Petition to Commissioner of UN
Weekly Update #238
Dear Members and Advocates,
Last week, the Canadian Supreme Court ruled that mandatory sex offender registration and lifetime sex offender registration were unconstitutional. Basically, removing a Judge’s discretion to determine whether someone warrants this label and all the restrictions that come with it, or mandating that someone be on it for life, violates Canada’s Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Although this decision has no bearing on us here in the US, it’s certainly interesting to see how other countries treat those in this situation.
I’ve always considered Canada to be the country most similar to the United States. We even share the same baseball, basketball and hockey leagues. Drop someone in the center of downtown Toronto and they would likely say, “wow, someone really cleaned up New York!”. The racial and ethnic representation, the language, the clothing, the stores and restaurants, etc. are the same, but what’s radically different about our populations is the civility. It’s the level of courtesy, politeness and respect that people have towards each other that seems so strange to Americans. You always hear the stereotype that Canadians are “so polite”, but aren’t we supposed to be polite? Aren’t we supposed to be kind to strangers and help someone in need? Isn’t there this basic principal underlying most religions that says, “do unto others as you would have them do unto you”? If that’s the case, why is it so remarkable that Canadians act as a civilized society is supposed to act? Could it be that by contrast, other’s do not and that’s what makes it unusual?
Many of the world’s civilized countries got together in the 40’s and created the United Nations. The UN is an intergovernmental organization to foster “peace, dignity and equality on a healthy planet”. It was the World War II era and there was anything but peace, dignity and equality in many parts of the world. There was war, indignity, oppression, discrimination and injustice. So a number of countries, including the United States, signed this global charter agreeing, “to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war, which twice in our lifetime has brought untold sorrow to mankind, and to reaffirm faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person, in the equal rights of men and women and of nations large and small, and to establish conditions under which justice and respect for the obligations arising from treaties and other sources of international law can be maintained, and to promote social progress and better standards of life in larger freedom.” The UN’s role is to combine these nation’s efforts and resources to accomplish these aims.
In the eight decades since the UN was established, some of its member countries have fallen off the wagon a bit. When it comes to the sex offender registry, I’m saddened to say that the United States is the worst when it comes to violations of fundamental human rights and ignoring the dignity and worth of the human person. The registry denies us human rights and strips us of all dignity and worth. In 2014, the UN issued a blistering report, calling out the US on numerous human rights violations. Although it didn’t address the registry, it addressed a lot of the collateral consequences that have become characteristic of sex offender registration, including the criminalization of homelessness, loss of voting rights and inhumane punishments. Although it didn’t address civil commitment it admonished non-consensual psychiatric treatment, which is exactly what civil commitment is.
After reading the news about Canada, we wondered what would happen if several registrants showed up at the Canadian Embassy seeking asylum. After all, Canada has determined that the punishments imposed here are unconstitutional under their laws. If anyone cares to test that idea, we would be very interested to know how it works out. But in case you’re not looking to pack up your stuff just yet, there is a way you can seek help from the international community in holding the US and your state accountable for the heinous human rights violations taking place over here.
The Florida Action Committee has initiated a petition to The High Commissioner for Human Rights at the Office of the United Nations. The purpose of the Petition is to Declare Public Sex Offender Registration in the United States a Violation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). A link to the petition can be found here: https://chng.it/cxqGrLzqkD
You do not need to reside in Florida or even the United States to sign this petition. This is a global crisis and the UN is a global organization. Please take a moment to sign our petition and share it with as many people as you can! Please add your voice to this important petition and lets end this human rights tragedy once and for all.
First they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a socialist.
Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a trade unionist.
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.
—Martin Niemöller
With Unity Comes Change!
Sincerely,
The Florida Action Committee
ANNOUNCEMENTS – MARK YOUR CALENDARS
Next Monthly Membership Meeting – Thursday November 3 at 8pm ET. Call 319-527-3487. Topic: Long-Term Care for Aging Registered Citizens with Guest Stephanie Jerstad PhD, Millersville University. Trouble connecting? Text CALL ME to 319-527-3487 to received a call back and be connected to the meeting.
See Calendar of Events – Keep up with Meet-and-Greets in your area, Support groups, Membership Calls, and other events. For questions and more information contact the Membership Team; membership@floridaactioncommittee.org or call 833-273-7325,Option 1.
Click Here for Calendar, and double click on the event to view details and RSVP instructions. Just some of the upcoming events below.
Sat Nov 12 -Family Support Group – 11am-1pm ET. Therapist-led via Zoom. Must be FAC member with loved one on the Registry. To participate in the group, email membership@floridaactioncommittee.org or leave message at 833-273-7325 Option 1.
Sat Nov 12 – Meet and Greet in Vero Beach from 1pm-4pm. For location RSVP to Danell at fac.region4b@gmail.com or text 904-479-8806.
Sun Nov 13 – Meet and Greet in Fort Pierce from 2-5 pm. For location RSVP to Dessie at Fac.Region4C@gmail.com or text 772-226-0304.
Sat Nov 19 – Meet and Greet in Sebring from 11am-2pm. For location RSVP to Morris at fac.highlands2@gmail.com or text 863-256-3026.
Sat Nov 19 – Meet and Greet in Tampa from 2-4pm. For Location RSVP to Daphne at daphne.fac@gmail.com or text 757-570-2060.
Sat Dec 3 – Holiday Party and Luncheon in Apopka from 11am-4pm. Italian Buffet served from noon-3pm. Come early and stay as long as you want to mingle, play music, and be entertained. For location RSVP to Anita at membership@floridaactioncommittee.org or text 904-452-8322.
Become a County Coordinator. The only requirement is your desire to HELP us organize your county. If you are interested in joining the County Coordinator Team, leave message at 833-273-7325, Option 1, or email membership@floridaactioncommittee.org
Letter-Writing Campaigns – If you would like to participate in sending educational information to specific decision makers in Florida, please contact Media@floridaactioncommittee.org. Volunteers must be willing to proudly identify themselves by using their own name and return address on the letters.
SOME HEADLINES FROM THIS WEEK
Guess who’s getting sued next? Public notice signs put up at homes of sexual predators in Nassau County ahead of Halloween
Public notice signs are up in neighborhoods across Nassau County warning people a sexual predator lives in the area and to not go near the home when asking for candy from neighbors. Leeper says the signs are a warning families should take seriously. As for people who…
FAC Letter to HUD Re: Federal Laws that foster homelessness
Federal Law prohibits housing assistance to a household if any member of a household is subject to a state lifetime sex offender registration requirement. FAC has written a letter to the head of the US Housing and Urban Development, letting her know what that means to…
FAC is looking for a Social Media Manager volunteer
FAC is searching for an individual or individuals who can assist with our social media pages. Generally, content from our website gets re-posted to our Facebook and Twitter pages. Once there, very little engagement takes place (if any, because we currently have nobody…
Hillsborough County deputies to visit more than 1200 sex offenders ahead of Halloween
The sheriff said deputies are determined to contact each sex offender before Monday, even if it means returning to the home more than once if no one answers the…
With Unity Comes Change -Get Involved and Volunteer Today!
Florida Action Committee
www.floridaactioncommittee.org
info@floridaactioncommittee.org
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Thank you FAC !!!!!!. You and those that help you are “Angels sent from Heaven” !! I wish I could “Do More” financially, But “The System” has beat me down so badly ! I’m barely making it. Your the voice we desperately need !! Thank you again .
Tired, you can do PLENTY without it costing a penny. Get people to sign the petition
The US rightly so should be condemned for how it treats its citizens. So many homeless people who want nothing more than a chance to make a good life, yet we shun them. We send billions of dollars to other countries to aid them in their wars or to help them rebuild after a natural disaster. There’s nothing really wrong with that, but why can’t Congress use some of that money to house and feed the homeless? Give them a safe place to sleep and assist them in finding work? Instead, the police harass the homeless telling them to move along and that they can’t sleep in the park or on the sidewalk. Not all police because there have been instances when a good cop did what he could to help a homeless person. Its not enough though.
Their police force is outstanding. When confronted by a suspect who is agitated, they use non lethal methods to detain. They don’t just shoot a suspect because he reaches for something in his pocket. US cops are quick to pull the trigger without provocation.
I recently watched a video where a man with mental issues had a pocked knife and started running towards the cops. He was still quite a distance away and the cops, instead of using something non lethal like a tazer, gunned him down dead. I’ve watched similar videos of cops in the UK who pull out their batons and with minimal force take a knife wielding suspect into custody. And they don’t beat him senseless either. Cops here will stomp on a suspect’s head while he’s handcuffed.
We need to learn from other countries. Countries that are sadly more civilized than us. We arrogantly call ourselves the “leader of the free world”. I’ve always detested that title because the only thing we lead the world in is incarceration, homelessness, laziness. We certainly do not set a good example for other countries to follow.
Its time we get with the program.
Is there a chance the Canadian Supreme Court decision could affect whether registered Americans can visit Canada?
No – that was not an issue in the case.
I can assure you that the idea of seeking asylum in Canada is not going to work at all. Sex Offenders can’t even go to Canada to visit. They may have made a decision for their own people that is helpful to the population but I’m confident they aren’t going to change their policies of allowing other countries citizen’s in based on that decision.