Sex Offenders: Third Class Citizens, Part 1

Sex Offenders: Third Class Citizens, Part 1

 

Most people have heard the saying, “Second Class Citizen”, and there are certainly a lot of Americans that feel this term applies to them. However, there is another class that is even lower—sex offenders. These “people” are dealing with everything that the second class are with an added degree of hardship, as even the Second Class look down on them, oppress them, subject them to incapacitating emotional and mental stress, as well as demonstrate a great amount of hate for them.

 

Sex offenders are demonized by politics, dehumanized by the media, and to top it off our great Uncle Sam puts his debtorous foot on their necks. Society has been programed to believe that sex offenders are “monsters”, “predatory”, with a high recidivism rate—on the hunt for women and children. This attitude has led to these men, women and children yes even children being denied life’s most simplest essentials. For example, the average sex offender is denied food stamps, assistance from State and Federal officials, and housing—due to an abundance of perplexing ordinances. It does not stop there, They (sic) are also denied the very constitutional rights this country was founded on—rights to equal protection of the law, due process, 8th Amendment, right to privacy, travel interstate, Just (sic) to name a few.

 

In fact, these people are so hated by society that they have been effectively cast out as if they were lepers. This “casting out” is not a metaphor, it is in most cases quite literal. For example, in California (as well as many other states) sex offenders are homeless, due to ordinances, and reduced to living under bridges, abandoned buildings, or anywhere else they can find to shelter them. These people come from all walks of life and most are more than able to work in order to earn their keep, so to speak, yet society screams, “we don’t care—we hate you all.” Society, it seems, is more willing to pay the cost of having beat down, homeless individuals with no hope, no finances, no anything, nothing more to loose, come around—than to give these “people” a chance of redemption; or a shot at becoming a full first class American citizen with all the rights and privileges (sic) our constitution offers.

 

Society has to decide who it hates and who it is made of. They must know the actual truths and costs of the “War on Sex Offenders.” The truth is every time so called “leaders” utter the phrase, “War on…”, the people always end up footing the bill as well as suffering any consequences—Just look at the outcome of the “war on drugs” that we are now seeing.

 

I am a firm believer that there are three kinds of lies—lies, damn lies, and statistics. Anyone can make numbers say whatever they want. For example, the public is continuously informed of the “high recidivism rates.” What the public is not told is sex offenders rates are far lower than any other criminal class. Recidivism rates for sex offenders are around 5% compared to the min of 46% and up for other classes such as murder. Unfortunately, some other classes of felony have a re-offence rate of 68%-80%!

 

Its time to put our unrealistic fears down and start treating sex offenders as “people”. The way society is currently dealing with them is not working and to be honest—self-destructive and not conducive  to American life. The people in society have to inform their government officials of the need to unite America and not further divide her. These laws and ordinances will only continue to get worse if the public doesn’t demand a change form those that are placed in power by the people.

 

Keep an eye out for Part 2 of this article, where I will show exactly how deep the rabbit hole goes; and Part 3, where possible solutions are offered. Until then I challenge and encourage you to: 1) reach out to sex offenders (on either side of the walls) to get a first hand look at the true stories, 2) take action now by contacting officials and networking with others. Our society has shown it’s ability to generate vast amounts of hate, but it has also shown it’s ability to have great compassion and love. It is the latter that we need now.

 

“The degree of civilization in a society can be judged by entering its prisons. American society will surely someday be found guilty of maintaining its massive industrial warehouses for people—mainly poor people and people of color—right up to the point of sewage literally oozing out of the seams.”

   Russian novelist, Fyodor Dostoevsky (a former prisoner himself)

 

Article by:

   Christopher A. Newhouse, D.D.

 

Contact @:

   Christopher A. Newhouse #307806

   JCI

   P.O. Box 233

   Black River Falls, WI 54615