“All across California, loving parents will tuck their children into bed tonight and marvel at the joy and happiness that such a tiny person has brought to their lives.”
“Somewhere in California tomorrow, a child predator, already known to the authorities as a dangerous risk, will sit in a parked car watching unsuspecting children play and walk home from school: He will sit and wait – perhaps day after day – in front of different schools and different parks, waiting for just the right moment.”
These two paragraphs are a chilling introduction to an article published May 23, 2003, in the San Diego Union Tribune by California State Sen. Dennis Hollingsworth, R-36th District. The article’s intent was to bring to the public’s attention two main truths: that there are 33,000 Megan’s Law sex-offenders (sexually violent felons) missing in California, making more tragic child abductions a virtual certainty, and that California State Democrats are thwarting passage of a number of measures to protect children from predators, called Project Kid-Safe. Assemblyman George Runner’s Amber Alert (AB 415), perhaps the most well known of these measures, was passed in 2002.
Of particular urgency is the successful passage of SB 52, which would provide funding for Santa Clara County’s Sexual Assault Felony Enforcement Teams statewide. SAFE Teams track known sexually violent offenders required to register under Megan’s Law and enforce conditions of their registration. Majority Democrats stripped SAFE Teams of its funding last year. The State of California did, however, make sure that the citizens of California take on financial responsibility for sex-change operations for incarcerated felons. What are the priorities here?
Nearly all of the Project KidSafe bills have been buried in committee by majority Democrats, who seem overly focused on issues of increased rights and freedoms for a myriad of sexual behaviors to the exclusion of the rights and freedoms of our children to be safe in their communities.
To help the KidSafe project, please contact Sen. Dennis Hollingsworth at 916-445-9781.
Not all citizens are waiting for the state’s legislature to function as it should in its responsibility to America’s families. Tracy Oetting is the sponsor of I-833, an initiative in the state of Washington sponsored by Citizens for a One Strike You’re Out Law. I-833 will classify rape, rape of a child, kidnapping and child molestation as “violent sex offenses”; those convicted of those crimes would be sentenced to life in prison without parole. There is a national movement to create a one-strike law similar to the one being proposed in Washington.
I-833’s supporters claim it will save taxpayers money, in that there would be one trial and sentence instead of the money being spent trying, incarcerating, treating, tracking, notifying the public, housing in transitional facilities, etc., at a cost of millions of dollars each year. Most importantly, I-833, they offer, will save lives. An incarcerated sexually violent sexual predator won’t be free to rape and maim innocent victims.
In order to help I-833 pass in Washington State: Log onto www.onestrikelaw.org and volunteer and/or donate money. They need 200,000 signatures by July 1 and $80,000 to get I-833 on the ballot. Or, you can call at 877-745-9592 or e-mail at [email protected].
You can also learn more about the Federal push for a one-strike law at www.keepourchildrensafe.com.
