesus offers up to his followers an even better deal, "the food that endures for eternal life."
This obviously piques the interest of the followers, so they ask Jesus for this bread of life. Jesus replies, "I
am this bread of life, and those who consume this bread will live forever, and the bread that I will give is
MY FLESH for the life of the world." I can only imagine the faces of the followers, faces frozen in disbelief
in what they were hearing. They said in disbelief, "How can this man give us his flesh to eat?" Now
consider this: Did Jesus back peddle? Did Jesus replace his speech with some watered down politically
correct version of his previous statement? The answer is no; in fact, Jesus repeats this phrase four times
over, "you must eat my flesh and drink my blood," for it is the bread of life. The followers' responded, "this
saying is hard; who can accept this?" Many disciples left. Jesus knew full well this saying shocked the
consciences of his followers, and risked losing thousands of disciples for the sake of his message. Hardly
the message of a meek and mild person.
Whether you believe Jesus was the Son of God or just an ordinary man, His message holds true for our
fight. In Matthew 10:34-42, Jesus gave a passage to which we should pay close attention, because this
passage really applies to our fight:
I would like to leave you with this final thought. Since the day I was arrested for a sex crime in 2000, I have
referred to myself as the "Fallen One." One day one of my counselors asked me when I will no longer be a
fallen one and be more like a phoenix. This message I now pass on to you. For too long we have been
"fallen ones." But this day I implore you to gather the ashes of our lives, pick up your wings, and rise from
the ashes as a phoenix.
The End
Time: 10 minutes
By: Derek "The Fallen One" Logue
December 12, 2007
Introduction
This is the speech I was to give at the Silent No More Rally in Columbus, Ohio on December 1, 2007, but
due to scheduling conflicts was unable to give. I now offer the speech here in hopes that the few who read
this site to seek answers or assistance may find hope and strengthen you to take up the fight against
these increasingly oppressive laws. This was originally posted at www.oncefallen.com, but moved here because it is a better fit.
The Speech
Today we stand in the hostile weather and against a more hostile crowd in a show of unity because we
truly believe in being "silent no more." I truly believe there is great power in a public show of unity, not only
for the greater good, but for ourselves and those in our situation as well. Through this public stand, we
strengthen those who are afraid to take a stand or feel they are all alone in this battle. I bear witness to
this fact, and will share with you the following story.
One year ago, almost to the day, I was just settling into a new apartment. I was forced to move from my
first apartment, an apartment pre-approved by the sheriff I might add, after the Hamilton County
Prosecutor's office evicted me. I had spent over a year and called around 200 landlords before I found a
new place that met the state's residency requirements. My mother and I were still unpacking from the move
when we heard the city of Cincinnati was having an open forum to discuss a proposal to increase
residency restrictions in the city. Immediately my mom and I grabbed the camcorder and hopped the bus
downtown. I managed to get on the speaker's list; I would be the last person to give a three minute speech
that day.
As you can imagine, every speaker applauded the proposal, with the exception of representatives of the
Ohio Justice and Policy Center. Councilman Chris Monzel, the one who drafted the proposal, called it "a
great Christmas present for the children of Cincinnati." Another person boldly proclaimed all sex offenders
should get the death penalty. Nearly a dozen speakers all repeated similar sentiments. Finally came my
time to speak. I told them I was a registered sex offender who had not re-offended in the four years since
my release; I addressed the fallacy of sex offender myths and the efficacy of residency restrictions.
Immediately my simple three minute speech changed the entire course of the fight against the ordinance.
After the meeting, a reporter from Channel 5 shook my hand and told me, "You've got guts." I was
interviewed on the local news; I was encouraged that the local media at least gave not only my views on
the law, but gave the truth about the low recidivism rates of sex offenders as well. No one targeted me for
speaking out; in fact, those who recognized me from the news congratulated me for speaking out. Most
importantly, I saw a great change in the direction the city council meetings had taken since that day I first
spoke out. I had attended two more meetings, and the chambers were filled with individuals speaking out
against the ordinance, including other sex offenders. As a result, the council made significant changes to
the ordinance, adding a grandfather clause allowing allow sex offenders to remain in their current
residences, and remove parks from the prohibited zones.
The fact that anyone, including sex offenders, spoke out against the law is amazing in itself, but it took one
man to start the change. I later discovered that nearly a dozen registered sex offenders attended that first
city council meeting, but I was the only one who had the "audacity" to speak out. That one act set a great
change in motion, strengthening the weak, encouraging the fearful, and guiding the lost. All it takes is one
snowflake to start the avalanche, one straw to break the camel's back, one drop to send the bucket
spilling over. You can be the one.
Every time we stand at a rally, share our knowledge with another individual seeking answers, debunk the
myths propagated by the media, or contact your legislators, you are that one, that visible presence that
strengthens, that encourages, that unites. Our numbers may be small now, but we are indeed making a
difference. Every major movement was accomplished with both a few large steps and countless smaller
steps. Each of us have a role to play. But we must stand strong and not falter, to show bravery when we
are scared to death inside, and show unity even if we have petty disputes with others on our side of the
cause. This is the time to put those differences and fears aside and devote yourself fully and wholly to the
task at hand.
Regardless of whether any of you believe in the Christian Holy Bible or not, the Good Book has a lot of
historical value; it is a testament to the unchanging nature of man. History is filled with wars, strife, people
who committed great atrocities, some in the name of a some just cause or of their god or gods. But the
Bible is also a message of hope, filled with great deeds and acts of great mercy.
Without a doubt, the central figure of the Bible is Jesus Christ. Many people have a vision of Jesus as
"meek and mild." I have a problem with this "meek and mild" image.; it implies weakness, running away
from conflict, not fighting back when attacked. But if you read the Gospels closely, The Biblical Jesus was
not as "meek and mild" as many believe. Theologian Dr. Scott Hahn's dissertation on John chapter 6,
known to Catholic Christians is the "Bread of Life Discourse," offers the best example for Jesus as
anything but meek and mild.
Earlier in the chapter, Jesus performed two famous miracles, the feeding of the five thousand and walking
on water. Now Jesus offers up to his followers an even better deal, "the food that endures for eternal life."
This obviously piques the interest of the followers, so they ask Jesus for this bread of life. Jesus replies, "I
am this bread of life, and those who consume this bread will live forever, and the bread that I will give is
MY FLESH for the life of the world." I can only imagine the faces of the followers, faces frozen in disbelief
in what they were hearing. They said in disbelief, "How can this man give us his flesh to eat?" Now
consider this: Did Jesus back peddle? Did Jesus replace his speech with some watered down politically
correct version of his previous statement? The answer is no; in fact, Jesus repeats this phrase four times
over, "you must eat my flesh and drink my blood," for it is the bread of life. The followers' responded, "this
saying is hard; who can accept this?" Many disciples left. Jesus knew full well this saying shocked the
consciences of his followers, and risked losing thousands of disciples for the sake of his message. Hardly
the message of a meek and mild person.
Whether you believe Jesus was the Son of God or just an ordinary man, His message holds true for our
fight. In Matthew 10:34-42, Jesus gave a passage to which we should pay close attention, because this
passage really applies to our fight:
- Jesus said, "I have come not to bring peace but the sword." The time for being humble has passed;
the time to take a stand is now. A friend and fellow sex offender I helped out in the past asked me
one day, "why do you fight?" I responded by asking him why he doesn't fight. He replied "I just want
to live out my life without being messed with by the people." This man was homeless; he had to
check in every weekday with the sheriff's office to tell them where he sleeps every night. He didn't
realize the week before our conversation, the local news ran an expose on homeless sex offenders
as "a loophole in registry laws," and he was the star of the show. The entire news report was on this
man. Eventually someone recognized him from the report and got him arrested. While he was living
on the streets and now in jail, I have a roof over my head, which I had fought hard to keep. That
alone should be testimony enough to show the need to take up the fight. - "Whoever does not take up his cross and follow after me is not worthy of me." We must commit to
our cause without a shed of doubt, fear, or any other reservation. We have a great burden, or a
"cross," as Jesus put it, to carry. This burden should not hinder us, but inspire us to fight back. We
must show resolve under threats, intimidation and harassment, resolve as we stand up to a society
that desires to humiliate, mutilate, and destroy us, and to drown out the voices of hate and loathing
with our own message. We cannot run from our cross; we must carry it with all our might if we are to
have any hope of relief for the cross. - "Whoever receives you receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me." We
are one, and when we call a congressman, attend a rally, or spread the truth in a blog, you are not
just yourself, you represent us all. You are not alone. More importantly, each act, whether great or
small, brings us closer to the goal. The tide is turning, slowly but surely. For example, The state of
Iowa passed and enforced 2000 foot residency restrictions in 2005. The laws had a number of
unintended consequences; in the one year since the residency law passed, the number of
absconded RSO increased for 150 to 400, and the number of homeless RSO reached epidemic
proportions, as many areas of the state were off-limits. In that same year, the number of sex crimes
against children actually increased, and there was only one stranger sex crime against a child that
year. All of a sudden, the state police AND the county prosecutors association began a campaign to
abolish the laws, a battle continuing to this day. Now the woman responsible for creating and
passing the first registry laws, Patty Wetterling, is seeking sweeping changes in sex offender laws
and openly critical of the efficacy of these laws. People are more receptive to our message now
more than ever. And every effort we put forth, whether it reaches just one person or a one million,
leads us closer to our equality and relief from these oppressive laws.
I would like to leave you with this final thought. Since the day I was arrested for a sex crime in 2000, I have
referred to myself as the "Fallen One." One day one of my counselors asked me when I will no longer be a
fallen one and be more like a phoenix. This message I now pass on to you. For too long we have been
"fallen ones." But this day I implore you to gather the ashes of our lives, pick up your wings, and rise from
the ashes as a phoenix.
The End
Time: 10 minutes
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