And the 2007 prize for the most useless piece of online regulation goes to….
The Beeb reports on the latest proposal from Home Secretary John Reid to force paedophiles and other sex offenders to register their electronic mail details, as well as chat-room login names and other virtual identifiers in order to avoid Internet grooming. The Internet is after all full of nasty people.
And this will work how? Sure, sex offenders will register their details, and open a new Hotmail account the same minute they register the old one. And of course, nobody can register a new user name in a forum. That one has never been tried before either.
At least John Reid did not say that we must regulate the Internets…
27 Comments
Anonymous · February 6, 2007 at 3:51 am
Such a cynic. Who's to say that we wont get legislation passed tomorrow that amends the requirements of birth registration to include a given nick-name. And then it'll be fed in to Microsoft's User Account Control (http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/windowsvista/aa905073.aspx) so that we feel more secure in VISTA than in any other operating system. And who thought Bill Gate's trip to Scotland was wasted? "So is that Mr Technollama, Sir?"
Andres Guadamuz · February 6, 2007 at 8:14 am
Cynic, Moi?
ZMan! · February 17, 2007 at 6:53 pm
Links:* <a href="http://abcnews.go.com/Video/playerIndex?id=2796316http://abcnews.go.com/Video/playerIndex?id=279631… />* <a href="http://sexoffenderinfo.pbwiki.comhttp://sexoffenderinfo.pbwiki.com<br />* <a href="http://sexoffenderissues.blogspot.com/http://sexoffenderissues.blogspot.com/<br />* If the sex offender laws are kept, why discriminate? If sex offenders must suffer for life and be on GPS, so should ANYONE with a criminal record. If this is not done, then it is discrimination. Anyone with a criminal record should be on a registry on the internet for the whole world to see, and be on GPS for life. DUI offenders should not be able to live XX feet from an alcohol store and should have their license revoked. Drug dealers should not be able to live XX feet from anywhere children congregate, so they cannot sell our kids drugs. Murderers should not be able to life XX feet from ANYONE, since they may kill again. DUI offenders kill more people than any other crime (I believe), and I'm sure the entire public would love to know if a murderer, thief, drug dealer, etc lives in their neighborhood. If all this was on the internet for all to see, I'm sure everyone would NOT leave their house at all. These people are everywhere. Why are sex offenders being "scape goated"? EVERYONE WITH A CRIMINAL RECORD SHOULD OBIDE BY THE SAME LAWS SEX OFFENDERS HAVE TO OR IT'S DISCRIMINATION!!* When will people ever realize no matter how tough on crime, all the zero tolerance, all the registries in the world will not prevent a murderer from murdering, a thief from stealing, a dealer from dealing, a user from using, a rapist from raping….accusations on any sex crime, child abuse, or domestic violence will literally nail your butt to the wall! No DNA has to be present, No violence has to be present….. HEARSAY ALONE IS LITERALLY NAILING THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE TO THE WALL BECAUSE OF THE BIASNESS IN THE LAWS.* If we must keep the registry for sex offenders only, we need a multi-tier system: <a href="http://sosnet.bravehost.com/solutions.htm#5TierSystemhttp://sosnet.bravehost.com/solutions.htm#5TierSy… />* Why don't news agencies report when a murderer, gang member, DUI offender, drug dealer/user, etc are out of jail?* "Buffer Zones" are a false sense of security!* "Buffer Zones" are banishing people from their town, state, and possibly the country!* "Buffer Zones" create homelessness, which costs society lost productivity, individual dignity, and creates additional problems for enforcing any accurate registry!* "Buffer Zones" do nothing, except banish! It could be 50 miles and if someone wanted to re-offend, they'd just get in a car and drive!* It should be MANDATORY that anyone in prison get therapy, and out of prison, if needed. Therapy does work. If you just lock them up, when they get out, they will be worse off. Therapy teaches people how to not act out and help, regardless of what the general public thinks. Just ask a therpist.* We need to STOP this hysteria and get sex offenders the help they need.* You can pass all the laws you want but without therapy and this "mob" mentality will not solve anything!* I am sick of politicians using children to get their laws passed! Who would want to vote against anything that is "for the children"?* "Stranger Danger" is a smoke screen & hype! Most child sexual offenses occur by someone the child knows, like a family member or close friend!* These laws are being passed by politicians using sex offenders as scape goats, for votes!* Registries do NOT protect anyone or prevent crimes!* Registries are punishing sex offenders as well as their families and children, and opening them up to vigilantism. DON'T THE FAMILIES AND CHILDREN OF SEX OFFENDERS COUNT? They are suppose to be "for the children", right?* Registries are NOT being updated in a timely fashion, so the public is getting false information! How is this helping the public or protecting them when they cannot rely on them?* Registries are putting families and children of sex offenders in a public position to be socially outcast and discriminated against with regard to employment, housing, schooling, etc!* About 90% of the people on the registry are NOT sexual predators or pedophiles that these laws were for in the first place!* These laws cost millions, if not billions to enforce, and they cause prison over-population, which is already a problem, especially in California! AND TAX PAYERS PAY FOR ALL THIS!* GPS does not prevent sexual crimes! Another false sense of security which cost tons of money! Plus they are suppose to pay for this, which will eventually go homeless. MAKE THE TAX PAYERS WHO WANT THESE LAWS TO PAY FOR THEM!* These laws cause sex offenders to go underground and into hiding, due to the strict nature of the laws! How is this protecting anyone?* These laws are all abount money for law enforcement and votes for politicians. Prison is a business! Politicians are salaried and want elected/re-elected! Law enforcement get paid for people in jails, prisons or on the registry!* These laws blatantly disregard the United States constitutional rights of all citizens! (i.e. ex-post facto, due process & others)* These laws are cruel and unusual punishment! A sex offender cannot go to a fast food restaurant which has a playground! Why? We have just as must of a right as you to get a burger! Plus they cannot go anywhere kids congregate, which is endless (i.e. Amusement parks, Movie theaters, the list is endless)* Sex offenders can go to church, but must leave immediately afterwards. If a sex offender owns a business and someone decides to put a church or school next door, they have to now sell their business and move. This is not right, move the church or school, the sex offender was there first!* These laws continue to punish people even after a sentence has been served, and they are trying to get on with their lives! (i.e. ex-post facto)* These laws are driven by fear-mongering, opportunistic politicians and will do nothing to actually protect children!* There are over one million women and children whose lives are inter-twined with a sex offender in the United Stated. They should matter too!* Follow the money trail, these laws are conveyor-belt laws to benefit law enforcement! They get paid for the number of people in jail, prison or on the registry!* They are currently a one-size-fits all for sex offenders! Not all sex offenders are predators or pedophiles that these laws are suppose to be for anyway!* They are modern day witch hunts and a scarlett letter!* If Sex Offenders are re-offending, why does the registries grow each day? Because new people are being added daily for stuff like "public urination", "mooning", "concensual sex", "young children playing 'Doctor'" and various other minor offenses that we need not worry about. We need to worry about predators & pedophiles!* Now they are trying to make it a law that a sex offender, if they have kids, cannot "take a picture" of anyone under 18. This is totally stupid! Can't even take Christmas pictures, birthday pictures, etc!* Also, because a sex offender owns a business in town, many people are trying to get the business shut down! The sex offender had the business for awhile. If you don't like it, MOVE!!!!* The Nazi' did this back when Hitler was in power, with the Jews, Turks, etc.* The thing about pedophiles not being able to take pictures of kids is stupid. You'd better shred any pictures you have of your kids when they were babies, like diaper changing, baths, etc.
Anonymous · April 30, 2007 at 6:34 pm
I agree this is ridiculous, my thoughts are posted at <a href="http://wheredoesitallend.blogspot.com/http://wheredoesitallend.blogspot.com/<br />I welcome comments on it. I am just tired of the obvious BS smokescreen that politicians are hiding behind to stay or get elected. None of these punitive approaches are effective and only hurt innocent people.
Anonymous · April 30, 2007 at 6:34 pm
I agree this is ridiculous, my thoughts are posted at <a href="http://wheredoesitallend.blogspot.com/http://wheredoesitallend.blogspot.com/<br />I welcome comments on it. I am just tired of the obvious BS smokescreen that politicians are hiding behind to stay or get elected. None of these punitive approaches are effective and only hurt innocent people.
Anonymous · May 22, 2007 at 3:26 am
omg zman I so agree with your attitude. a very good friend of our family was convicted 12 years ago of a "sex crime"..he had consensual sex with a minor but didn't know she was a minor. He forgot to ask for ID from the girl he met while drinking alcohol.Anyway my big concern is he had to leave his last area of work and living because he was being harassed by someone that found his pic on a registry, so he moved with us. A new State and all. He had to do the registry here and low and behold a neighbor called our park manager because they found him and guess what. Our guest is not welcome in our home which we own but pay lot fee for the land. So now our good friend must move again. When is this unfairness going to stop. Yes some sex offenders are bad but what about the ones that had consensual sex. We live in Indiana and there has got to be some kind of support for those people being harassed and discriminated against for not asking for ID…LOL
All Blog Spots · July 4, 2007 at 5:04 pm
nice blog
Anonymous · July 21, 2007 at 1:54 am
I completely agree with ZMAN! I live and am now engaged to a sex offender. I feel that people are extremely uneducated about the different classifications of sex offenders and what it takes to be on the list. My fiance had sex with a freshman when he was a senior and the act was concentual but he is now living with this everyday of his life because of state laws. The average person who sees the word "sex offender" immediately thinks of a pedophile of pervert. Everytime we feel like we are getting ahead another law is passed that makes him look like an outcast and punish our life that we are trying to live as normal as possible. How depressing is it going to be when we have to tell our child that dad cant go to the school play because he's not allowed. What in the heck am I supposed to say??? I cannot express my feelings enough on how depressing this situation is and I feel like there is no where to voice my feelings. Even after posting this comment I dont feel like its going to make a difference.
Anonymous · July 25, 2007 at 6:59 am
I so agree with you it feels good to hear somebody speak the words I been speaking for a while now. Yes, sex offenders are being punnished for what the child molestors and rapest and sexual murders have done to other people and children. Its not fair politicians are the casue of this and at the cost of sex offenders lives. I'm leaving this coutry soon there is not hope I was convicted of indecent liberites with a child under the age of 16 which she was 15 in 1991 I was 19 at the time…. I'm 35 now and can't even get a decent job becasue thease new laws say its ok for employers to reject me becasue of my past. This is discrimination if I never seen it before.
matthew.ruff · August 5, 2007 at 10:07 am
As a Sex Crime Defense Attorney I see all types of discrimination among those accused of sex offenses. Some persons convicted are not predators, I believe there should be some distinction made between those offenders with predatory natures and those that are not and simply have to register.
free ps3 · September 16, 2007 at 12:15 pm
Thanks for the nice post!
Anonymous · October 1, 2007 at 3:58 pm
People. I cannot begin to tell you about the problems this causes with my everyday life. I am a sex offender. I was convicted in Arizona for taking pictures (albeit nude) of my girlfriend, whom was still my girlfriend when I was arrested 9 months later. Bad choice? Yes! By all means. But I am not a predator, nor am I a pedophile. It costs to register. I have to register yearly for the rest of my life. Then, 6 years later, I am asked by the girl if I will "forgive" her for what happened. I blatantly told her no. Not unless she will help me repeal the registration. Her response: "Suck my twat bitch". Real adult like and deserving of my forgiveness. People, I get death threats in my mail box. I cannot get more than a remedial job to support my family (wife, daughter, and myself). I wake on some days very angry. It catties over to my daily family life. My neighbors scorn me. They post fliers, though I am a low level offender. I fear having my daughters friends over (she is 16). I fear everyday I step foot onto her schools grounds. Yet People like McCain from AZ want to make it worse. Then why don't all felons have to register. I am sick of it people. Reform is needed ever so badly…
Anonymous · October 1, 2007 at 9:58 pm
People. I cannot begin to tell you about the problems this causes with my everyday life. I am a sex offender. I was convicted in Arizona for taking pictures (albeit nude) of my girlfriend, whom was still my girlfriend when I was arrested 9 months later. Bad choice? Yes! By all means. But I am not a predator, nor am I a pedophile. It costs to register. I have to register yearly for the rest of my life. Then, 6 years later, I am asked by the girl if I will “forgive” her for what happened. I blatantly told her no. Not unless she will help me repeal the registration. Her response: “Suck my twat bitch”. Real adult like and deserving of my forgiveness. People, I get death threats in my mail box. I cannot get more than a remedial job to support my family (wife, daughter, and myself). I wake on some days very angry. It catties over to my daily family life. My neighbors scorn me. They post fliers, though I am a low level offender. I fear having my daughters friends over (she is 16). I fear everyday I step foot onto her schools grounds. Yet People like McCain from AZ want to make it worse. Then why don’t all felons have to register. I am sick of it people. Reform is needed ever so badly…
Anonymous · October 3, 2007 at 3:36 pm
Funny, since ZMAN is a registered sex offender that he should fight against offender laws.He was found guilty of child molestation!Just see here:http://services.georgia.gov/gbi/gbisor/SexualOffenderDetails.jsp?action=SexualOffenderDetails&sexualoffenderId=976863FA0
Sudipta Das · October 31, 2007 at 4:43 pm
If we did that we would then be able to set up mechanisms that would flag up anyone using those addresses or those identities to make approaches and contacts through some of the very popular internet spaces which are used by kids.Total Video games
Anonymous · November 7, 2007 at 12:10 pm
I was accused and eventually plead guilty to a Misdemeanor sex offense. I served my time and the girl was 22 yrs. I had a public defender who gave me bad advise and I eventually got my own council which cost me over $15000. I had the plea overturned and the case was eventually dismissed, but in the three years that it took to get the case overturned I had to pay fines, attend sex offenders classes, remain on probation, and take liar detention tests, and register as a sex offender in California. Like I said eventually the case was overturned but their is still consequences becasue the public record even though it shows the case dismissed it also shows that it was a sex offense. So here is the dilemma that I have had for the past four years. I have trouble getting jobs and when I do they are usually contracts and the only reason I get these jobs is because the agency does not do a background check. I am a fully qualified professional, and I get inquires all the time for my resume, but in most cases if they ask me to do a background once the offense even though it has been dismissed they see the details still. I do not have to register with the sex offender registry anymore and I have proof of this, but that still does not change the fact that once a recruiter or agency does the background I never hear from them again. I have paid a large price for something that should not have ever happened. So were is the justice? I still wonder about our court system and how they work. I am not afraid of my name, but I will keep it anonymous for now.Thanks for listening…..
Anonymous · November 23, 2007 at 11:58 am
It's nonsense! How can they register it? Sex is everywhere!
Nosferatus · December 24, 2007 at 11:49 pm
I think a lot of you are being ridiculous. I agree SOME sex offenders shouldn't be registered, like a 23 year old woman with a 17 year old, etc. Though I have a cousin that was 20-22, and touched an 8 year old. He deserves anything he gets. And comparing the government to Nazi's for punishing pedophiles? Seriously?
starlick · January 4, 2008 at 10:42 pm
I have to say, until I found this line of discussion I never heard any good points of views from the FAMILIES of the offender.My father is a sex offender. And it's been HELL for me. I love him dearly and all the restrictions he has on him now (Louisiana) makes it hard for him even to see his GRANDDAUGHTER for god sakes.AND THEY USE CRIME AGAINST NATURE as a good enough reason to put someone on the registry. Do you guys even know what that means? Look it up. Amnesty International thinks its abhorent that people are prosecuted for it and I do too.Thank you guys so much for making the comments about how hard it is to be a family member of a sex offender. I was 6 when they took my Dad to jail. I wish someone had considered me in all that.*gets teary* Ok shutting up now.My email address is mswillis@gmail.com btw 🙂
ZMan! · April 8, 2008 at 3:33 am
Yeah, a sex offender who committed one stupid mistake when I was 17 in 1988 and has not reoffended since, so all you stalkers need to get the hell off my back.You will not silence me, NEVER! I have a right to exercise my 1st amendment rights.If you think I have committed another crime, call the cops… You will be embarassed as well, and find a law suit on you as well.
Anonymous · June 2, 2008 at 12:56 pm
i'm a registered sex offender & it's been very hard for me & my family.i'm not a predator or pedephile.my charges have nothing to do with children. my charges were: attempted sexual battery without violence. i pleaded no contest & served 5 yrs probation. during my probation I had to pay monthly probation costs that was over $200 a month.if they were not paid then a violation.i had to attend sex therapy classes for sex offenders weekly at a cost of $75 a week,if i couldnt pay the weekly costs or attend classes then it was a violation. i had to take a polygraph every 6 months to see if i was reaffending at a cost of over $400 every 6 months.if you didnt take the test then it was a violation. i passed all my polygraphs during my 5 years probation. i did everything my probation officer & the state asked of me during my probation & now after my probation too.during your time on probation you have to have a job,if you dont then its a violation of ones probation. the state gonerments are making it almost impossible for someone on the registry to have/keep or get a job & if you dont have a job then they violate you.how can someone support themselves or their families??? how can they get on with their lives & bury the past???dont forget that everyone has skeletons in their closets,some of them just have not gotten caught yet,our local politicians included.in my state,the sex offender restrictions/laws were challenged in court & the state goverment had to rewrite some of the laws like::: a sex offender does not have to move if he or she owned their home before july 2006 & if a school/library/day care/church/bus stop etc….pops up within a 1000 ft or closer they dont have to move. if the sex offender has had their job since or before july 2006 the same thing applies & they will not lose their jobs.the reason why the state politicians rewrote that part of the law is because our states supreme court found that kickin someone out of their home if they owned it was unconsitutional.but the law does not cover people who rent or who live in nursing homes.they will still have to move if they're in violation of the 1000 feet rule.the law still states that a sex offender cannot volenteer at ones church on any level & at some levels cannot even attend church services cause there is children around. that is bad !!!!!!also in my state a local small buiseness owner now has to sell his store cause a church opened up in the same plaza a few months ago & his store has been there for years. the church is only open on wednesdays & sundays,the days his store is closed….think about it.all this is crazy.i'm all for the registry but the states need to look at each situation on a case by case level. anyone who is a predator/pediphile need to be on the registry but probaly 80% or more on the states registries are not predators/pediphiles……..
Anonymous · September 4, 2008 at 1:04 pm
In my case I made the grave mistake of taking in a foreign exchange student on a short term basis. People, never take in someone else's child. It could ruin your entire existence forever. That was my experience. Long story short, the female student was told by her mother to pay me for gas after I agreed to allow her to stay with me a second time. The person did not want to spend her money, so we mutually agreed that she could massage me for the money owed, because I have had muscle problems for years. That ended my life as I knew it. There was no sex involved, but the act of touching or being touched by a minor, regardless of the minor's willingness, led to my demise. Also, after she received a severe sunburn at the beach, even though I repeated that she should use suntan lotion, I did apply aloe vera lotion on the sunburned skin. So, the massage and putting aloe vera on a sunburn were cause for me to spend six months in jail, five years on probation, two years of sex offender therapy, of course the lie detector tests every six months, search and seizure by the police and probation officers at any time, the four thousand dollar fine, not to mention the several thousands in attorneys' fees, lost employment, depresssion, suicidal tendencies, having to register with the university when I took classes at night, and the loss of my career put me in a world of hurt. I was not permitted to travel outside the state for five years while on probation. But having to register for life for that stupidity that I did not seek out is ridiculous. First time offender for anything. Prior to that I was a model citizen, vet, college grad with two degrees, and I always voted. Now I don't have the right to even become a plumber or real estate agent due to the felony record. What does that have to do with being a sex offender? There are over a hundred jobs that a convicted felony sex offender may not do. Minimum wage jobs are ok. Thinking numbers here, imagine how much in tax revenue I no longer contribute as a consequence of the loss of my career. Now that I am middle aged and do not contribute to my retirement fund, how am I supposed to exist if I do actually make it to that ripe old age? Much of my productive earning potential was stolen from me. And, I am supposed to promote Amerika as the land of the free, and the home of the brave? No thank you. If I could take back my years that I served my hypocritical country, I certainly would. When the time comes and I can actually trade in my passport, as I now live overseas, I certainly will be glad to do so. America has failed its citizens in a monumental way regarding a one-size-fits-all mentality by lumping every sex offense in the same gradation. As many sex offenders will attest to, so-called friends abandon one when they learn of the scarlet letter that was branded on the person years before for a not-intentionally harmful poor choice. Hey, if I must be a sex offender, at least I should have gotten a blow job, hand job, or a kiss. Instead, I got attacked in jail simply because of the label. Details do not matter to those holier-than-thou types in jail. I still shake my head in wonder at the idiocy of that system that wasted so much of my life over a petty instance. Perhaps a politician should get a bill passed to call the country, Shamerica. Shame, shame, shame.
Anonymous · October 11, 2008 at 9:09 am
For everyone out there interested in helping their self out on these issues look at this website http://www.proselaw.net . They have pro se lawsuits available for purchase that address Adam Walsh and Megan’s law issues.
Anonymous · December 1, 2008 at 1:04 pm
You know it is laws like this that make me wonder if it is worth being loyal to this country.If I have children, I am going to discourage them from joining the armed service and protecting a nation of hypocrites.Also, it is a symbol of America's mental retardation. After, all this country does not want to pay taxes, but then they complain about felons being released early (because of cut funds which are paid with taxes)
Anonymous · December 1, 2008 at 1:04 pm
You know it is laws like this that make me wonder if it is worth being loyal to this country.If I have children, I am going to discourage them from joining the armed service and protecting a nation of hypocrites.Also, it is a symbol of America's mental retardation. After, all this country does not want to pay taxes, but then they complain about felons being released early (because of cut funds which are paid with taxes)
Anonymous · January 3, 2009 at 12:24 am
I am a sex offender like most at the age of 20 i met a girl, she became my g/f we dated a year, she was underage, and never told me. An angry ex of hers (who was older than me at the time) called the cops and i was arrested. I had no choice but to plea guilty (i didnt even serve time, only 3 years probation) vs possible real jail time .But now i can't get a job, people don't know the difference in consensual sex and rape. My charge is "rape II" sounds scary huh? but thats actually just consensual sex.What people dont understand is when i can't work, or support my family that means your tax dollars go for food stamps and etc. So you get to pay for these "offenders" like myself, because we can't work or have a normal life, its not fair.I dont want my photo and address out for some nut job to come kill me over nothing, its scary.Its a terrible world, my suggestion is move overseas
Anonymous · March 5, 2009 at 4:06 am
Well, simply put, a child molester is exactly that, nothin more, nothing less. I have 2 daughters of my own, and in 2001, I was convicted on a simple "He Said, She said" case where a co worker of mine was jealous of another girl…I was 27, and she was 20. I get her sent to another store for misconduct, next thing I know I spend 2 years in prison for attempted rape. I refused to take a deal and went all the way to trial. Riverside County, CA…well, now I cant get a job with all the certifications I acheived before going to prison, I tried to even use a different name, persona, if you will, to get in the acting business…Still working on that, but I just think that it is useless anymore, and this is just the beginning of my letter to end this miserable life I have as a registered Sex Offender! The long blog that Zman said really said it well. What happened to getting back into society? I will tell you this, that when a sex offender kills himself for this heartache of a life, then maybe some people…I mean some people may understand one day how to change things in this life. I have never been arrested in my entire life, nor I have I ever been on drugs. As I said in court 8 years ago, and I will say it now, I will state my innocents until the day I die. I hope someone can take some of this seriuosly. Have a good night…