The Blackberry is the new doodling.
Instead of drawing box after box after box on a legal pad, apparently working (playing?) on one's phone is the newest form of expressing disinterest.
Reportedly, state Senator Mike Haridopolos is a not so closeted Blackberry peruser, as demonstrated in yesterday's pre-session legislative meeting.
The Florida legislator doodled away as a citizen spoke before the Brevard delegation.
The subject? Collateral damages of Florida laws shouldered by family members of those persons designated as sex offenders by the state of Florida.
The citizen? A child who grew up way too quickly.
Haridopolos tore his attention away from his diversion just long enough to deny declining (refusing?) past requests to meet with the families of RSO's to discuss the laws plaguing private citizens for years.
Sure about that, Mike?
The presentation as written and delivered.
Viera
I come here today to represent the voiceless minority, soon to be voting constituents. I am their voice, since they have none and I am their strength, because their self esteem has been crushed, their powerlessness palpable and their fears unending. There are 1000's of us in
We are the children of registered sex offenders; children of men and women whose faces, names and addresses, regardless of the degree of risk, are listed on a public online registry. Did you, the legislators, surreptitiously empowered with influencing lives, know that your deliberate action of placing all of our parents online would create new victims? Us!
Did you possibly think that these offenders may have children; children who live at the same address that is listed on the “sex offender registry?”
I think, I hope you know by now, that the shear volume of offenders online without distinction of risk is worthless as a tool to save or protect children and has not prevented ONE crime. Yet, for those innocent children whose addresses are also listed online, it is nothing other than child abuse.
We are children who want and deserve to have our parents involved in our lives without fear of repercussions, ridicule, ostracization and torment. We deserve to have lives without the shadow of having our parent on line listed as a monster. We love our parents and yet, YOU force us to choose between a relationship with that parent and having friends. Have you forgotten that we too deserve “freedom and privacy” and in fact, need that to grow to be normal, happy, healthy and productive members of society?
Sadly, two years ago, 11 children whose parents are on the sex offender registry, asked to speak with one of the legislators on your panel. We wanted to- needed, to voice our concerns and perhaps consider an alternative to stemming child abuse, without using the tool of one that is not only valueless, but created more victims.
That legislator, Senator Haridopoulous, despite repeated requests for a meeting, declined. Why is that Senator Haridopoulous? Please explain that to my brother, standing next to me, who has no friends and has endured horrendous abuse from people that view the registry to “protect” their own children, why?
I beg to the rest of you, consider my words and help to create laws that actually prevent child abuse, and protect the privacy of the families and especially children of former sex offenders.
Thank you for your time and attention
Jane Doe son #1
