Petition started to ban musician, registered sex offender from headlining Burke Co. festival
Organizers of the largest festival in Burke County are responding Tuesday after allowing the Artimus Pyle Band to headline one of the nights. Channel 9 spoke with Pyle who denies the allegations.
The Historic Morganton Festival in September attracts tens of thousands of people each year, filling the streets of downtown Morganton.
This year, an online petition is trying to keep the band from performing because Pyle is a registered sex offender in North Carolina. He’s also a former drummer for the band Lynyrd Skynyrd.
Pyle said he has lost venues because of the conviction.
“We just lost a gig in Sacramento because someone called,” Pyle said.
He hopes the people of Morganton will give him a chance.
“I don’t belong on that list and I’m so sad right now,” Pyle said. “I want to cry.”
[FAC NOTE: WILL SOMEONE SHOW THIS GUY SOME SUPPORT?]
Yes I agree because, well you just never know when during the concert he will put down his instrument and start masterbating in front of the crowd. I mean COME ON. It is not because they think he will do anything, they do not want ANY of us to have a normal life.
These people always win because there is power in numbers. We have numbers but that have so many of us afraid to take a stand, that we feel and seem weak.
I can’t even take my own grand children to the park without fear of my license plate being read and me being seen holding hands with children (My grand babies).
I feel bad for Artimus, he’s a great drummer. Surprisingly, appearing at events don’t seem to be a problem for guys like Mike Tyson and Lawrence Taylor. Even actor Jeffrey Jones, the principal of the school in Ferris Buellers Day Off is still getting acting gigs.
You cannot give up. It’s just not an option.
I am ashamed at the way that Americans show their prejudice against those who have been jailed as a sex offender. I wonder if it would be more humane for this news to go unreported and allow the petitioners to fail in their attempt to get notoriety. Most do not know what their grievance means to those that are trying to make a life and a living for themselves and their families.
Sex offenders are human beings and Americans, citizens, fathers, sons, brothers, and veterans. They are guaranteed by our Constitution, Bill of Rights, and laws with inalienable rights of life, liberty, and to pursue happiness. They are made in the image of God. Like you, they are sinners. If they are free, it is because they went to jail, completed a thorough treatment program, probation, and are now free to pursue life in America. Our society makes reentry back into the community almost impossible for most because of the prejudices of many and the draconian laws made by legislatures that want to appear tough on crime.
The number of persons called “sex offenders” in America is excessive. The public and law makers are being deceived by the term. Definitions and statutes differ by state. A number of non-violent offenses are sex offenses on the sex offender registry – like nudity on isolated beaches or hiking trails, urination on construction sites or forested areas, underage consensual sex between same age partners, possession and viewing of illegal pictures free on the internet, streaking, selfies, and prostitution.
When a sex offense on the registry occurs in America, it more often than not, is not rape, but a victimless crime that years ago, communities, parents, schools, and clergymen effectively handled. In a 2007 report No Easy Answers, Human Rights Watch found that at least five states required men to register as sex offenders if they were caught visiting prostitutes. At least 13 states required individuals to register for urinating in public (in two states, only if a child was present). Thirty-two states registered flashers and streakers. No fewer than 29 states required registration for teenagers who had consensual sex and petting with another teenager.
Those on the registry are the least likely to again commit that crime, as evidenced by multiple studies by academia. A mega-analysis of 21 studies by academics revealed that sex offender registrants have the lowest level of recidivism, only surpassed by murderers. Those most likely to commit a sex crime are friends, family members, dates, and neighbors.
When you publically shame a person trying to restart his life, you only serve to kick him down again. You give fuel to hatred and vigilantism. You violate the long standing effort by managers in protecting personnel information from abuse and misuse. The efforts of the festival operators in holding in trust this information is courageous and worthy of their good leadership.
To Bob
There is a show I watch on Saturdays at noon on ABC. The name of the show is “Free Enterprise” focusing on second chances for former inmates they help newly released inmates transition into a new career or owning their own business.
At the end of each episode, they always state “Because everyone deserves a 2nd chance”. Funny because I have been watching this show for several years and not a single person with any sex offense has ever been featured on the show. They need to state “Everyone deserves a 2nd chance except for sex offenders”, because if the show won’t take a chance on them, WHO will? Wouldn’t want to hurt your ratings now would we?
Dont know when this was published but they decided to hire him and let him play
No hope
Do you happen to have a source or a link showing that? All of us would be elated to read that.
What else will they come up with? Not allowed to go to how many places, forbidden to work at some jobs,
on licenses, Passports. Not allowed to live where we want to live.
It is just going to get worse and worse. This whole world is in turmoil and it is not going to end.
The cost of living, Gas prices going up which is causing everything we consume to increase in price.
I am curious just what is happening with the crime rate because there is not enough money to live.
I guess I have vented enough and will get off the soapbox.
Thank you for letting me share my opinions.
TO: Jerry
I solemnly believe, that if allowed, some establishments would hang signs on their entrance doors stating “Sex offenders not welcome here”.
What is even funnier, every year I get an envelope in the mail asking me to support the Florida Sheriff’s Association. Although I was law enforcement at one time and wish no harm upon them, they can take their request and put it in the same place they put me when I got arrested.