I've seen more and more of this kind of article coming out on websites like these. thanks for sharing.

Thanks! It is significant that this article was written by a politician.

He has a Facebook page and people are chiming in on the article.

Mostly good.

I wish we had more politicians like him!!

I love this article. The points he makes are spot on. Thanks for sharing!

like i said, i wish we could clone him. or if what ever he has become 'infected' with was contagious!!!!!

thanks for the heads up on his fb page. and yes i enjoyed reading most of the reply postings.

The only comment I have is that, even with this man's experience, he does not demonstrate an understanding of what a pedophile actually is. If you want to know, read REW's comment in my thread about the lawyer. Pedophiles tend to be very gentle people who really do love children and want the best for them.

It really is time for things to start shifting on the issue of the registry. More and more people are starting to write about the flaws of our present system. Quite a change from four years ago when I started on this journey when one of the first things i found on the web was a video of a politician waving her fist in the air about the "70% recidivism rate of sex offenders". I don't think many people buy into that anymore.

Sex offense is a problem, but it cannot be dealt with in an effective manner when everyone is blinded by irrational thinking.

The tide is turning. Hold on for the ride!

Great article yet again. It really seems like more and more people are waking up and becoming more knowledgable about this topic. Hopefully, it will change things in the future.

I agree it is good that a politician is writing about this but unless I read this wrong although he addresses that the registry does not keep people safe and that there are many different categories of sex offenders - he still advocates having the registry - he says "becasue people want to know" - he also cites that conviction records are public record etc. which is true but not all of them are plastered in one place with the person's address and other information etc.

He has to say he still wants the registry or he'd be voted out. Sad truth.

I'd rather him word it the way he has and stay in office where his voice can be heard than have him get voted out and disappear.

Baby steps. Let's first get people to realize not all sex offenders are the same. Get them to acknowledge that most never reoffend and therefore don't pose a threat.

The next logical step would be for them to acknowledge if the above is true then we are wasting a lot of money that could be repurposed to prevent abuse, etc.

Baby steps.

I wrote this guy to thank him and he wrote me right back!

I thought about that, too, Advocate. It might be asking too much at this point to expect a politician to advocate for eliminating the registry. Writing this article was risky enough for this guy. Step by step...

as much as we all hate the registry.... i have to admit that in all honest it does have it's place in the scheme of things. (don't shoot me)

it's how the registry is set up, written, utilized and made public that i truly hate.

i have no problem with the registry listing violent or repeat offenders. but that doesn't also mean that i think that a registry like that should be listed publicly.

I know I agree with the step by step baby step theory but then there is a part of me that just screams that it is all based on lies! If you are going to stand up and speak out then tell the whole truth! And as far as getting voted out most people don't even pay attention to what the incumbents have done anyway ...

I agree Echo. It was intended to track and monitor those where most likely to reoffend, to help LE solve crimes. Having the info listed publicly doesn't do anything but give people a false sense of security. And the term sex offender is used so broadly, that anyone can be listed as a sex offender.

i think about all the money wasted and sunk into the registry, the wasted man hours. the money and time wasted on all the laws that don't actually do a thing to help.

wonder what all that money and time could do, to help the real problems of this issue?