NARSOL: FL sheriff posts “blue & red house” map on Facebook, ignores threats to registrants
“I’m worried for my family,” he wrote. “Today the DeSoto County Sheriff’s Office decided to put a picture of a map of all the houses where registered citizens live on its Facebook page. The comments that were allowed are absolutely disgusting.”
As I read the email, I could feel the fear that the writer was expressing. I’m the communications director for the National Association for Rational Sexual Offense Laws – NARSOL — and I frequently get emails from all over the country from people required to register on sexual offense registries. This one came from DeSoto County, Florida and had an urgent tone. I located the Facebook page and found the comments that the Florida registrant referred to.
“Open season?” wrote someone named Josh and quickly had a response. “Where can we get tags?”
The response to that from the first writer is the most chilling of all. “They have their address on each location and they can’t own firearms so . . .”
Each of the comments is sprinkled liberally with hearts and thumbs-up memes, all indicative of approval. So in addition to the two men engaged in this exchange, there are a dozen or more like-minded individuals who expressed their approval of the rightness of hunting and killing fellow human beings who are helpless to defend themselves and their families because they are forbidden by law to own the means by which to do so.
We live in columbia county florida and i deal with offenders on a daily basis and have been told by the sheriff that no one on the registry is allowed to own any weapon as means of protection. So if someone breaks into my house we cant be protected we have to PRAY AND HOPE THE POLICE ARRIVE BEFORE WE ARE DEAD if we can even reach them for help. Its a very scary thing to know that even the TRULY INNOCENT people accused of this crime cant be protected. We were told that we couldnt even have a baseball bat as protection. IF EVERYONE HAS DONE THE TIME FOR THIS CRIME AND REALLY TRULY WANT A FRESH START IN LIFE HOW CAN THEY DO THAT WITH THIS BIG BULLSEYE PAINTED ON THEIR BACKS….. ……I AM……ONE REALLY SUPER MAD PERSON BELIEVING IN 2ND CHANCES
Tanya, what about a cast iron frying pan? I wooden rolling pin? A kitchen knife? I wouldn’t be complacent like a sheep being led to the slaughter if someone came in my house and threatened me. Of course here in Michigan, we have a “stand your ground” law, meaning if someone breaks into my house and brandishes a weapon, I do not have to retreat, but can fight back with deadly force. Check the laws in your area.
I was quite pleased to see several people on that facebook post speaking out against the sheriff, especially Daphne Thomas. She was being extremely vocal and condemning those who were posting threats.
We were told our only defense was to call the sheriff or face him going back to prison for defending our home and family. It’s really disgusting how people can’t defend themselves without being threatened of having their freedom removed. Yet a drug dealer can continue to give out his drugs or a thief can continue to steal or whatever…..or all these woman falsely accusing men of these crimes just to get out of their relationships only to find out they have accused the guy before them and the guy after them of the same crime……duh SEE a pattern there and yet they continue to be a threat
Non-weapons can be improvised as means of self-defense, as some have noted. Necessity is the mother of invention.
Perhaps the sheriff may be referring to those under supervision? I’d like to see the statute that says otherwise. In then end, prison is better than being dead, IMO. I don’t live in FL but if it turned out you couldn’t even defend yourself (I heard that kind of junk in prison) then that would be one more reason to leave that state behind. They will have to stand for their crimes one day in a court where there are no good ol boys to cover for them and no chance for appeal.
I wouldn’t get my hands dirty for their sake if I were you. Just move.
https://prospect.org/justice/police-have-no-duty-to-protect-the-public/
Based on the recent political speeches the local sheriffs give around the state wanting to keep increasing the allowable living distance from the community where no recent incident were committed only fear that more people are moving into the county and they don’t want that. I honestly believe this is a deliberate act to insight fear and acts of violence to the locals, to pass more restrictions on the registrant or even better in the sheriffs mind force them to move out of their jurisdiction.
Bob
I would not recommend an air gun or anything that looks like a weapon. It wouldn’t protect you and only give them justification for using a fire arm of some kind. I was convicted of a misdemeanor so I can legally own a fire arm. But I would never brand it unless my family was in immediate danger and as a last resort. They are the ones in the wrong let’s keep it that way.
I’ve gone down in-person before and complained about this kind of thing. They will tell you. If someone doesn’t commit a crime they can’t do anything. They been doing this for years in one way or another. I even told them how my kids were harassed. They basically said. Kids will be kids.
@ Pariah: “can’t do anything”…. And yet they have no problem with US (PFRs) being punished for very unlikely, potential future crimes all day, every day, for time eternal!! 😡
What can we do as a group to reach out to this sheriff’s department as a group and apply pressure?
I’ve been on the Facebook post itself arguing with the idiots. If registrants can’t themselves, I’m sure they have friends who can.
Not really surprised that the department turns a blind eye. The obvious rhetorical question is if the topic was shooting a church sttendee, school, or some other unspecified person would their reaction be different. Most of us know the answer. Keep moving forward, through endurance we conquer.
We need to ask Facebook why they allow violent threats against RSOs. I’ve reported enough of them and never had one been taken down.
Facebook only cares if you are gay/trans, a religious or ethnic minority, or if you are a female bullied by a male. Everyone else us fair game.
Yet they tout that they will not defend , participate in , or promote hate speech of any kind. I guess your right this statement only applys to the people or issues they want to promote. Its all about public perception.