I've been thinking about donating. so I'll throw in my $50 www.nationalrsol.org

Nakohichi & peace2all: You know since there are (at least) 880,000 on the registry and even more if you count family members, What not "Each one give one? ($!.00) Even for people strapped for money that's do-able and if you can give more but at least "Each one give $1."

Surprisingly Janet, not all of them realize this stuff is going on. I talk to the guys in my husbands group and none of them have any idea these laws are being passed until I say something.

I try my best to keep them up to date, but I couldn't say all of them know that these things happen.

Janet, funny you suggest that since that's EXACTLY what someone else said that called in. Just $1.00 each from every person on the registry, but the word has to get out and people need to be educated on the topic. But they don't know how they could possibly reach all registrants to pass the word along. They were asking for suggestions on how to spread the word and people were suggesting all kinds of ways so they are going to work on it. One suggested change.org, and they are open for suggestions. People need to be educated on how this law will directly affect them and it has to be explained in layman's terms, not legal mumbo jumbo. They were saying many people on the registry depend on traveling for their income, to keep in touch with families, proof of identity, etc. There may be a press release in the Wall Street Journal this Friday which she thinks will show a positive position regarding the lawsuit. She is or has already filed a preliminary injunction which I believe is a legal term that means to stop a law from passing. The plaintiffs in the lawsuit are not being revealed for privacy reasons. I think there is a 27-page complaint but I don't remember if they said we have access to that. Anyway, I'm sure you can follow this by going to their site to verify the accuracy of this information and e-mail any questions you may have.

I listened was "listening on the call" I took a few (very un-legal notes) Legal Beagles please correct any gross inaccuracies...Now the Law has passed:

1) the state department now has 90 days to issue rules and implement. . The current action seeks to A) stop implementation while the challenge to Intern'l Megan's proceeds through the Federal courts.

2) the Stop Implementation challenge rests upon
a) our right not to be compelled to place a unique identifier on our passports b) which denies us the fundamental right to travel and results in 'deportation at the foreign airport when we arrive at the other country.
b ) It which causes economic harm to people who need to travel for business
c) The Notification "Registration" the Intn'l "system" the rules rest upon is it's fatally flawed and those "flaws' will be extended due claw back language / expost facto provisions which denies even those now off the Registry freedom since it ignores/ retro actively include so even those with State certificates/ passed state mechanisms to get off, and retro-actively denies freedom granted to those who have gone through the whoops of countries like Canada's certificate of criminal rehabilitation for example.
.d) the provisions also deny all SO's, expos Facto, any right to not be compelled to identify ourselves with a u if we must unique identifier should we need to use our US passport as official identification in other cases (like getting a 'real' homeland Security drivers license in states like NV where you have to show/use official identification to get a 'real' drives license (as oppesed to the unreal one we now have to register and re-up every year) But, lest I go into rant mode...this unique identifier if not stopped internationally might spread not only to driver's licenses but to care licenses and too tatoo upon every unsuspecting are=m???

The State department has to figure how to actually "add" unique the identifiers(it cannot be on the front of passports since that is against even federal law) Also the US Secretary Of state has power to revoke all current passports of SO's that have already been issued wihout "unique" identifier while they try to figure out the mess this law allows...
Needless to say, ICE put out a press release celebrating what they say they already do (if any one has a link to that ICE press release please send me the link.)

Also in the service to getting the word out Janice Ballucci did a press release (I do not have that link either) but she said she has no problem with anyone who wishes to help using that to inform and educate. I'd like to send it to the local press...

Anyway, If everyone who can please give (at least) $! dollar. Just imagine if the supreme court denied claw back in laws pertaining to SO' everywhere? Just imagine if no-one had to place "uniw=que" identifies on every door or lawn at Halloween? JUst imagine freedom for everyone if the noose the noose begins to loosed for every one? Parents might be allowed to attend graduations even at Cambridge University when their kid (finally) graduates suma cum Laudi? or whatever Just saying. This is no laughing matter and it concerns every one of us.

KNowNot: Here s the ICE celebration link to Angel Watch and their International Child Predator info They probably woun't mide if you use it as a handout to educate and inform...in their own words. This Law does NOTHING to end sex trafficking by the way...

And we should donate because Constitutional Challenges to SO laws are very expensive to mount and in my opinion we are luck to have Janice Ballucci.
https://www.ice.gov/news/releases/ice-authorized-create-angel-watch-center-expand-child-protection-efforts-following


I think people who want to, can donate specifically to this case at National RSOL:org select donate then click on Deiiferent Options select International Megan's Law Campaign If you need to donate a tax deductable amount there are more options and you can even send a check by snail mil...how great is that?

But don't only donate, join the Campaign Get the word out in every state. Janice even said she welcomes attorneys who want to use her template to file a federal in each State where S's live who are personally denied constitutional rights as outlined in her challenge. Also, they are making every effort to keep the names of John Doe litigants private because they contend this unique identifier exposes them to collateral damage and great harm. Anyway KnowNot, I am so glad to hear you too are interested in spreading the word. See you and your guy someday in Canad? or France? ...Somewhere ELSE Ok?

Well, tho I can only join RSOL and donate a little, the $1.00 theory makes me feel better that I'm doing SOMETHING!

And don't forget you too can "each one educate some one" to join the cause....We do not live in separate Silos here.....and even those who have never sex-offended might remember Yellow Arm bands for Jews had a negative effect (aka the holicaust) back in the day. Right now Haters at least have to google and find addresses in order to go out and kill SO's with Unique Identifiers on Passports and later who knows maybe on our license plates in every state....???

As I have said many times before, if we ever want to better our situation, we must unite and file lawsuits----lots of lawsuits. Many of the laws being passed are questionable, but if we do not challenge them in court, they will continue.

We can never expect the politicians----who are responsible for all this craziness----to show us any mercy or leniency simply because being tough on crime is one of the issues that gets them elected time after time. They are not so stupid to pass laws against their own self-interests.

But a court victory in our favor takes the power out of the politicians' hands and puts it into the hands of the courts. If you follow the court cases dealing with sex offenders you will know that our biggest victories have been through court decisions at the state level e.g. Starkey vs Oklahoma, and Williams vs Ohio.

Advocacy at the federal level has stalled, but there is much to be won and gained at the state level. Some of the state chapters are doing really great work in combating these laws.

Look at the registrants and their families out there in California. They are organized and they are angry. They have great leadership and they are tired of being unfairly treated; they are pissed and mad as hell. They get things done because of that leadership but also because the members out there are willing to fight and make their presence known.

Texas, with Mary Sue and the Texas Voices, also do great work. There may be other states with an RSOL state chapter who are doing good work, but some states do not even have any opposition force at the state level.

Folks, we have some really valid legal issues from which to work. Many of the laws are either borderline unconstitutional or unconstitutional, but we have to file lawsuits to challenge them. Many court victories have been because the laws were unconstitutional at the state level, that is according to the state constitution, not the
U. S. Constitution.

But this will take some money. There are monetary costs to filing law suits, making trips to the State capitol, and addressing politicians. If every registrant could just pledge five dollars a month, we would have the funds to carry out this war. If not five dollars, just one dollar a month. I understand many of us are really strapped for cash; if that is the case, then a person can always volunteer to make phone calls or anything to help---BUT we ALL have to get involved.

Our war will not be won with only five percent of our movement becoming involved. It just will not work that way. If you study history and remember the civil rights movement in the 1960's or the movement against the War in Vietnam, those challenges were not won by people doing nothing. People became involved----a LOT of people became involved. Our movement is no different.

If we don't unite and show opposition to these laws on a united front, nothing will ever change. We cannot stand around and wait for someone to come to our rescue or do this for us. It is up to us.

rewdiazepam

rewdiazepam said,

(If we don't unite and show opposition to these laws on a united front, nothing will ever change. We cannot stand around and wait for someone to come to our rescue or do this for us. It is up to us.)

Such a true statement, sadly for many it goes on deaf ears. and as you said we will need way more than 5%, we need at least 30% then you will see true change, but as it is now I bet less than !% are involved and they are from 2 states with the most activity. One thought some of the other states could do is send out a small amount of mailers to different counties and hope the few that received them would spread the word to others.


Hope all is well with you rew?

Buildingupslow

rew: I thin the issue is whether WE reach critical mass (unite around issue/ court case after case until we reach critical mass?) because only when we reach critical mass will we be able to swing the pendulum in our direction. Before AWA before IML people went to prison for hurting children, there were laws that worked pretty well but AWA and IML put add super-structure that ignores justice in order to serve the need for power and $$$, that just serves LE and politicians and prison system and Supervision and homeland security and ICE and on and on. These laws weren't passed for lack of laws to address the need for protection they were already on the books, but the AWA and IML etc are to maintain power in power.

Janet,

I think you are right on the critical mass theory. When enough families have enough wives, mothers, husbands, sons, or teens affected by this witch hunt, then they will get fed up and become more involved. These frivolous sex crimes and the sex offender registry never become important until it affects someone we love or a family member; that is just human nature.

We have not reached the "tipping point" yet, but we had better be close.

I think we have to be careful if we are too critical of some of the registrants who do not get involved to the point that they make their presence known. Some of the folks here have jobs that they would lose if they became too vocal and they have families to protect. I would never criticize someone if they did not put themselves out there, as there may be a reason.

More and more restrictive laws are being enacted every day. Our movement has not been successful in slowing down the number of laws enacted for the reason I gave in my previous post on this thread-----politicians have no reason to stop enacting these laws as doing so keeps getting them elected year after year. It is now to the point that our lawmakers will go along with more laws, not because they necessarily agree with them, but because they do not want their opponent during the next election to say that "my opponent did not vote for HB (fill in the blank) against sex offenders and predators to keep our children safe. He is coddling sex offenders." We all know how that would go over.

As far as the money, there is too much money being given to law enforcement agencies in the form of federal grants; too much money floating around. When there is that much money---and a monetary incentive to make arrests---- law enforcement feels as if they no longer have to prioritize crime and only go after the worst offenders, and they also feel as if they have to "create" crime to justify their yearly budget. You see this creation of crime with these internet stings. The internet solicitation crimes in which a horny or lonely guy begins talking to a younger underage teen and then gets busted because that young "teen" was a cop are examples. Many times the manner in which law enforcement carry out these internet stings is very close to entrapment. The majority of these stings and the creation of crime would go away if there was not so much money in the form of federal grants at stake.

We are in a terrible situation and it will not go away by itself.

rewdiazepam

On the issue of "speaking out" (aka becoming visible) To the degree that each one can do something (no matter what degree of visibility we choose ) we need to do that. Not just for "the cause" but to free ourselves from the pervasive fear we each feel at the idea of being exposed to derision and contempt.

There are very real consequences that result can result from being labeled and googled on the internet etc. Many people have been traumatized by what happened to their lives and their families after the initial law enforcement "knock on the door" ( I would have been fired from my job had my employer known, maybe not for "that" reason but some "reason" would have occurred to them. I used a post office box so my address wouldn't come up in a google search at work etc. I became adept at being friendly but I din't have friends I really talked to. But then I was well schooled in childhood not to "Tell." LOL )

A lot of us (as wives, mothers, Gf's, friends, family etc really never had any idea what was going on even when it had "happened to us in childhood, we blanked all that out in order to survive) but thenl the rug suddenly got pulled out from under our world, until the 'nice' middle class facade cracked and the Haters (and the self hatred) came rushing in.. Some found out that our children had been grievously harmed, some for years, while at the same time we realized we ourselves had been betrayed by a partner we loved and had been loyal to We fond we had been lied to, made a fool of, again, sometimes for years on end and OUR children too. . Some of us just got stuck in all that trauma for years. We crept back into isolation carrying a burden of unresolved anger and hurt and (yes) love.

Being able to read comments on sites like daily strength helps people on every side begin to comprehend that this isn't simply "our" family's problem, It can't be helped by old beliefs and old prejudice run rampant (once a ... always a...isn;t true but how to stop the cycle. Hatered, self blame doesn't help, the AWA and IML just adds another burden) we need to remove just as we need to dispel our own (former) ways of thinking

We all are coping with a lot of after-effects both of the molest but also of the barriers we face trying to recover individually and as families and our own set ways of thinking. The courts, the "justice system" the Registry isn't solving anything. It doesn't protect us or our children and it does not help us find courage to heal in any real way.

It's taken me years to start to understand and heal what was done to me as a child isolated and alone (told Don't tell for fear of 'what could happen") then (still carrying the blindness of self blame) I married a man who seemed nice (strangely familiar? He fit MY own preconceived pattern of what my place in marriage ought to be and as it turned out he, like my father, was inclined to abuse his power within family to abuse my own children)

But because I never really took time to step back and see any "pattern" because I remained in fear, never knew there were other's to share with, never shared. Thus the cycle of abuse continued. Because little girls "treated like girls" are taught "their place" while little boy's "treated like girls" are told they are defective in the first place because "they let it happen?" they are angry, afraid, never get treatment/ actual help to understand themselves any more that as a chld or grown woman I got help to understand myself, not only in relation to my own specific case but in relation to the larger patterns (widely accepted in our society) that lead to abuse of power. I too never became healthy enough to "choose" differently.

So what's the point here?

Well I am against the present system, against these draconian punishments meted out to one and all because they only serve to drive us further into isolation and un-knowing and fear. The present solutions (AWA, IML,'supervision' tar and feathering are in place for the financial and political benefit others, they do nothing to restore justice or heal any of us personally involved in the situation. Like they say in AA, "stinking thinking is involved in these transgressions, in what we have done and in what we have failed to do) And more "group stinking thinking" more hate speech more prejudice poured like gasoline on the fire of public humiliations does far more harm than the "good" they claim is intended. Silence, fear, anger and hate only ensures these problems will fester and continue into the next generations...
And I for one want actual healing, help, I need to understand what happened and most importantly how we all can contribute to stopping the cycle.

Speaking out, in whatever way we can (that doesn't cause us personally even more collateral damage ) strategizing, contributing our thoughts/ comments, our courage and (yes) our $$$ to help all of us free ourselves from the past, help us understand just where our continued stinking thinking and fear are leading (if we don't find courage, if we don't dare look honestly clear the past and aim toward a healthier future for ourselves and our families and our society) seems important.

Because standing up for ourselves and others on Daily strength, on Women Against the registry, on Nat'l RSOL on Cure-Sort in what ever way we decide we can grow safely, empowers us to take control of our lives in ways that make us and our families healthier, more resilient and more courageous. And it helps turn the tide, (reach critical mass/swing the pendulum?) back toward restoring justice to the system and toward self mastery and freedom and away from hate speech and having our misery used to buy Swatt team uniforms and the militarization of "Justice" and toward restorative justice strategies inside and outside the families.
In the end finding courage to do what we can when we can will help us all to actually protect children and behave in ways that honor the power granted us as parents and in so doing we become the adults who speak out and protect children (and in the process maybe even do some good in turning around a society gone mad with power and hate and lust for "punishment".