What Are You Thinking …(The Crusade)

In case you haven’t noticed we have a lot of child molestation going on. Each day brings a new sexual predator to the fore. In the past weeks predator Joseph Duncan is the main topic of conversation. As news continues to filter out on how he was able to operate in society, my outrage is reaching volcanic levels. In no particular order these are my comments.

I have never had to post bond therefore I evidently am a little naive about the subject. I would assume you need cash or a certified check to post bond. WRONG! In Becker county in Minnesota and god knows how many other counties across the country one can actually write a personal check with insufficient funds and walk out of jail. Kinda shocking isn’t it? It seems to me then the amount of money needed for bail is not important since the potential exists for the check to be worth nothing more than the paper it is written on. Us citizens expect those who make these laws to protect us. If one can write a bounced check we are left to wonder what other moronic laws are in place. The problem is you and I will never know……..we don’t commit crimes…..we only hear about such stupid laws after something tragic has happened.

Is there anything more slimy than listening to a politician or governmental agency announce a change to a stupid law after a tragedy happens and the investigation reveals what moronic law allowed it to take place. Becker county announced this week they are now not accepting personal checks for bail postings. I know the family in Idaho feels a lot better now. Our esteemed congressman Earl Polmeroy could not let this tragedy pass without using it for his advantage. He announced this week that he is sponsoring a new federal law for minimum sentencing for child sexual predators. Predictable! Politicians from each side of the isle do this. Where were you 2..3…5…10 years ago Earl or are these sick criminals committing these horrendous crimes only in 2005? I am quite certain Earl would not be sponsoring any bill if the criminal who committed the crime had not been living near his district. I did not hear about him sponsoring legislation after Jessica Lunsford was killed in Florida. In fact it is the politicians who are at the root of this problem. They have not had the political stomach to make laws that would protect us. They should be blamed and kicked out of office rather than congratulated for writing a new law with some poor child’s name on it. Give the credit to the person who takes his place in office because the current official failed in his duty.

Florida has enacted a minimum 25 year prison sentence for first time offenders. Bill O’Reilly has taken up the issue and is reporting that only 15 states have tough laws on the books. North Dakota is not one of them. Minnesota is debating it thanks to the leadership of Governor Tim Pawlenty. South Dakota is one of the 15 states. The governors from the other 35 states are offering all types of excuses. They range from waiting for the legislature to act to a belief that all judges in their state are tough on crime. The citizens of the 35 states MUST DEMAND that their governors champion laws like Florida has enacted. If not they must be removed in favor of someone who will. The laws need to take any judicial interpretation out of the equation. We do not need to spend time trying to understand “the sexual predator” instead we need to make our neighborhoods safe for kids to be in the front yard.

It is time for this generation of parents to take some responsibility. It is time to put down the cell phone, stop running your kids to practice, stop the hustle of every day life, and pay attention. We are failing our kids………we aren’t requiring our elected officials to be responsible. In the end it will not matter how many trophies your child won, how great he/she did in school but rather did they grow up feeling safe. The attitude of it “will not happen to me” just will not work anymore. There are thousands of sexual predators that can’t even be located. The time has come to get pissed-off and do what is right. Get informed and those that fail to protect us must pay the price. Child safety needs to be the topic of every parent’s conversation not who Tom Cruise is marrying or if your favorite team won the baseball game last night. Some of us are outraged and we are waiting for the rest of you to join us. With all the child sexual predators among us, it is only a matter of time until it does happen to your child. Tougher laws for these subhuman beings must be the crusade of every parent. It begins in your neighborhood, your city, your state, after a movie, during your child’s baseball game, or out at the sports bar. Parents must become engaged.