Comments on: Town Proposes Banning Sex Offenders From Public Places

By: John Burgess

John Burgess — Wed, 09 Aug 2006 14:09:44 +0000

I was under the impression that both of those were about to burst into flames, a la the Cayuhoga. If I'm wrong, then cut them, too!

By: DC Loser

DC Loser — Wed, 09 Aug 2006 12:08:58 +0000

John, what about the Harlem River? You mean the Bronx is okay?

By: John Burgess

John Burgess — Wed, 09 Aug 2006 00:32:14 +0000

Looks like another, "Elections just around the corner, need to look tough" piece of legislation.

The overbroad use of the term "sex offender" is the major problem. And adding on extra punishment is another.

I suspect what most people would like would be to exile all true sex offenders to some remote island and then forget about them. I recommend blowing the bridges and tunnels spanning the East and Hudson Rivers and dropping them in Manhatten.

But keep the SAMs out of their hands.

By: dom

dom — Wed, 09 Aug 2006 00:07:02 +0000

I'll also point out that, depending on the jurisdiction, public urination can be considered a sexually based crime (indecent exposure, etc.) I know a college guy who was arrested for that when he discreetly "used the bushes" during a tailgate.

By: Kathleen Marie

Kathleen Marie — Tue, 08 Aug 2006 23:53:30 +0000

Hummm, this is a hard one. As a mother of a child who was abused by a sex offender my first reaction was, "its about time those perverts are banned from being around kids".

But, the reality of it all. Some are healed of this perversion, others will continue to victimize. Castration? Always a tempting option.

Wow, it's a tough call and as you mentioned there is a huge difference between a 20 something guy getting it on with his teen-aged girlfriend and a 40 year old man or woman abusiving an 8 year old child. Somethings are just not that simple.

By: Steven Plunk

Steven Plunk — Tue, 08 Aug 2006 22:55:17 +0000

This, as with many other laws, will also bump into the law of unintended consequences. A good amount of popular legislation ends up creating situations or problems that the proponents (and even opponents) never envisioned.

It also violates the tradition of paying ones debt to society and then rejoining as an equal. Not necessarily law but a concept we have held for many years.

By: Rodney Dill

Rodney Dill — Tue, 08 Aug 2006 22:44:39 +0000

Looks like the Minnesota Vikings will have to go the no-huddle offense so they don't 'congregate.'