Comments on: more scary Halloween laws against sex offenders http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/ethicalesq/2008/10/09/more-scary-halloween-laws-against-sex-offenders/ breathless punditry and one-breath poetry with David Giacalone Fri, 11 Sep 2009 18:58:52 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: David Giacalone http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/ethicalesq/2008/10/09/more-scary-halloween-laws-against-sex-offenders/comment-page-1/#comment-202139 David Giacalone Fri, 31 Oct 2008 00:27:34 +0000 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/ethicalesq/?p=10130#comment-202139 Thank you, Michael for the heads-up. I put this information and a link to an AP article about it in an update in the body of this posting. Thank you, Michael for the heads-up. I put this information and a link to an AP article about it in an update in the body of this posting.

]]> By: Michael B. http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/ethicalesq/2008/10/09/more-scary-halloween-laws-against-sex-offenders/comment-page-1/#comment-202127 Michael B. Thu, 30 Oct 2008 21:02:12 +0000 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/ethicalesq/?p=10130#comment-202127 According to the St. Louis Post, the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals today issued a stay of the injunction pending resolution of the appeal. Of course, since the appeal will be moot after Oct. 31, this basically means that the injunction is gone and all of the restrictions, in their entirety, will be enforced this Halloween. According to the St. Louis Post, the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals today issued a stay of the injunction pending resolution of the appeal. Of course, since the appeal will be moot after Oct. 31, this basically means that the injunction is gone and all of the restrictions, in their entirety, will be enforced this Halloween.

]]> By: tinanavar http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/ethicalesq/2008/10/09/more-scary-halloween-laws-against-sex-offenders/comment-page-1/#comment-200590 tinanavar Sat, 25 Oct 2008 15:45:48 +0000 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/ethicalesq/?p=10130#comment-200590 this new law afeects my husband, children and me. my husband was convicted of rape on his then wife over ten years ago. since then he has never been arrested or convicted of a violent crime or rape again. as mother myself i feel this is a good law but i do believe this should have been on a case by case basis. we have been taking are children trick or treating for 7 years. now how do we explain this to our children the 12 and 11 year old might understand but do you think our four year old daughter will and how will this effect them with there friends and our community. my husband has done his time and this just isnt right. his ex wife who this happened too feels the same way this new law afeects my husband, children and me. my husband was convicted of rape on his then wife over ten years ago. since then he has never been arrested or convicted of a violent crime or rape again. as mother myself i feel this is a good law but i do believe this should have been on a case by case basis. we have been taking are children trick or treating for 7 years. now how do we explain this to our children the 12 and 11 year old might understand but do you think our four year old daughter will and how will this effect them with there friends and our community. my husband has done his time and this just isnt right. his ex wife who this happened too feels the same way

]]> By: TheFallen One http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/ethicalesq/2008/10/09/more-scary-halloween-laws-against-sex-offenders/comment-page-1/#comment-198604 TheFallen One Mon, 20 Oct 2008 03:00:53 +0000 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/ethicalesq/?p=10130#comment-198604 I know a lot of people hate the comparisons between sex offender laws and the old Jim Crowe laws or similar segregation laws, but I'm sure you are aware how Predator Panic is similar to other propaganda aimed at other groups i different parts of history.Growing up in in a rural town in the deep south, I have seen the "Klan" march in the streets spreading their propaganda. Their members will gladly point out what is wrong with their target groups, be they blacks or their new fave, "illegals," and will also gladly show you every crime committed by target group as "proof" that the entire target group is exactly the same way. In the case of sex offenders, you can point to one of those high-profile cases where a child was raped and murdered and make the same assumption about the entire group. And considering the nature of Predator Panic, we have come to criminalize such things as teens having consentual sex with other teens or sending naughty pics. To say "all sex offenders have done something wrong unlike any other degraded group" is a "weak" argument, because considering the growing number of aforementioned cases, he-said-she-said cases, false allegations, and the guilty-till-proven-innocent mentality of current society puts that line of thought into question. My argument is not weak, just UNPOPULAR given the mentality of our society. I know a lot of people hate the comparisons between sex offender laws and the old Jim Crowe laws or similar segregation laws, but I’m sure you are aware how Predator Panic is similar to other propaganda aimed at other groups i different parts of history.Growing up in in a rural town in the deep south, I have seen the “Klan” march in the streets spreading their propaganda. Their members will gladly point out what is wrong with their target groups, be they blacks or their new fave, “illegals,” and will also gladly show you every crime committed by target group as “proof” that the entire target group is exactly the same way. In the case of sex offenders, you can point to one of those high-profile cases where a child was raped and murdered and make the same assumption about the entire group. And considering the nature of Predator Panic, we have come to criminalize such things as teens having consentual sex with other teens or sending naughty pics. To say “all sex offenders have done something wrong unlike any other degraded group” is a “weak” argument, because considering the growing number of aforementioned cases, he-said-she-said cases, false allegations, and the guilty-till-proven-innocent mentality of current society puts that line of thought into question. My argument is not weak, just UNPOPULAR given the mentality of our society.

]]> By: Mathaowny http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/ethicalesq/2008/10/09/more-scary-halloween-laws-against-sex-offenders/comment-page-1/#comment-197775 Mathaowny Sat, 18 Oct 2008 03:38:22 +0000 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/ethicalesq/?p=10130#comment-197775 Another thing-- that "sex offender" could simple be 18yo who had a 17yo girlfriend...not a bad person, didn't hurt anyone or molest any kids, but they can't go out either, simply for having sex with someone a year younger than themselves? This law should be reexamined. Another thing– that “sex offender” could simple be 18yo who had a 17yo girlfriend…not a bad person, didn’t hurt anyone or molest any kids, but they can’t go out either, simply for having sex with someone a year younger than themselves? This law should be reexamined.

]]> By: David Giacalone http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/ethicalesq/2008/10/09/more-scary-halloween-laws-against-sex-offenders/comment-page-1/#comment-197395 David Giacalone Thu, 16 Oct 2008 16:20:16 +0000 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/ethicalesq/?p=10130#comment-197395 Thanks for stopping by, Fallen One, and leaving a link to your Halloween Laws Fact Sheet. Your analogy to Jim Crowe, of course, is a little weak, because blacks did not have to do anything to suffer Jim Crowe segregation-- they just had to be born with some "black" blood. Nonetheless, if you've read my other posts about sex offender residency restrictions, you know I believe this ostracism and targeting is inappropriate and unwise. Thanks for stopping by, Fallen One, and leaving a link to your Halloween Laws Fact Sheet.

Your analogy to Jim Crowe, of course, is a little weak, because blacks did not have to do anything to suffer Jim Crowe segregation– they just had to be born with some “black” blood. Nonetheless, if you’ve read my other posts about sex offender residency restrictions, you know I believe this ostracism and targeting is inappropriate and unwise.

]]> By: TheFallen One http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/ethicalesq/2008/10/09/more-scary-halloween-laws-against-sex-offenders/comment-page-1/#comment-197394 TheFallen One Thu, 16 Oct 2008 16:03:05 +0000 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/ethicalesq/?p=10130#comment-197394 Thanks for addressing this idiotic Halloweenitis trend. I just released a quick study guide on this new law at my site. The link is here: http://www.oncefallen.com/HalloweenLaws.html This law, along with residency, anti-clustering, and anti loitering laws, just reeks of the old Jim Crow segregation laws. Before anyone gets upset by the comparison, they better recheck their history. There were black registries, they were segregated for the alleged purpose of "public safety," and violence against blacks were seen as justified. We have reintroduced the concepts of segregation into our society, and if history is any indicator, this is a dangerous proposition indeed. Thanks for addressing this idiotic Halloweenitis trend. I just released a quick study guide on this new law at my site. The link is here:

http://www.oncefallen.com/HalloweenLaws.html

This law, along with residency, anti-clustering, and anti loitering laws, just reeks of the old Jim Crow segregation laws. Before anyone gets upset by the comparison, they better recheck their history. There were black registries, they were segregated for the alleged purpose of “public safety,” and violence against blacks were seen as justified. We have reintroduced the concepts of segregation into our society, and if history is any indicator, this is a dangerous proposition indeed.

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