Call To Action: Miami-Dade Homeless Encampment
After years of posting about the growing encampment of transient sex offenders in Miami-Dade County, it has taken some recent bad media exposure for the County to do something about it. And who do they appoint to spearhead the effort to relocate them? Ron Book! The same person who caused them to be homeless in the first place!
As absurd as it is to have allowed the human rights disaster to continue for so long, it’s even more absurd to appoint the most vocal proponent of their punishment and his daughter, whose organization receives millions of dollars annually from the perpetuation of myths about registered sex offenders, to help them.
If you want to voice you opposition to what is going on, the following is a list of Miami-Dade County Commissioners to contact:
| District 1 | Barbara J. Jordan | District1@MiamiDade.gov | 305-474-3011 |
| District 2 | Jean Monestime | District2@MiamiDade.gov | 305-694-2779 |
| District 3 | Audrey M. Edmonson | District3@MiamiDade.gov | 305-636-2331 |
| District 4 | Sally A. Heyman | District4@MiamiDade.gov | 305-787-5999 |
| District 5 | Bruno A. Barreiro | District5@MiamiDade.gov | 305-673-7743 |
| District 6 | Rebeca Sosa | District6@MiamiDade.gov | 305-267-6377 |
| District 7 | Xavier L. Suarez | District7@MiamiDade.gov | 305-694-3550 |
| District 8 | Daniella Levine Cava | District8@MiamiDade.gov | 305-378-6677 |
| District 9 | Dennis C. Moss | DennisMoss@MiamiDade.gov | 305-234-4938 |
| District 10 | Javier D. Souto | District10@MiamiDade.gov | 305-222-2116 |
| District 11 | Joe A. Martinez | District11@MiamiDade.gov | 305-552-1155 |
| District 12 | Jose “Pepe” Diaz | District12@MiamiDade.gov | 305-599-1200 |
| District 13 | Esteban L. Bovo, Jr. | District13@MiamiDade.gov | 305-820-8424 |
Just called no.1 on the list…Barbara Jordan. Post if you call here. Ron Book needs to be removed from the position.
“TEFLON RON” that’s what I coined as his nickname. Cause nothing sticks to him.
Ron Book is here to stay. Best we focus our energy elsewhere like the Courts which aren’t so driven by and dependent on power, money and votes. By the end of the day, Ron Book is really a non-issue. He simply does not have the final say.
here is a copy of my letter:
“I’m writing to you today regarding homelessness, homeless trust, Ron Book, Sex Offenders.
There is still an ongoing issue with homeless sex offenders that is growing. I would like to start out by saying that no human should have to live in conditions such as what has recently been reported again with the homeless sex offenders.
“The Good Book says we should tie a heavy stone around the child sex offender’s neck and drop him in the deepest part of the sea, but we are selective when it comes to the Good Book.” Incidentally, a look at the actions of Christ show that some of His greatest love and mercies were shown to those guilty of sexual sins. His greatest condemnations, conversely, were reserved for those who were so quick to condemn others and failed to see their own, much greater sins.
Keeping children safe is a parent’s chief concern, but hyped-up fear mongering that totally ignores the vast body of research done on the subject for the past 15 plus years does no service to anyone. It does communities no service because it does not contribute to public safety. It does former offenders no service because it invalidates and often makes impossible everything needed for stability and rehabilitation. And most of all, it does children no service because the overwhelmingly greater risk for harm to them comes not from those on the registry for a previous sexual offense but from those close to them in their lives who are not on the registry, specifically their family members, their peers, and their authority figures.
This is an emotional issue, but laws must not be driven by emotions; they must be driven by empirical evidence if they are to be effective. No empirical evidence exists that supports “child-safe zones,” “residency restrictions”, etc… public registration/notification, or fear-mongering, hate-driven editorials as valid approaches to improving public safety or reducing child sexual abuse.
It has been proven by sever state and federal statistics that sex offenders have the lowest recidivism rates among all convicted criminals with the exception of homicide. If you really want to protect people then start confiscating vehicles of people that operate a vehicle under the influence as they have injured and killed more children and adults then any other criminal class combined.
My Understanding is Mr. Ron Book is in charge of the homeless trust but has public stated horrible things and mis leading statements about sex offenders especially the recidivism rates thus the reasons for these laws that create un-human living conditions for not only for the convicted criminal but it also harms there family and children; with this in mind just how many sex offenders have the homeless trust assisted?(not including the last time under the bridge as from information that i obtained Mr. Book put on a dog and pony show that he was helping these people, moved several into a mobile home park then 3 months later reported that they were living to close to a previous unmarked restricted area such as a park or school) Also have you ever researched or considered that Mr. Book may be a convicted criminal himself? Ask yourself would a banking institute employ someone that has been convicted of fraud or any other types of theft or mis use of money charges? and if they did, would the insurance company cover they loss if there was one or should there be one from neglect hiring?
In closing i ask of you to do a few minutes of research from other states Gov. and the Federal Gov. about recidivism rates among sex offenders and not hyped upped lies. then ask yourself an honest question what would protect the community more. sex offender residency restrictions where people are FORCED to live in un human conditions, causes a undue hardship to their family and children, etc… or start enforcing laws and directing police to start confiscating vehicles of people that operate a vehicle under the influence as they actually have a high recidivism rate.
Concerned Citizen”
Waste of time. He knows you speak for a small minority or are connected in some way to a registrant or to FAC. He knows our work well. The law is on our side. Focus your attention there. Ron Book is a non-issue. He simply does not have the final say.
Sir, I ask you ?? What do you consider a SMALL Minority ??? There are over 1 MILLION REGISTERED SEX OFFENDERS in this Country !!! And 99% of them have atleast 3 friends and/or Family members that are suffering from these “Laws” and “RESTRICTIONS” !!!! According to my math, That’s 4 MILLION+ Affected People !!!. That to me is no longer a MINORITY !!!. That is a serious percentage of our Country !!!!. If 4+ million people were murdered tommorow, Would something be done then ??? Even if the ones killed were EX OR CURRENT CONVICTS ??????. Would “The People” allow something like this to happen today ???. I would HOPE not !!!!!!. 10 years ago,Yes,We were few !!!!!. But Today we are MANY !!!!!!. And our “Population” is Growing EVERYDAY !!!. So I say again to you, Isn’t it time We ALL stood up against this “GROWING PROBLEM” ????. I could only imagine what our new President would think, If he started receiving 100/200/500/1000/???????? Letters a day about the Sex Offender Cruelty that’s going on daily ????. It sure couldn’t/wouldn’t hurt anything for everyone to start writing him !!!!!!!. Numbers is what make things happen !! And unfortunately we have “The Numbers” now !!!!!.
u make good points thank u
There are a plethora of drunk driv ers in Ocala, openly drinking as they drive A plethora of drivers texting as they drive – so many accidents that I drive only when I have to and only hrs. that I know traffic is low – I live off 441 every Friday and Saturday u can count on jerks ripping up and down this road, thinking it is a race track
Always, 2 o’clock in the morning the druggies running the streets and no cops doing anything about it
Years ago, listening to the VA, my husband is a VET – he had trouble with his one leg and I knew he was diabetic when I met him – took him to VA when I could -a lot of mistreatment, but eventually they told him to not work and apply for disability – it made me homeless – threw us into a life of going whereever we could for work – stopped in Danbury CT – library – looked up Fed laws on homeless ness – found there were two – first, every community in America required to make provisions for homeless population to house and secondly, if there were an unused federal bullding in the community, it was required to make it available for the storage of homeless persons belongings – everywhere I have been do not see this happening I was a tired old woman when this all started with a back that had given me a disability check but only ssi because I didn’t have enough work credits because I gave up working when I had my first son because he was a medical nightmare and I was sick , trusting the jerk I was married to and for whom I gave up my career so he would persue his – long story short dedicated wife, living frugally, doing best job I could raising children, saving money, – almost ended up dead – what some people will do for ur life insurance – went back to work when I met present husband because disability never did anything for him he had to go back to work, aggravate health more -tired now from him being so sick from congestive heart failure finally due to VA being stupid or not caring and other Drs. just stupid – and me worn down with a heart problem – both of us forced to do heavy physical labor to survive – and out of blue came – ur a registered sex offender u can’t live here – crisis to move – all in the end over the wife who accused him and after she did, went to police and said she lied and nothing was done about it – after years of crap, learned it was all over the first ex’s and the second wanting the man dead because they both knew his uncle was sitting on an inheritance for him and because he threw his money away on both of them, the inheritance came from uncles wife who put it in uncles hands and it sat there with 10 years to collect it after uncle joe died – what behavior that brought on – social secutiry knew it because when it finally got put through, I asked why they didn’t pay ssi, response was he had too many assets – so a case of life made miserable by greedy people and made mine miserable too – as I have said before, time legislation includes requirement for lie detector tests for accusers – no one cared that my husband passed the one he was given – in his words, he knew how corrupt NY state was and he felt there was no way he could fight any of it – I don’t have time, living in motel, having to come up with healthy special diets for the two of us, both having mobility problems – if anyone else has the time to research the Fed’l laws again, they should be my guest – I am working on writing a letter to the governor about how absurd their law regarding medicaid coverage – they consider owning a vehicle a luxury and most of them have never had to try to live in Ocala with 2 good legs – we both have trouble walking and the sex offender limitations as to where we can live put us where it costs too much for cabs, the para transit service sucks – will only take u one day a week for groceries and onlyu to Walmart, where I rarely shop – the medical transportation for Drs. left us in the dark, just after my husband was release from the hospital for heart failure and went to see his cardiologist – long way from where we live had to start walking, couldn’t get a cab because I culdn’t give an address and when I could, cab told me would be an hr. – man needed to get off his feet, as did I and needed insulin and food – and to lie down – we were lucky to find an angel to drive us home – my car was broken down at time – I had one car go when I first got here in 2009, bought another that took most of our money in repairs, exchanged for another that was out when he had to go to hospital, I had to walk back home, 2 am, street where woman was found dead in past , having forgot phone and key when we went with emergency squad, street where I have been sexually harassed in past even tho 65 years old – had to sit out smoking myself to death to stay awake til owners opened up (had up closed sign) until I heard phone ringing inside room – had forgotten that too when we went to hospital – so went and woke them up spend two days laid up in agony from what that walk did to old hip injuries in back and unable to get up to hospital and when they were thinking about releaseing him , had to walk there in agony because money tight – so the cost of repairs to the car which ere considerable, are not allowed towards expenses considered on recertification – and so my plans to try to get to gainesville because paratransit is better there and there is decent VA service and a bus system until I am able to just go the hell back up North – and we worked our butts off in this town of people that don’t work too hard to help the people we worked for make a lot of bucks – I have had to live around alcoholics and druggies with the motels we have had to live in , have threats made to my and my husbands safety and nothing doen about it, syringes stolen, etc. etc. – most recent was someone getting into my place and my computer and taking pills – my phone cloned when someone pleaded poverty and I lent it to her and after the fact she tells me the “son” is not her sone and he is a scam artist – real pain dealing with it when it takes my whole day to come up with decent meals here – this is supposed to be america – justice for all and at this point, I gotta wonder what my ancestors were thinking – sorry u have to hear all this but u seem to be pretty intelligent and if u have the time, researching the Fed’l laws is a good thing to do –
These modern day “leper colonies” are absurd and have no place in a modern society. These American citizens have been cast out and yet they are forced to remain trapped in the USA with no hope of moving forward with their lives and all by design.
By the design of a system which claims to protect children (emotional trigger) but only serves to punish those accused of “sex crimes” which more often than not do not even involve children to start with!
How utterly absurd and simply stupid to claim that these laws protect anyone when all they really do is social shame and ostracize a group of people – Americans on American soil – How is this legal?
Why is it allowed? Modern day witch hunt and nothing more!
I have been calling the commissioners office and had great response from their office. What is weird they act like I was the only one that’s called them. I suggest everyone call their offices and put the pressure on them…
Can we do this even if we don’t live in that district?
yes
Before I pen mine can you remind me exactly what the lawsuit is about? I do not want the details but only to mention it that there is a lawsuit about…is it about the living restrictions?
It is about the residency restrictions being ex-post-facto punishment
Is the ex post facto lawsuit about the “registry” being punishment or is it just about the residency requirements?
it’s about a specific challenge to the punitive nature of residency requirements and therefore the unconstitutionality of their retroactive application, using the ex post facto clause as the main legal argument. We need a court to say “yes, this law is punitive.” Once that is said (and residency requirements is a good, non-emotional issue) then the ex post facto can then more easily kick in. Normally judges don’t want to throw the baby out with the bath water and it might take a couple of issue-specific cases before they are ready to say, “ok this whole sex offender scheme applied retroactively is unconstitutional.” But yes, this case has the potential of opening up a whole can of whoop ass.
As Yogi Berra once said, it’s deja vu all over again.
They did the same thing in 2010 to shut down the homeless camp under the JTC.