Write Letters NOW, PLEASE!

Hi all,

I just wrote a letter to the Arkansas legislators as I understand that SB12 will be presented in the House Judiciary Committee next Tuesday.

As we all know, there is POWER in numbers and if they get bombarded with letters, then it MIGHT help them decide to vote NO on SB12!

If you are interested in writing a letter, email me at lynn.gilmore13 [at] yahoo.com and I'll hook you up with all the email addresses and/or mailing addresses.

Thanks for your help!

Sex Offender Legislation - 2 Years Ago and Now

Dear Faithful Readers,

(Thank you to those of you who are, indeed, faithful!)

Yesterday, my state RSOL group, Arkansas Time After Time, (ATAT) and I attended our first senate committee meeting at the Arkansas state capitol to testify against SB12.

http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/assembly/2013/2013R/Bills/SB12.pdf

This bill is intended to amend an existing law that was passed in 2011, that prohibits any level 3 or level 4 offender from visiting any government owned swimming pool (which even includes any "adult only" pools at senior centers, etc.)  The amendment was to include any state park having a water feature like a swimming pool, swimming area, beach, and/or also a playground.

Since so many of Arkansas' beautiful state parks include water features and playgrounds, this means they will be off limits to these offenders.  The presenter of the bill even put this bill under a "state of emergency" because the summer months are fast approaching and these parks will soon be filled by innocent little kids.

This bill was drafted because two state park employees (sorry, I failed to get their names) approached Senator Irvin and requested this amendment because, and I quote, "There was a registered sex offender found to be hanging around a playground."

Two years ago, when Arkansas legislation was underway, there were numerous bills being presented and my friends and I struggled to attend every single session waiting for these bills to be addressed.  The first hearing I attended, I went to testify against a house bill adding residency restrictions for lower level offenders.  I was given an opportunity to testify, and spent a good long ten minutes reading my lengthy spiel, and as I spoke, I noticed every committee member was looking at me and listening intently.  They asked me questions.  Even when I finished, I said, "I have more, if there is still time," and the committee chairman, who was clearly very interested in what I had to say, said, "Please, go on."

Weeks later, after attending every senate committee hearing waiting for this bill to be presented, I was once again given an opportunity to address the committee and I had a very similar reaction and response to my experience with the house committee.  Committee members asked me relevant questions and was very respectful.  The bill did not go forward and eventually died.

Yesterday, there was a short list of bills on the agenda, and the very first bill to be addressed was SB12 (after all, summer is quickly approaching and WE MUST PROTECT THE CHILDREN!)

My friends and I were given a chance to testify, but as I was speaking, I looked around at the committee members and only one person was facing me.  The rest were either playing with their phones, writing, reading or shuffling papers, or playing with their ink pens.  The one person who was facing me was Senator Stubblefield and as I spoke about how this law would affect FAMILIES and CHILDREN of sex offenders, his only response to me was, "Well, I think we need to consider the victims."

I did ask the committee, as I began, "How many offenders have been arrested for being at a swimming pool since this law was enacted two years ago?" and "What about this ONE offender that you spoke of having been found lingering at a playground?  Was he there with his family or children?"  Neither question was answered, and I have to say I am flabbergasted that no one seemed to have answers to these extremely relevant questions.

Next, my friend and Executive Director for ATAT, Carla Swanson, testified against the bill and she reiterated very eloquently that very few sex offenders ever reoffend and that most sex crimes happen within the home or with someone the victim knows, and that stranger danger is very rare.  

While she was speaking, we noticed committee members and members of the audience snickering at us.

The contrast between yesterday and the experiences I had two years ago were astounding.  We were not given any respect whatsoever or asked any relevant questions.

The chairman asked if anyone else had anything to say and our friend and fellow ATAT member, Linda, raised her hand.  The chairman sternly stated she would only be allowed to speak if she had something different that what had already been presented.

Since Senator Stubblefield had mentioned his concern for the victims, Linda proceeded to give a very moving testimony on how she, herself, was a victim to multiple rapes by numerous family members, but yet she has gotten help and has learned to forgive and move on, as she put it, "let go and let God."  She went on to say that most offenders are sorry for what they have done and are only trying to get on with their lives and they just want a second chance.

After Linda's testimony, a well-known Arkansas criminal defense lawyer, Jeff Rosenzweig, (http://www.arcriminaldefense.com/) testified against the bill, citing the monetary challenges this law would present.  I've seen Mr. Rosenzweig testify many times before, in fact, I never once attended a session in 2011 without seeing him present.  It is obvious to me he cares about sex offender issues.

The committee addressed Senator Irvin and asked her for the definitions to each of the four levels of sex offenders.  I wish I had a tape recorder.  She stated that "most level 3 and level 4 offenders are all repeat offenders", which is absolutely FALSE!  Mr. Rosenzweig immediately corrected her, thank God, but I felt the committee should have thrown out her bill right then for LYING to them.

In Senator Irvin's closing statements, she shared a story about how her daughter's best friend was molested by someone at school.  The man had committed sex crimes against family members before and was never prosecuted, so when the school did a background check on him, did not discover his crimes, and he went on to molest children at school.  He was NOT a registered sex offender, the registry did not and would not have helped save this child from this crime.  Once again, the sex offender registry proved itself as being USELESS.

While this is definitely a sad, sad story, I FAIL TO SEE THE CONNECTION BETWEEN THIS STORY AND THE NEED FOR THIS LAW IN STATE PARKS!!!!

Uh..... HELLO???

Wasn't anyone listening?

The vote was taken and the bill was passed.

There are SO many problems with this law.  As one of our ATAT members pointed out in an email I received, what is the definition of a "beach"?  Is it where the water meets the shore?  Does it include the sandy area of the shore?  Does it include the surrounding picnic tables and restroom facilities?  What if a sex offender is out on a lake, water skiing and he is suddenly whipped into a swimming area by accident.  Wouldn't this be considered a crime?  What about inter-tubing or canoeing?  I've been canoeing many, many times with my family.  We always pull up to a sandy beach for breaks to eat sandwiches and apply more sun-block.  Other families pull up to the same area, and they almost always have kids.  The kids swim in the area.  Would this not constitute a "swimming area"?  Sometimes there are even signs posted, "swim at your own risk".  This is a clear indication that the area is frequently used for swimming.

There are so many gray areas with this law, and I wouldn't want to be a sex offender facing a judge who is going to use his or her discretion over whether or not I have actually committed a crime.  YIKES!!!

I would still like to know, how many offenders have been arrested for being at a swimming pool since 2011?  Why was this information not provided?  Why wasn't it considered relevant?  I would still like to know about that ONE guy that was found lingering at a playground.  What's his story?  Why was he there?  I'm willing to bet he had a legitimate reason for being there, he probably brought his kids because they wanted their daddy to take them to the park.

How do they plan to enforce this law?  And, how much would it cost to enforce this law?

I wanted to suggest to the committee that if they needed to pass some feel-good law about sex offenders that they should at least consider stating that the offender would be prohibited from these areas alone.  That one key word would have allowed these guys to enjoy these wonderful parks WITH THEIR FAMILIES, which is all any of us want, because we all know this law, the way it is written WILL affect FAMILIES and especially CHILDREN!

If I saw a man "lingering" at a playground, and I notice that he is, in fact, there all alone, then that would be enough for me to be concerned, and it wouldn't matter to me one iota if he was a registered sex offender or not.  (Perhaps that is because I am armed with the knowledge that it is a FACT that about 95% of all new sex crimes are NOT committed by someone on the registry, and I know how useless the registry is in protecting children.)

I have never and would never leave my children unattended at a playground or a swimming area, pool or beach.  I am responsible for their safety and I do not put my faith in others, or worse, some stupid law, to protect my kids.  In almost every abduction case out there, as rare as they are, the child was almost always left alone and vulnerable.

I have never once seen a case where a registered sex offender visited a state park with their family and/or friends and snatched a kid for the purpose of committing a sexual crime in the presence of their own family or friends.  I challenge anyone out there to find me such a case to justify this law.  It just does not happen.

This law is nothing but a fluffy feel-good law that will protect no one and only punish families further.  Children of sex offenders deserve the right to go to these parks with their sex-offender parents!

Or, don't these innocent children count?

Shame on the Arkansas legislators for making up their minds before the bill was even presented, and refusing to open their eyes and see what is so BLANTANTLY obvious to be nothing more than more punishment for offenders.

Gramma Lynn!

Hello all,

A short and quick update...

On January 16, my oldest daughter gave birth to a healthy baby boy.  He weighed 7 lbs. 2 oz., and was 19" long.

We were expecting a girl, so to hear "IT'S A BOY!" in the delivery room was a huge surprise for us all.

I couldn't be more happier or more excited, though.  He is very sweet and precious and I am thrilled to finally be someone's Gramma!

I was very blessed to have been there when he was born, but unfortunately, upon my return home, found myself with a cold.  I was hoping to return to Little Rock this past weekend to help with the baby, but I didn't want to risk passing my cold onto my sweet little grandson.

Wednesday, I am planning to join my fellow ATAT advocates in testifying against bills at the Arkansas state capitol building.  I am hoping and praying my cold will be gone by then so that I can visit with my grandbaby that afternoon!

Keep your fingers crossed!

While Waiting to be Grandma...

Hello Dear Readers,

What can I say?  What lame excuses could I possibly have to explain my long absence these last few months?  None, and I won't even try.  Life is what it is, and that, my friends, should be enough!

Right?

Last time I posted here, I wasn't even here, in Arkansas, I was somewhere in the middle of Texas on my way home from the RSOL conference in New Mexico.

I tend to only come here to post when I feel moved to do so.  That isn't gonna happen every day... or every week, or even every month so it seems... I'm not one to just blab on about stuff that isn't important to me and if I don't have something important to say, then why bother.

Right?

So, I find the timing ironic, actually, because here I was just about to post an update here tonight when I received a new comment just now from someone who had read my post about Rosie.  I do not have a huge following, and it's not that often comments come in, especially when I haven't posted in such a long time.

To receive a new comment now, though, is just incredibly coincidental. Almost Twilight-Zoney.

I was coming here tonight to announce that I am doing some research on how law enforcement, the media and legal professionals handle sex crime cases such as child porn, sexting, Romeo and Juliet cases and even false allegation cases.  The first on my list is how child porn cases are handled.  I anticipate working on this research for several months all the while juggling my usual duties as CEO of SOSEN, hotline volunteer, editor-in-chief of the SOSEN NEWS, graphic designer for many products including ATAT's (Arkansas Time After Time) monthly newsletter, many SOSEN brochures and my own paying clients.  All while simultaneously marketing my own artwork, running a household with a rambunctious ten year old child, a tired husband, four cats and a dog.

Oh, and let's not forget, the Arkansas legislative session is set to begin this month, for which I am sure there will be many four-hour round trips back and forth to Little Rock in the coming months with my other ATAT advocates.

And last but not least, I am about to become a grandma... Any minute now... (fingers are drumming on the desk, trying to be patient...)

Posting to a blog that only a few people read?  Not at the top of my my list of priorities but as I said, life is what it is, and it ain't nothing if it ain't interesting.

Getting back to my research, I have composed a list of 49 questions  - yes I said 49, as in one less than 50 - that I am hoping anyone with a child porn case will be happy to fill out.  It could be filled out by an offender themselves or by a family member.  If you or someone you know would like to participate, just email me at lynn.gilmore13@yahoo.com.

I look forward to hearing from ya.  And now, back to your regular programming.

Lynn

Oops, almost forgot to add:  I changed the background here...  The white text on black background was killing my soon-to-be Grandma eyes.  Hope you like it better.