The Ohio capitol -- maybe someday a plaque?
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On December 1,
Columbus, Ohio, saw what some are calling the first public
demonstration in America for the rights of registered sex-offenders
at the state capitol. More than 50 former offenders and their
families, joined by civil liberties advocates, rallied for more than
three hours against what one speaker termed "draconian,
unconstitutional laws that undermine the whole American legal
system."
Protesters singled
out public sex-offender registries where offenders must post their
photographs and personal information online, leading to humiliation,
harassment, and sometimes to vigilante attacks and killings.
U
nderscoring the
threat was the murder outside of Detroit November 7 of 26-year-old
Daniel Sorensen, who was stabbed and decapitated, allegedly by two
teenagers, in what prosecutors describe as a "thrill kill."
Sorensen was listed on Michigan's sex-offender registry for a
consensual relationship with a girl who was 14 when Sorensen was 17.
The protesters
spoke out against laws in Ohio and other states that severely limit
sex offenders' movements and place of residence.
"Such laws do
nothing to protect children," said Tom Madison, founder of
Soclear, an organization supporting rights for sex offenders. "But
they harm thousands of family members, including children, and they
undermine the rights of all citizens."
"Only parents can
protect children. When offenders have served their time, they should
be left alone," continued Madison, himself a registered sex
offender from Oregon.
Sixteen-year-old Ali Metz
spoke on behalf of her older brother, currently in prison term for
sex with his slightly younger girlfriend when he was himself under
age. The boy was charged as well with "pandering explicitly sexual
material" together with the girl. "He's just a teenager, and
even when he gets out of prison, he'll have to be publicly
registered for at least 15 years," Ali told the rally. "The laws
have to be changed so people like him can live a normal life. All he
did was fall in love with a girl."
Some 25
counter-protesters demonstrated across the street from the capitol.
Absolutezero, a group that says it "fights pedophiles on the web,"
said the organizers of the sex-offender rally were abusers who were
"cognitively distorted."
Authorities treated
the protesters respectfully, say organizers, though some questioned
their heavy police presence. "There were eight cruisers at one
point, encircling the demonstrators," said Jackie Sparling of
Soclear. "This intimidated some sex offenders and their families,
with several people not braving the police line."
***
Ohioans fight back
against repressive sex laws -- check out and support the ACLU
of Ohio (216-472-2200;
Aclu ohio.org
), Ohio Justice &
Policy Center (513-421-1108;
Ohiojpc.org
). Ohio Office of the
Public Defender (614-466-5394;
Opd.ohio.gov
) has info on the
latest law revisions.
Soclear.org
works to organize people affected by
sex-offender registries.
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