Some good news
Earlier, our Call to Action for Volusia County was updated to let members know that the ordinance that was to be drafted, which would have raised the 1000-foot residence restriction in the unincorporated area to 1500 feet for people labeled by the state as predators, was withdrawn from the July 11 meeting agenda. This was after members had contacted the county council members, along with research being sent.
Since the July meeting, there have been at least two more general meetings where the proposed drafting of the ordinance was never brought up.
We have contacted the council member who proposed drafting the ordinance, asking him if he plans on continuing to push such an ordinance. We have heard nothing back from him.
For now, it does appear that the Volusia County council members did listen to what Florida citizens had to say.
Working together, we have seen some positive results in the 2023 Florida legislative session, in Volusia County, and in Hernando County (thanks to our two county coordinators there). Other forces are continuing to work throughout our state for hopefully more positive results.
That is great news. Also great to hear that the mobilization efforts are showing good results. Nothing breeds momentum more than victories. Make it harder for these legislators to come up with and pass nonsense laws.
Another point that could be made to some of the local politicians is that while they may not (read: probably don’t) care less about registrants or their opinions since they can’t vote, those registrants have friends and family members that do vote and will remember who made the efforts to make life more difficult for their registered friends and family members under the false premise of public safety.
That was demonstrated in a sheriff’s race up here (Georgia) a couple years ago. One candidate owns the polygraph firm up here and was running neck-and-neck with his opponent, according to polls at the time. He primarily ran on crime prevention, specifically and frequently referencing his polygraph “service” to demonstrate his supposed capability to prevent crime. He was soundly beaten (65-35), and I’m sure the friends and family members of that county’s registry population (most still on probation and subjected to his “service”) accounted for a significant chunk of the difference between the late campaign polls and the election outcome.
Of course you ‘ve heard nothing back.
The disrespect shown to our community reminds me of the disrespect that was shown to the black communities and Jews.
It is never right no matter what color you are, what religion you are, or what path from which you’ve repented!
These disrespectful ones will eventually be shown disrespect, themselves!
Registry proponents that “want to know” actually have no right to exploit someone’s privacy just to gain a false sense of synthetic safety. You simply cannon reason with these types, much less win over “hearts and minds.”
They are very much like the Covid deniers right before death. It’s painful for their egos to accept they were wrong. People like this are only capable of experiencing humility when they’re close to death.