Posted on 08/07/2005 2:26:48 PM PDT by Former Military Chick
The law says it's okay for Phillip Roth to live in their neighborhood but parents living near Fond du Lac's McKinley Park want the sex offender out.
Neighbors are clinging to the power of the pen to get 58-year-old Phillip Roth out of their neighborhood. "I'm walking door to door," Sarah Oestreich said. Oestreich and Hank Stevenson collected signatures -- 300 so far.
"We're very concerned about the fact that there are two grade schools in his area," Oestreich said.
Roth was convicted in 1988 of first-degree sexual assault and abuse of children. Authorities say he assaulted a nine-year-old boy and a fourteen-year-old girl.
The Department of Corrections says Roth has met the conditions of his release. Action 2 News tried to contact Roth on Wednesday but was unable to reach him.
Oestreich, a mother of three, says Roth told her he'll never do it again, but she said, "He should move somewhere other than a tempting area such as two school districts."
Roth also lives two blocks away from McKinley Park. Neighbors say a week ago this park was full of kids but now there's no one waiting to ride the swings.
"That's what kids are supposed to do," Stevenson said. "To have them locked up like that -- we have taken the freedom from the kid and gave him the freedom, and that's not right."
These neighbors know the law allows Roth to live where he lives, but they hope giving their petition to lawmakers will make a change.
PING
I try to be fair, and frankly after what I discovered I might do the same thing, actually I should do it because we have 41 offender's in 4 mile area around the 1 school and 2 parks. A couple on the list, could spit on the grounds of the school. Best I can do to make sure the schools are aware but perhaps the idea of removing them like this community would be a good thing.
But if not here than where? I mean I would rather a sex offender who is found guilty serve a life sentence but that is yet the consequence of this act.
Who cares where, any where but my neighborhood.
Let him live in a neighborhood that has a defense attorney who defends child molestors.
I say move them next to our polititians and judges. I bet then the sentencing laws would change pdq.
I fail to understand why most court orders only state "have no contact with the victim" instead of "no contact with any child from such-and-such an age" or something like that.
I think some states are now prohibiting sex offenders, particularly pedophiles, from living in towns. How can they let any convicted pervert live in a neighborhood where children live?
I also recently read an article in the Baltimore Sun about workers knocking on doors to make sure convicted sex offenders live where they say they do.
At one household, the wife answered the door "Oh my goodness" she says "Don't tell me there are more allegations!" Holy crap!! Why the hell would any woman want to marry a convicted sex offender or even STAY married to a convicted sex offender.
What kind of a stupid bitch is that?
He would be welcomed with open flies in Greenwich Village!
We can set up subsidized colonies for them in derelict urban industrial tracts. Give them government night jobs cleaning sewers and subways. Send a bus to pick them up & let them sleep in the day.
Sex offenders are discovering that they face additional,
punishments that weren't part of the statutes when they
committed their crimes.
These include registration, publication, discrimination,
shunning, harassment, etc.
I wonder if it is having any deterrent effect on the rate
of new offenses? Are there any figures one way or the other?
How about a city in the middle of a desert with no roads in.
Only way in is by helicopter. Basically a city in exile.
"That's what kids are supposed to do," Stevenson said. "To have them locked up like that -- we have taken the freedom from the kid and gave him the freedom, and that's not right."
BINGO.
How would we get the sewers cleaned?
So the offender leaves the neighborhood where their are children currently living. He buys another house, on the outskirts of town, away from the school.
Guess what? A family of four moves in across the street from the offender... should the offender be forced to move again?
The ACLU is going to have a fuss if parents want to force offenders from the neighborhoods.
MA has them lining up, sex offenders know they can come to MA because the laws are soooo lenient, we have to fight and refight to keep these offenders off the streets but the bleeding heart liberals running this State (into the ground) don't want to offend the offenders by making them register, poor sex offenders, heaven forbid we single them out and make them register so we KNOW WHERE THEY ARE to help keep our children safe. God help us.
Would a family of four move in if they know in advance?
How many people check, though? And are the registries kept up-to-date?
valid questions. Imagine how real estate agents would react if they were REQUIREd to provide a "predator search result" with each listing.
Here's my problem with this.
Until our government labels the corrupt prosecutors, attorney, law enforcement, and judges that Lord over our justice system, I look at every person's guilt or innocense with a jaded eye.
I do not trust them, nor do I believe them.
For every person who committed a heinous crime (and is released), there are dozens more who are not guilty but are being punished.
If one is a sex offender and a threat to the community, FORCE THE ISSUE WITH THE LEGAL SYSTEM!
If they are not a threat but are labeled a sex offender because they were found guilty of a date rape, THIS IS NOT IN THE SAME CONTEXT - LET THEM OUT.
The Kobe Bryant changed my whole thought process regarding sex offenders. If not for the cash and the fame, he would rot for something the Colorado legal system was pushing through.
JMHO.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.