News of the day: ACLU in the fight in Illinois and Alabama

In Illinois, it’s freedom of speech; read the press release here.

 

In Alabama, it’s religious freedom; read about it here at AL.com.

someone outside of NARSOL

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18 Thoughts to “News of the day: ACLU in the fight in Illinois and Alabama”

  1. AvatarRSO Critical Mass?

    For the Alabama case, did they ever consider that Alcoholics live together in sober homes so they can support each other when needed (one of the reasons at least) and those who are RSO’s can do the same? Do they think RSOs will reach critical mass like a nuclear reaction or any other explosive mix where things could go wrong? Where does the thinking come from when they say having that many in one place is wrong? What is the science behind? Did they not think that maybe it would help them when they do residence checks?

    Just saying……

    1. FredFred

      Its a lot simpler than that. They just know being tough on sex offenders and making their lives damn near impossible is a boost for them politically and financially.

    2. AvatarPaul

      To your point RSO CRITICAL MASS, statistically, it would be a lot more dangerous for a bunch of alcoholics to live near children, especially if they owned cars. And even under those circumstances, I think it would be cruel to deprive them of an opportunity to reintegrate back into society by living together when all else fails. I have said for a long time that every RSO knows what it would have felt like to live in the Jim Crow South. We experience it everyday. We’re not wanted anywhere because false propaganda dominates the media and politicians have an agenda. I would just love for Janice Belluci, Emily Horowitz, Jill Levinson, Fred Berlin, RIchard Wollert and others to have equal airtime as commentators along with the Klaus’s and Kamka’s, just to have the playing field leveled. We need people with hard facts supporting us more publicly, not just rhetoric that appeals only to one’s emotions.

    3. AvatarPaul

      With that said, while hard facts and statistics are important, people also need to know that each piece of new piece of cr*p that congress erodes the freedom of EVERY American. If people only realized how easy it is to end up on this list, they’d be calling their congressman so quickly it wouldn’t even be funny. Everyone thinks that they would never be placed in the positions that we are but these people are deceiving themselves. All it takes in one false accusation; one error in judgment, anything, and boom, it’s all over.

    4. AvatarLet them live together

      Paul – You need to check your stats fact for Alcoholics who are sober and live in sober homes with vehicles. If you have the stats, then publish them with references here. Many sober homes are in neighborhoods where children are present with no issues. In addition, many alcoholics live in neighborhoods with children and own vehicle to which they even drive. I know this for a fact since I have worked with them. Point being, they are living together for their various reasons to do so and there is nothing wrong with it while being beneficial in the long run.

      The article said it would be bad for RSOs to do the same with no science to back it up. My point is they are wrong and letting them live together could be beneficial, until proven otherwise.

    5. AvatarPaul

      Let them live together,

      I don’t disagree with that. I said “more likely” but that doesn’t mean I implied that the other scenario I suggested was likely in the first place, either. Sorry if I didn’t make that more clear.

    6. We need to stop letting them believe that, by speaking out every chance we get.

    7. Avatardavid

      Yep. Just like the “war on drugs”. Finally, after hundreds of thousands, if not millions of lives ruined, not by drugs, but by the terrible, poorly considered laws passed in a frenzy of political one-upmanship, some politicians are now saying that the drugs laws are too harsh. Of course, now that marijuana is becoming legal in many states, it’s fashionable to support drug law reform.

    8. AvatarOMG! They are going to think together!!

      Yes, critical mass indeed! See this article which I got from a NRSOL Tweet:

      http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/apr/09/alabama-pastor-sex-offenders-ministry-religious-liberty-lawsuit?CMP=share_btn_tw

      Lord have mercy! 30-40 together at one time in motels! Because they could be smarter they say if they are grouped together! Yes, smarter in helping each other in times of trouble and supporting each other! Duh! You really think keeping them separate physically at the church is going to stop them from gathering together elsewhere when they need to support each other?

      I think I am going to faint! Pass the sweet tea and another hushpuppy please!

    9. Avatardavid

      “While Wallace was in the Alabama house, he was cited as one of the seven most conservative members by local political website Yellow Hammer News. He described himself as a “conservative Christian who will fearlessly defend my God, country and family against all who would do them harm”.”

      Defend God? Is God such a wimp that he needs Kurt Wallace to protect Him? How about if good ole boy Kurt just quit being such an asshole and tried defending his fellow man instead of kicking people when they are down? Jesus wasn’t an asshole. He tried to save people. Kurt Wallace is a hypocrite, a bully and a coward.

    10. AvatarGathering to support one another!

      This sheriff gets better and better with each article. Reading this article:

      https://www.rawstory.com/2016/04/pastor-allowed-to-sue-alabama-over-religious-freedom-for-disbanding-sex-offenders-ministry/

      He says addicts get together to talk about addiction….DUH! They do in the sense of recovery and support. Maybe even the other way as well, but to make the leap the he about addicts and SO’s is wrong. What he is doing is making the leap that SO’s are addicts and therefore, will exhibit the same behavior. Under what rock did he crawl out from under to make this conclusion? Good grief!

  2. AvatarR.

    I just wish the ACLU and EFF would contest Alabama’s requirement that all phone numbers, email addresses, online identifiers etc be registered. God help a sex offender who publicly speaks out against the good ole boy establishment here.

  3. AvatarMike

    The town only cares about this project because sex offenders are involved. The local government will pry on the community and come up with exaggerated stats to monger up fear in the people so that they will “band” together and kick the offenders out. But good on this man for actually having some courage to do what is right and shame on those who oppose him.

    On a side note…have you heard that a former speaker of the house pleaded guilty to structured payments do to “misconduct.” Here’s a hint, the misconduct involved children he worked with. But I am so confused, according to the things I’ve read politicians were the ones who were protecting the children. I thought that ALL politicians were in the 7% of people who hadn’t committed a sex crime.

    1. Avatarsandy

      Mike…question…where are you getting the information that only 7% of people…all people??…haven’t committed a sexual crime?

    2. AvatarHush Money

      The gentleman in question was caught structuring hush money payments to avoid bank reporting requirements, not to commit the acts he is accused of and are now coming to light for his sentencing. The acts themselves were committed years earlier.

      http://www.latimes.com/nation/politics/la-na-dennis-hastert-20160410-story.html

  4. WOW, This freedom of speech thing is a bit much. I guess the sex offender is the low class on the totem pole and I thought we were all sinners. Its getting pretty bad when sinners can’t associate with other sinners.
    All this boils down to is a “Thought game” Even the bible tells us about thoughts in Corinthians. So someone is pulling the wool over someone’s eyes with this free speech thing.
    Yes, the bill or Rights and the Constitution seem to be of no use to the sex offender.
    I’m just wondering if one can offend with just a “thought”. Now it seems everybody’s talking about erasing the hate
    Is not discrimination a form of hate?
    Is not the sex offender a form of hate?
    Is not some of these law’s a glorified form of hate?
    Is not some of these law’s over emphasized?
    Man cannot protect himself from man and that’s why we have free speech to sound our voice. Seems there are two side’s to every coin but government seems to overlook biblical views. There is no compassion in any of these sex sting operations and free speech seems to be sided for government. Even our forefather’s would be rolling over in there graves if they knew the injustice going on now..
    Wow just think if nobody made a mistake this world would be perfect. I don’t want to hold my breath on that one. lol

    1. Avatard

      Is not discrimination a form of hate?
      Is not the sex offender a form of hate?
      Is not some of these law’s a glorified form of hate?
      Is not some of these law’s over emphasized?

      Yes, yes, yes and yes. Well said.

      Peace out James!

  5. AvatarSteveo

    1 Corinthians 6:11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

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