Greg Poston, 62, of Dayton, Ohio, is dying of cancer, and his condition is worsening daily. One of his four siblings, a brother, Roger, also has cancer. Both Greg and Roger have long dreamed of seeing the Grand Canyon, but it is a dream they had given up on until recently.
Their physician, Dr. Emily Vannorsdall, contacted the Dream Foundation, a national organization headquartered in Santa Barbara, California, that grants the dreams of adults with life-threatening diseases. The Dream Foundation agreed to grant a four-day trip to the Grand Canyon not only for Greg and Roger but also for their three siblings. All four of the Poston brothers are U.S. Military Veterans, and their local Veterans’ Service Commission partnered with the Dream Foundation in offering the family trip.
When the action of the Foundation became known, they started getting phone calls informing them that Greg was on the public sex offender registry and thus should not receive this gift. In 2007 he was convicted of two counts of sexual imposition of a child, a third degree felony. Greg served a year of his two-year sentence and was granted judicial release in early 2009.
Personnel at the Dream Foundation investigated, and after talking with community members and some of the victims’ family members, made the decision to revoke the gift to Greg and released this statement: ” ‘After speaking with members of this individual’s community, and consulting with our legal counsel and board of directors, Dream Foundation does not believe it is appropriate to proceed in the fulfillment of this individual’s dream.’”
As soon as this became public, Reform Sex Offender Laws, Inc.—RSOL—wrote the key personnel at the Dream Foundation protesting the decision. RSOL is an organization that advocates for and encourages the successful rehabilitation and reintegration of former sex offenders into a law-abiding society. We strongly object to continued consequences that amount to additional punishment after a registered citizen has satisfied his term of court-ordered punishment.
The response from the Dream Foundation reiterated their position and their reasoning in withdrawing Greg’s trip. According to their spokesperson Tristen Layton, they felt they should honor the wishes of the victims and their families. We have for years now lived with the consequences of basing legislation on emotions and victim-driven reactions rather than facts and evidence, and studies show these consequences to be ineffective—indeed, often harmful—in improving public safety.
RSOL’s reply to the Dream Foundation reiterated our strong disagreement with allowing former victims the right to inflict or be instrumental in inflicting perpetual punishment, even to and beyond the grave if they could, on those who have paid their legal debt. At this point, for Greg, there is not even the pretense of justice but only that of revenge and additional punishment. There was no response from the foundation.
RSOL is examining options for further action. Updates will follow as soon as possible.
Come on, the only reason why they took back the gift was because of the pressure of those that don’t know the statistics. If it was someone convicted of another crime it would have slipped through the cracks as “hey, people make mistakes and have a right to a second chance”. But because it is a SO all hell breaks loose. They just used the victim’s family as an excuse to pull the gift. This country is heading to the point where we, us, you, anyone will not be able to do anything without being prosecuted for something. Once the media gets a hold of a story it is over!! They over dramatize things and use fear in everything. Good news does not sell, only bad news. So why invest dollars in something that won’t bring a return on investment. And even if the organization believes in second chances they can not voice it because they only worry about the donations and contributions that would be with held. And some people really fall for this?? Ignorance rules!!
“This country is heading to the point where we, us, you, anyone will not be able to do anything without being prosecuted for something”
This statement is dramatic and doesn’t seem to support a civilized society. Although laws have been unjust and even evil I doubt that the US will make everything illegal. One thing that needs to be understood is that most people in the US don’t approve of adults engaging in anything sexual with kids. If the laws bother you should try to reform it (civil rights and not fear stigma or prison) or move to another country. I know someone moving to sweden for this reason. Another person I know is trying to find parents who would approve of such relationships. Sitting around bitchin’ won’t fix this problem, nor being dramatic.
You know I am for RSOL and what it is trying to accomplish for offenders’ rights and to reform the registry, but name calling really isn’t the way to go about it. While I or any other sex offender doesn’t have any voice at all and to submit to authorities the good book tells me different. Have we not heard about Rebuking others?
Sure RSOL can send a letter to this Dream Committee and they can fire something back that sounds like someone is making sense, but let God be true and every man a liar or is that to harsh to say in this day and age.
Folks, your dealing with human nature. What was Jesus Christ dealing with? He was dealing with people to come together to love they neighbor. Sometimes I look at all this going on and its too Hunanistic even for me to grasp.
People are going to treat the sex offender any way they can and its because there is no love for thy fellow man that falls
And that letter that they wrote is showing that they have more pride than giving in and understanding someone’s affliction and that person’s dream.
Have NRSOL started a fundraising project for this ?
let me know so I can give what I can
thank you
I truly believe that a rso should stand up. And many more to back eachother up.I myself am going through a very difficult time. Right now my family and I are separated. I am their only provider. At this time my wife and daughter are staying with her friend and I’m in a motel. One thing that I learned is that u.s. (texas) makes their own law when it comes to rso! Many times I’ve felt like just giving up! So if there is anyone out there that is willing to help you can contact me at isaacvillafranco71@Yahoo. Com. I ask for your prayers. God bless!
These laws are no different than the laws once used to burn so called witches at the stake. And one day history will record it as such. One day every man and woman will have to answer for their actions to a higher power.
These laws they say are to protect children and families but they do just the opposite. And the damage they do is well documented by all kinds of professionals.
I am a rso who has been able to live out my time on the registry and it has not been easy…it destroyed my marriage, destroyed my business all in the name of so called safety. As a result of being a rso I was not allowed to petition for a visa for my wife and son to enter the u.s…..why? Safety concerns to protect my son from me….now keep in mind my son is a u.s. citizen by law at birth, even being born in another country and I have his u.s. birth certificate given by the State Dept. and he has a u.s. passport as well…so he is free to travel to and from the u.s with me even ever we wanted….but his mother cannot without a visa. Now if the government fear for his safety with me why would they not grant his mother a visa to travel with us to make sure some one was with us to protect him…from me?
These laws are not written to protect, they’re written to inflict as much harm and retribution as possible…
And here is another thing many may not know, I moved out of the country and have for over 6 years…yet they continued to harass and threaten me that if I did not continue to up date them with my where about that I would be considered non compliant with the AWA and would be arrested if I ever re-entered the u.s….they even tried to tell me they would seek extradition if i did not comply….an outright lie..something they cannot do because extradition treaty with the country I am living clearly states what the u.s. would want to extradite me for must also be a crime in their country…and failure to register is not a crime here.
The AWA states I must show up in person ever 2 or 3 years for new photos to be taken and up date my statues…..but they told me I DON’T NEED TO DO THAT….WHICH IS NOT LEGAL AS WELL THEY CANNOT PICK AND CHOOSE WHAT LAWS TO ENFORCE AND NOT ENFORCE….THEY MUST ENFORCE ALL LAWS IMPOSED EQUALLY TO ALL.