Member Submission: Statement prior to registration
Recently I attended the Safe and Just Michigan You Tube conference. I wrote a suggestion in the comments section calling on all Floridians to read a brief (10-15 second long) statement to the registering officer every time, immediately prior to registration.
I was asked by Judith Levine (a national advocate who was on the panel) to please present this idea for consideration.
I feel that this must be a national mandate. For, if we are silent, then we give our tacit consent.
Here is the text of the statement, which I am recommending:
” Before we begin, it is my duty to read the following short statement: I fully intend to comply with Florida (or whatever state) law and to provide you with all of the information that you demand during this interrogation. However, I am both a Florida and US citizen who currently is under no criminal sanction whatsoever. As a representative of the government, you have no right to any of my personal information. You are about to violate several of my rights under the United States constitution. And I object .”
Thank You.
This will go over like a lead balloon…don’t piss off the cook before you eat…
likes “Don’t piss off the cook before you eat
I think you make a good point on one hand. But on the other hand, a bully will continue to bully until someone stands up to them.
I think that we must (en bloc) stand up!!
(I don’t like to be bullied)
That surely would riffle a few feathers. I don’t know if the office staff could handle it. I would hate to be the instigator of a cardiac arrest by the nice lady about ready to ‘demand’ my information.
Copied to my phone, appreciate the info.
And then we get slammed to the ground and handcuffed. Unless we million members do what’s currently being done then we wont get any positive response. As I see in the media, doing things the legal way dont seem to work as the fox news host said about current situation. I’m not condoning violence in any way, just saying
If anyone plans to do this at a registration office, you probably want to cite your state’s constitution in addition to the US Constitution as well. Some state constitutional protections supplement those found in the US Constitution.
FAC Legal, can we run this by one of the lawyers for their impression?
Aside from the good feelings we get from asserting our rights, does this verbal assertion have the potential to result in more freedom for registrants? If so, how?
Sorry to play the cynic.
It probably does not and it’s not documented anywhere. One of the scholars from Michigan thought it was useful so we posted it.
On the other hand, it’s another seed to plant in people’s minds.
“Okay,” they’ll shrug.
Sure you go right ahead and try that.
ANGRY POLICE JUST MURDERED SOMEONE, AGAIN. JUST BECAUSE THEY WERE ANGRY.
I was thrown out of a Sheriff’s office in a Metropolitan area because I was trying to follow the law about registering a rental vehicle within 48 hrs. Not physically but LOUDLY AND AGGRESSIVE SCREAMED AT and told to get out of the office and off his property because they saw no reason to register the vehicle I turned in even though the law makes NO SUCH KIND OF CONDITION, I was terrified and new that they could do whatever they wanted even if it meant having me break the law. I went more into debt to get a lawyer to go with me now anytime I go there and I experienced trauma literally the day this happened, I could not even drive I was so freaked out, shaking and crying cause I was afraid I would be arrested.
Sure buddy go ahead and teach people to risk their freedom today for a greater cause. Just make sure they know their words are subject to piss off cops and PISSED OFF COPS GET AWAY WITH MURDER, locking people up cause they do not like them is way more frequent then murder!!
CHOOSE YOUR BATTLES PEOPLE
I am fleeing the STATE OF FLORIDA (leaving everything and everyone I have known for the last 31 years) due to the insanity of these registration laws.
And just to start my whole life over in another state with less insane laws.
Eddie, What state(s) are you looking into? I want nothing more to get out of Florida myself and have looked at a couple of options. I’m still researching but I’ve actually been speaking to an attorney in Atlanta regarding the laws and the ability to request to be removed as soon as I get settled. Tennessee, you have to be on the registry for 5 years before requesting, 10 from the date of conviction but 5 actually registered in TN. Just wondering what you have found.
I received a felony 2.5 years ago for a failure to register, I thought I had and I have memory issues and blah blah blah on that. it is what it is. Another felony may or may not negate the ability to come off a registry at all. When I looked into coming off registries and conditions and found that moving in hopes that I could and the amount of time it would take to get off, IF I could get off, was not worth the effort (I am 51 and hope to be finished here early GOD WILLING, not a fan of the human journey). I decided to just find somewhere that had less insanity then FL laws. I ended up choosing AZ because there list of regulations is not very extensive at all. I skimmed a lot of the other states but I do not want to live in the north, California is too expensive and the changes they are making in their laws will take a while. Besides even lawyers have a very hard time understanding how these laws work let alone how they would work for a new resident.
And I did not do extensive and in depth research. I felt like Phoenix stuck in my heart after and searched some states who do NOT follow SORNA and do what they want themselves.
Eddie
Good for you but do not give up brother. When you give up, they win.
I am older than you and have health issues but determined one way or another to come off this foolishness before I am in a nursing home, which ironically, rarely accepts registered citizens.
I am interested as well. Not trying to flee per say but I’ve always moved a lot. I’m ready to try somewhere new but with the restrictions few places look appealing. Wife has said Tennessee but I have kids. Carolinas also but not sure of laws there.
I have moved several times and ALWAYS came back to what was familiar. All these people on here telling you how great the registration is where they live.
Well for one, you do not know their situations not if that applies to out of state people. I tried it a few times and for sure, the grass was NOT greener on the other side.
Having said that, I did get the Hell out of Seminole county many years ago. It was like registering with the Gestapo.
If you do decide to go somewhere, do LOTS of research. Online and with calls. Check with those who have to register there as well as check with the registration office and the state to see what the rules are that apply to YOUR situation.
Even here I have been Ex post facto’d 3 times. I use to register once a year, then twice and now 4 times. Nothing on my end changed. If they keep getting away with that, I guess soon I will have to go in every month.
Mike, research Tennessee laws. I believe they just passed an amendment to the ‘not living with minors’ that excludes own children. There are stipulations of course but in general, I think they realized how unjust it was. It was just passed very recently so take a look.
I also hope to flee Florida. I’m n Broward Country now and looking at Orlando as a temporary stop b4 i try 2 get back 2 TENNESSEE. I’m 30 plus years removed from the pen and to 20 off parole. No offense b4 or after.
If you’re off all sanctions for 20 years and have no subsequent arrests, you should be considering a petition for removal.
In Florida, a petition for removal? I’ve been under the impression it’s not a possibility or worth it. Am I wrong?
You are wrong.
I’m sorry, let me elaborate. YES, people have, in fact, been removed from the registry. It requires a petition for removal pursuant to F.S. 943.0435(11). If you have been off all sanctions (out of prison, probation, supervised release, etc) for more than 20 years and you have not been arrested for a felony or misdemeanor, you might be eligible.
Thank you for further info, that is quite helpful and useful information when our times come.
Theres that arrest thing. One poss FTR that was NOT PURSUED and state filed a NO information on. Never even got arraigned nothing they just filed a no info and stopped. Noone not even my laywers can say what would happen. I cannot even get the arrest exponged it was denied. Never on any list till i made the mistake of setting foot i. This state.
So never even made it to arraignment they decided not to pursue at all…. so i was never formally informed of my charges To answer to. How can that count???
Eddie,
I use to be a cop so can tell you, a crooked cop and make your life more miserable than a judge. And no, I did not act that way, but saw it so much first hand from dirty, control freak, power hungry cops that I had to carry tums with me on patrol. I finally got transferred to homicide just so I wouldn’t have to deal with live people.
Eddie, Let me know which State you wind up in, if it is better there. I would appreciate it.
Of course bad shit and angry cops can happen to me anywhere regardless.
I know my limits on sanity and I am taking a ridiculously huge leap of faith even thinking of uprooting and restarting my life, absolutely would not do anything like this without knowing it is just what I must do at this point.
God only knows if I will remember.
I am not a Wuss by any means but you go right ahead and do that. Where I register, doing something like that gets you a visit to the room of which no one returns.
EVEN if you get charges thrown out , EVEN if charges are bogus, goodbye to any chance of getting off registry after 20/25 years.
I applaud those who fall on the sword for a cause, however sometimes it is like when a kid throws a spit ball at the teacher and won’t admit who did it. Then everyone in the class is punished because they caused problems. I try and stay off their radar and when I leave from registration, 60 seconds later they have forgotten my name.
Our fight is with the courts, not the guy/gal sitting behind the glass at the registration office. I am sure when they signed up to work at the sheriff’s office, their dream was not to be sitting around talking to registered ex offenders all day.
Just my 2 cents worth. Although the early bird gets the worm, the loud mosquito gets squashed.
I think you make a good point.
But maybe if they continue to think that they can get away with nonsense, maybe that is why they are so bold.
Maybe that would stop if we stood up for ourselves.
If I was still doing my sentence I wouldn’t have a beef. But when I got sentence almost 30 years ago, there was no such thing as the registry. I did my probation, my community service, my butt kissing etc
BUT we seem to have less freedom now then someone on probation. Yes I am fed up. And yes doing nothing sucks but eventually some lawyer or team of lawyers have got to come up with the gold ticket to at least those sentenced before the registry getting off. I cannot see myself as an 80 year old man on the registry. At least now I can still go toe to toe with anyone to protect myself, but my health is failing and am not allowed to own a gun. Guess I better get a couple of mean at Hell dogs and name them death and grim reaper
JJJJ, you have yet to explain exactly what it is that you believe they “think they are getting away with”? As far as I know, anything I am mandated to do is validated by the Laws of the State/County I live in. As much as I do not like it, what is it you believe you will accomplish by reading this to them at registration? I am not saying you are wrong. I am just asking what you think this will do, outside of po some people you really don’t want po’d at you?
If you are polite and circumspect and meek, you will not piss off anyone. But the message will get across that we will not be bullied any more.
I believe the words of Solomon, “An answer when mild turns away even rage.”
The registration office in Brevard County is pretty decent. I think I’ll save the commentary for when the office isn’t doing so well or when I feel like I want to spend extra time getting registered.
Then go meekly to your fate, sir. God bless you!
We need to wait for the right time to do the right thing. We must be more civil than those who are doing the bullying. Our character must rise above their character. It’s only when they start questioning themselves that things will start to change. Patience and persistence in honorable living is on our side.
Capt Charles
I registered today. Last time even with the pandemic, they had us all sit around each other. Today it was different. We had to wait outside in the hot sun and go in only when someone came out.
The second thing that was different, instead of the civilian employee registering us, there was an armed deputy registering us. I said “oh crap” to myself. But it was for nothing to worry as he was professional and got me out of there in like 2 minutes.
He even made me laugh. He asked how many people were still outside and when I said about 11, he said “Ah crap”. LOL
I think he would rather be doing anything but registering us.
CherokeeJack, I like the way you think. I do hope that we can meet for lunch sometime and have a good conversation. It is possible to be positively aggressive without pissing off those who we are trying to influence in our favor.
Well ask F.A.C if they can send you my email address. Take this as my permission. I live Somewhere between lake Mary and Winter Park lol
Jack
sent.
I’m still waiting for Jack’s email address.
I sent it to you.
Jack, I live in Port St. John.
I think you both have Munchhausen’s syndrome.
Just Kidding!!! 🙂 (Seriously, guys, I am ribbing you. Just trying to keep it light.)
I think the FAC Member verdict is in:
Some of us will speak up, quietly and respectfully (but firmly).
And some of us feel that it is too early and that we are better served to be in stealth mode.
I have decided that I will speak (respectfully but firmly). Every time. EVERY time!
Yours in second-class-citizenship,
(But not 2/3 of a person!)
JJJJ
I misspoke. (I’m embarrassed).
It is Stockholm Syndrome that I was teasing you guys about….not Muchhausen’s Syndrome.
MY bad!
I was wondering what Muchhausen Syndrome was. I didn’t know if I had to wear a mask or not.
I moved out of Florida almost a year ago. Best decision I ever made. Florida looks great on a map and in pictures; but reality is different there. However the county I lived wasn’t that bad; it was local police department that made life more difficult. If I can be born in Minnesota I can handle cold winters. I rather freeze my butt off than rotting away in a jail cell.
I am not happy with having to register twice a year but I refuse to get even more on the radar of the VCSD. Once you do that, you can expect the address checks to be at 3 AM instead of during the day. Why make your life even more difficult? The one thing I haven’t heard out of this is:
Exactly what good will this do anyone to recite this diatribe at registration? Anyone have an answer to that question?
Ed
I agree. I have to register 4 times a year. The Deputy who comes by, oddly enough only comes to my house once a year. He is very kind, polite and professional. He says his spiel then tells me to make sure to do what I need to do to not get locked up.
Now if I went in to register and started acting the fool, I am sure the mister nice guy routine would turn into ” Oh we have a search warrant, the neighbors said you told them you have illegal porn”.
I have only been the subject of a search twice. On my initial arrest < They found NOTHING. ( I was not home on this one )
The second time I was on probation and a neighbor who didn’t like me living on the street called in a child porn tip. Again NOTHING found. ( I was home on this one )
Both times I had 1000s of dollars of damages to the property as they ripped open walls and flipped over computers etc. Like they got a kick out of it.
It will make it loud and clear (on a national level) that we object to having our rights violated.
As far as “getting more on the radar”, I understand your concern. But I think that the more we cower, the more they will try to bully us.
We must make it abundantly clear that we will not tolerate their abandonment of our civil rights.
We must stop cowering. The only way to take on a bully (a thug) is to confront them and let them know that you will not be victimized.
I believe that we must show courage.
Although I did like the idea of a million offender march, there are many issues with that.
#1 getting that many offenders to be brave enough to do it
#2 The news showing peoples faces and maybe their names making them targets putting their families at risk
#3 Everyone being arrested for the registry violation of protesting the registry (They would pass it real quick behind closed doors while we are marching)
But yeah there would be arrests for something and who wants to get violated?
#4 Would it make a difference or would the news twist it around and say ” look at all the rapist protesting for rights”
#5 could possibly lead to stiffer laws against us
No I am not hiding in the shadows but I am not falling on the sword. Things COULD get so bad for us that I would do it, but my parents are elderly and I am all they have.
But who is the bully that needs to be taken on?
Not the workers in my county registration office. They are simply administering the law.
If the law is the bully, then we can object to it somewhere where the objection counts— in the courts, if properly argued.
I agree that registrants’ rights are being violated. But case law says they are not. We need to force a change there.
Jacob
Although I may be delusional ,but you would think the courts would eventually get tired of hearing the same lawsuits come into the courts over and over again and finally say
“”oh maybe there are some rights being violated here”.
Or get a judge who is not afraid to actually do the right thing and apply the law equally not discriminately.
I think it is a great idea to always tell anyone that is doing anything related to Registration that it is not acceptable. Every time. I’ve done it for years. You don’t have to be mean about it, unless you know the person you are talking to is a jackass. And certainly often enough the people “simply administering the law” are serious bullies are who operating outside of the law and couldn’t care less that they are.
There is no reason to give anyone any kind of break. The outrage and complaints should be a constant, always and every time. People should hate to have to do any work related to Registration. That is the best case scenario. Where I live, I feel they punish officers by forcing them to work with Registrations. Everyone needs to suffer. Law enforcement needs to understand that Registries are harming them.
I understand that the officers are just doing their jobs. I also know that most of them are decent, respectable and kind people.
However, I also believe that we must make it absolutely clear that we protest the fact that our civil rights are being violated.
These officers would all talk around the water cooler. Sooner or later it would become known that registrants across the entire nation have registered a collective complaint.
We are one million strong, but only a few of us are doing the work.
If every one of us spoke up in a clear way, the results would be a greater amount of national respect.
When we are silent, we give our tacit (unspoken) consent to our rights being violated.
We must not be silent any longer!
JeffR, you are starting to sound like one of our founding fathers. Had they stayed silent we would today have a king instead of a president. Silence is sometimes the easy way out but it generally accomplishes nothing.
I tend to agree on the ” most are silent”. The lawsuits that are being filed all over the U.S are speaking volumes that we have had enough and we are not going to take it anymore.
Not all of them are successful but the more of them that hit, the better the chances that the great wall off silence will fall, LEGALLY. And some states and jurisdictions have had some really hopeful victories.
Not all of them may apply to us personally but like they say, Rome wasn’t built in a day. Although I do get a new grey hair every day from waiting.
Just my two cents worth.
JJJJ, I am by NO means cowering to anyone. But I do believe that there is a right path to justice and a wrong (dangerous) path as well. In my opinion, the right path is what the FAC is currently in the process of doing with the “John Doe” Case. The ONLY way we will EVER get anywhere, is through the Courts! You can jump on your soap box all you want to and scream about how we need to “stand up to them and not cower” but in the end, the only way we will collectively see any relief, is through the Judicial system. It stinks, I know but that is the way I will continue to believe!
(I believe that Silence = consent)
Here is a quote from https://prsay.prsa.org/2018/02/27/the-ethics-of-silence-and-of-speaking-up/
“…remaining silent also can be highly unethical.
We should be careful that our silence is not deceptive, allowing others to believe what we know for certain is not true.
We ought not remain silent when facing injustice and abuse but “speak truth to power.” We should not remain silent when witnessing wrongdoing. In those circumstances, silence is not morally acceptable; we have a duty to speak up.
Remaining silent also can represent a risk. James E. Lukaszewski, APR, Fellow PRSA, believes that in today’s world of overwhelming chatter and information overload, “silence is the most toxic strategy” to reputation and integrity. If we remain silent, someone else will fill the void with more made-up chatter and misinformation. He believes that, “Managing your destiny is up to you.” He advocates a very specific strategy to keep your own record straight.
I hear, and understand, both sides of this discussion. But, I have to lean towards “staying under the radar” at this point. If I could be guaranteed no retaliation, I’d be the first in line to fight this thing……!! However, our Sheriff in this county is a wanna-be TV star and I am positive he would go out of his way to “punish” us if we made waves. That is sad. Bless us all.
Bebe I agree. I was once at registration ( And most of the guys there ( never seen a girl registering yet ) are very friendly and polite to each other and to the check in staff.
One time about 6 months ago, this guy was screaming and throwing a fit, threw his papers on the floor, cussed the employee out and walked out slamming the door. I do not know what happened to him but I am sure they made his life Hell after that. None of us have seen him since but we all register at different times so who knows.
The point is, I am very polite and also say sir and Ma’am. I get my paperwork and never think about it again until next time and hope they feel the same. I am not a robot who does what there told, but I do not need any heat on me. I have made it almost 30 years with no violations and didn’t come this far to screw it up. In 2 1/2 more years I am told I can petition to get off the registry. Hopefully something good happens before then legally but not going out of my way to piss anyone off in the meantime. (Well at least not anyone who can send me back to prison)
In the past F.A.C. has wanted to censor this belief but – why does anyone allow law enforcement to visit them anywhere? Why allow “compliance checks”? If they ever showed up at my home at 3 AM, that would be the last time they’d be able to get near me there. There is no reason to cater to these criminals.
Agreed! We are a million strong across the nation!
Hello, I know this is off topic a little bit, but has anyone been able to apply for the unemployment or partial employment in florida. I have tried for partial since hrs got cut down to under 30 hrs a week, I gave employer info and all info needed. I tried to claim weeks but its says for me they need 5 proofs a week for seeking employment and providing false info leads to prison. Even though site says that requirement has been suspended because of the covid 19. Just wondering if this is a separate issue or a common issue among us registered folks.
If someone would pay me, I would diligently research which states to relocate to from Floriduh. Anecdotally, I have looked at several and the biggest obstacle I see is that many states require you to register in that state if you were required to register in Floriduh. After that, several states restart the clock so you have to be a resident of that state for so many years before you can beg to be removed. And as we all know, Floriduh keeps you on it’s registry even when you have moved out of state.
That being said, here is a good place to start your search:
http://ccresourcecenter.org/state-restoration-profiles/50-state-comparison-relief-from-sex-offender-registration-obligations/
NARSOL state wiki also covers this.
https://statewiki.narsol.org/doku.php
Vermont is the one state where if you meet their 10 year qualification, you don’t even have to register when you show up. In other places like Georgia, out of staters are treated the same as locals. Where it gets a tad confusing is in some states like maybe Colorado or Oregon where you’re not quite sure how they treat someone from out of state. The Oregon law was supposed to change in a good way as of January 2019, but I haven’t checked back in with him. Of course the problem with Oregon is that it’s very expensive. In the case of Massachusetts. An out-of-state registrant might be able to get their term reduced from 20 to 10 years, but they can’t tell you if you’re eligible until such time as you move to Massachusetts and register. We’ve obviously run into examples where in theory, a person from out of state would be eligible to be removed but for the fact that, like in Kentucky and a few other places, they classify either every out-of-state registrant as a tier 3/lifetime registrant or, like in the case of Ohio they classify you in the same manner as your state of conviction. I recall that is what happened to Derek from Once Fallen.
Good info JoeM. Also, I have verified with the state government and a private lawyer that Maryland no longer requires registration if one’s offense (not conviction or court date) predates October of 1995. Though one lawyer suggests there may still be an issue with federal SORNA registration.
Sure….
I’ve been doing this for over 2 decades. Every single time I talk to anyone about the Registries, for any reason. But what I have found to be more interesting and effective is to instead make fun of the Registries and anyone who supports them. I truly do think that most people who ACTUALLY support Registries are not very smart. So I can genuinely make fun of them. Most people don’t want other people to think they are stupid. Most people who zealously support the Registries have low self-esteem and it embarrasses them if people think they are stupid. I think it affects their attitudes and even beliefs.
I read below where Jacob said that they will just say “okay” and shrug. That is mostly right, in my experience. But why not say something? Why not? Instead of just acting like it’s all fine. I’m nice about it and most officers are just fine with talking about it. A lot of them agree with me.
But I think it is very important to establish boundaries with them and make it clear that you know the law and won’t be allowing them to do just anything they like. They know what they are going to get with me and they don’t bother me. I really think they bother people who they know they can. That is what bullies do.
Just think how different the Registration landscape would look if all million people Registered fought back every single time.
FLORI-DUH, keeps You on the Registry, Even after You are Dead!
-A Life and After-Life of Double Jeopardy! (not referring to the Game Show)
Apparently, your Family Estate can petition for Removal of Your Name, etc after you pass…Perhaps a good idea, so Their Names are Not associated with a dead SO!
WOW!
This should be illegal. Keeping a person who passed away on a registry that is “SUPPOSED” to be protecting the public? I guess the dead zombies need will rise out of their grave and chase down children?
No, In my opinion, it is done for three reasons. #1 The states get funding for cushioning their registries. #2 They do not want to pay someone to do the extra work to remove someone who has passed #3 I DO think they want to set an example and say “Even AFTER you die, you will STILL be a sex offender in our eyes”.
The fact remains, legally, if someone passes, they should automatically be removed within 72 hours of verification the person has passed. Additionally, the same should happen for those who NO LONGER live in the state. Why keep someone on it if they have left, HOW are they a threat to the state?????
It WILL be illegal, if we raise enough $ for Out Of State Challenge and argue it successfully.
We are speaking with an attorney about Out of State. We’re having trouble raising funds for that challenge, but we might have a solution.
If you need someone to do grunt work on that case let me know. I have offered to help a couple of times and I’ve never heard back. And yes, I am nominally qualified to assist as I was an attorney before my arrest. This could be an important case for a number of us as there are a couple of places that we could go and get off the list or in one case, not even have to register at all. But we would still be on the Florida registry and I’m guessing they would demand to know our new address and. threaten us with arrest and incarceration If we declined.
We need the help. Just shot you an email.
I don’t want to sound like and ASS but I hope when someone offers to help, they are checked out to make sure they are not someone from the “Other side” trying to infiltrate us.
Sorry just had to be said / asked of .
No offense to JoeM, it just made me think of how twisted our enemies can be to take us down.
Curses! You caught me! I was trying to get the FAC people to show
me the secret secret offender handshake.
Didn’t get it in regular mailbox or junk.
Joe – we sent email to the email address on this post (hidden from public). Can you send an email to legal@floridaactioncommittee.org?
JoeM
Our secret handshake has been kept under lock and key and passed down for 1000s of years. We just want to make sure its’ powers are not destroyed by an Evil Warlock escaped from the Chamber of Secrets. If it got into the wrong hands, our fate would be sealed. Then what’s next, our secret code word is deciphered? :)~
How Much $$$$$ is needed and what law firm would be appropriate for this challenge. I am all in…as this affects me as well as many!
I can probably get the $$$ if it is a reasonable amount
thank u in advance
this will be an anonymous donation!
We have thermometers on our donation page (https://floridaactioncommittee.org/donations/) showing all the suits we are funding for and how close we are to having them funded (or how much is needed to raise).
The major case is the Ex Post Facto Plus which has different stages of funding (retainer and sustainer) and is currently in litigation. Attorney Val Jonas is lead attorney.
Btw I am grateful to anyone that volunteers member submissions. I always look forward to reading them, and look at the discussion we’re having.
What got my county registrar’s attention was an FAC lawsuit.
Legislature had just passed a byzantine internet law that would have placed a serious burden on internet access and would have made that access virtually impossible. FAC-related parties filed suit. “And they’ll win, too,” my registrar observed, “because the new law is a joke.” They were right.
Really glad to read this comment, Jacob. So much goes on behind the scenes. It’s really great to know there’s an impact.
Another win for the good guys. Well done to all involved. For now all I can do is keep everyone in prayer.
https://theappeal.org/floridas-sex-offender-registry-proves-inescapable/
So, the State of Florida, or at least certain persons who work for the State, are committing a crime by falsifying data on the registry?
From the article: “The DOJ’s award letter granting the money notes that “any materially false, fictitious, or fraudulent statement to the federal government related to this award … may be the subject of a criminal prosecution.”
What is the false data that state is reporting to the feds? Our Out-of-State challenge may need to address that.
Jacob
Was that the Internet law that required every url that was visited and you had to report it ahead of time?
It was THAT internet law, yes.
At the time, of course, neither of us associated it with “Florida Action Committee,” which neither of us had heard of until months later when we received an FAC snail-mailer.
Does Florida dig up graves to verify a person is still dead? How dare they violate someone’s resting place. Keeping humans on their registry after they have died or moved is the dumbest thing; however the more people on the registry means more money for the state to continue adding people. Money talks and bs follows. Special place in hell for Florida officials.
Brandon,
“Special place in hell for Florida officials.”
Nope, even Hell doesn’t want them
If the registrant is dead i think his new address should be some cemetery address ,, I mean do not most on line registry’s have report an error link? or report a registrant that is living some place other than where he registered link? That way at least the police can go arrest him for failure to register or at least mail him a summons at the correct address? Not sure but i wonder how the cemetery office workers would handle that letter.
AND what happens if someone new buys that house? THEY are not allowed to make changes to the registry. You brought up something epic. We have seen on here many times someone being attacked and even killed that WASN’T even the person they thought they saw on the registry.
As I read these comments a few things flash through my mind. First regarding maintaining dead people on the registry, I am not in the least surprised. Florida has been getting away with so many things that are wrong and for so long and there needs to be a stop to them. The 64,000.00 question is how, once and for all?
Regarding reading the statement, I believe the comments listed cover the matter adequately.
Now finally regarding leaving Florida. Yes it is certainly true there are other states less restrictive. There are always pro’s and con’s to each chose we make in life. One must decide for themselves. Remaining in Florida is definitely an up hill battle all the way, when there are people like the Brooks and others in a position of authority.
My heart and prayers are with all those who are in Florida and remain in Florida. The things Florida does and gets away with are unconscionable!
On the other hand, I know what to expect here. in the past I researched and left and came right back when I found out everything is not black and white and the grass is not always greener.
Plus my family is here and do not want to live somewhere by myself. Not that I couldnt deal with it but would have to register in florida everytime I came back to visit parents who are elderly. But yeah, if something doesnt break soon, I will start another search. Just have to sell a kidney to pay for the move lol
It’s not necessarily registering officers on whom registrants need to make an impression, but the general public— neighbors, associates, etc., etc.
Best way to put yourself out there is just to be yourself so as to impress upon people that you are not the sort of person that requires police surveillance.
The reason we have registries is because they’re popular. Is that because people are stupid? No. Though some will never be persuaded, most simply are uninformed— they don’t think about registries much— and, as a result, afraid of what they don’t know. The more people get to know registrants as human beings, the slower the momentum for more bright ideas in the legislature.
jacob
That is why most of the people who give us crap, do not even live in our neighborhoods. Yes I have a few neighbors who do not like me, but have had things hung on my door before making threats and when I looked at camera, had no idea who the person was. I have been targeted several times and never seems to be anyone I have ever seen before. Why do they care if I live 20 blocks from them?
Solomon is reputed to have said, “A word at the right time for it is as golden apples in silver carvings.”
I hate registration laws; however the best form of revenge is living your life to the fullest. If people can’t look past your offense and the time that has passed screw them!! Always remember you can point a finger at someone; yet four are pointing back at them.
Brandon, the best way to get even with those who support the registry is to live our lives in such a way that they run out of facts to support their beliefs.
I wonder how many registered citizens know about advocacy groups across the country regardless of what their sentence. It’s understandable people are ashamed; don’t want to rock the boat and think that their participation doesn’t matter. Writing to legislators and journalists about their bills/news stories can be extremely overwhelming; however planting a seed might just happen when they hear opposing views. Today our society is fear driven and divides us in the end. Bad things happen when good people do nothing; yet you can still do something behind the scenes instead of being front and center. With truth on our side hopefully these laws will be a stain on our history and done before we are skeletons (that’s if you can still be buried in graveyards because you might violate someone).
Absolutely. Silence is consent.
People don’t have to be rude but EVERYONE should take EVERY opportunity to speak out against the Registries at every single possible opportunity, every single time.
It doesn’t have to be some super elaborate statement. Every time I hear “registries are unconstitutional”, for example, I can only roll my eyes. I don’t give a f*ck if Registries are constitutional or not, they are an act of war. All that matters. People can use humor. Or be sarcastic. Whatever. But say SOMETHING. Heck, I’ve tried to high-five officers before. Don’t recall anyone actually doing it though, lol. I said something like, “You can’t waste too many taxpayer resources, am I right?!” and tried to high-five him. Just looked at me.
JeffR said, “I understand that the officers are just doing their jobs. I also know that most of them are decent, respectable and kind people.” It’s true that they have to do the job and I don’t fault them for it. But I will complain to anyone who has ears. And if I find out that someone thinks Registries are acceptable, then I can say anything or disrespect them if I prefer. Also, MOST people can appear “decent, respectable and kind” MOST of the time. But most people are not. Most people don’t give a damn about you, your spouse, or your children and they will let harm fall on you if they are inconvenienced in any way. It is easy to be “decent, respectable and kind” in normal situations. That says nothing of a person’s soul or character. I expect it is a lot more accurate that most people are not good people and are only good when it is working for them. Don’t we have enough evidence of that?
Most people generally understand that sex offenders don’t want to register, and that they are doing so only as required by law.
That’s why objecting to registration, or asserting our view that it’s a rights violation, in and of itself is unlikely to persuade. But for some people it could boost self-esteem.
I had to register in April over the phone where I live. In the past I’ve had civilians who work at the registration say they think all of this is a waste. I’ve also had cops say I know your not a threat yet I have to waste my time checking you when I rather eat my donuts. Part of me thinks that people who work at these agencies don’t want to rock the boat. On the other hand it could be wishful thinking on my end.