Tampa sets up tent city for protection of homeless… except sex offenders.
Even in states of emergency, governments take any opportunity to kick persons required to register as sex offenders.
With a county-wide order for people to stay indoors now in effect, the city of Tampa is establishing a tent city that will allow up to 100 homeless people to shelter in place. The city will pay Catholic Charities Diocese of St. Petersburg $120,000 to run a temporary homeless camp for the next 30 days.
The shelter will be open to any homeless person except for registered sex offenders. (SOURCE)
If anyone feels so compelled, call or write Catholic Charities Diocese of St. Petersburg to ask why. (727) 893-1313 or catholic.charities@ccdosp.org
You can also ask the city of Tampa https://www.tampagov.net/government
I just emailed the Catholic email address and the Chief of Staff City of Tampa
” Why are registered sex offenders being excluded from this shelter that is being paid for by tax money? Not a very christian way to treat registrants now is it? If the homeless registrant was a former priest would you still refuse them entry and comfort? Shame shame Shame”
Because The Tampa Bay Times stated they do not have the manpower to monitor a Comment Section, I did send a Letter to the Editor to them on Saturday concerning this situation. I am waiting to see if they will print it.
To Whom It May Concern:
I recently learned today by email that the Catholic Charities Diocese is working with the city of Tampa to do a tent city for homeless people excluding those required to register and it fathoms my mind that the Diocese would even allow this.
While people are required to register for whatever reason, we are called in the New Testament to “love one another as he has loved us”; so why are you guys supporting this outcast of people required to register. The other thought that comes to my mind is “He that is WITHOUT sin, shall cast the first stone”.
Being of faith and having give my own life to God at 14, I know all to well the issues that registrants face because I am registered and I serve God through my own entity, Jesus Christ, Inc. I am truly ashamed of you guys for participating in this outcast of people as we are called to help one another, forgive, and lift up. We are called by the Blood of Jesus to go out and bring all people to Jesus, giving out testimonials.
Perhaps you didn’t know, the registry is like a form of racism and more often than not, law enforcement uses the registry as a scare tactic to wreak havoc on families and individuals.
If God sent his only son, Jesus, to die on the cross for our sins, who then are we to judge? I challenge each of you at the Catholic Charities to reach out to someone on the registry and invite them to the church, seek forgiveness for participating in the outcast that you have done with this tent city.
May God forgive you and lead you to clear vision. The devil often comes in different formats to take away glory from God.
Dale Slycord
I called and in a calm and very nice voice asked if God’s mercy would also apply to those who have committed a sex crime in their past.
I used extension 103 (administration) and left a voice mail.
Please, let’s all call and ask (in a humble and quiet tone), shall we?
thanks
Here is an email to the City of Tampa – Emergency Response Department:
There are numerous state government, university and federals studies that prove conclusively that sex offenders, across the board, have the lowest rates of recidivism of any crime type.
This is a collection of links to bona-fide research studies by US States Governments and Universities, as well as the United States Bureau of Justice – Bureau of Justice Statistics
https://1drv.ms/b/s!AqLPxbLnc0c8gbwKNT4xnhTuImE-9A?e=COikCI
Your recent deal with Catholic Charities would deny them shelter during this pandemic?
See Also:
Recidivism of Sex Offenders Released from Prison in 1994 , 2003 United States Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Statistics – A Study of 9,691 sex offenders released from prisons in 15 states in 1994 and followed for 3 years.Sex Crime Re-arrest Rate: 5.3%Sex Crime Re-conviction Rate: 3.5%
https://www.womenagainstregistry.org/Resources/pdf/rsorp94.pdf
Yale Law Journal
https://1drv.ms/b/s!AqLPxbLnc0c8gbwG3X2UJn6EeHhoYg?e=qGDOQG
Thank You
Dear Brothers, As a devout Catholic and Registered Sex Offender whose return to the faith has been a key to living the kind of life that God calls us to I must express my gross disappointment that your camp will not take in homeless sex offenders along with all the rest. I suggest and urge you to contact the Florida Action Committee and take note of the facts of this gross injustice and scape goating that is perpetrated by some Florida law enforcement and corrupt politicians. The facts do not support the fear mongering that they perpetuate.
Furthermore, I would remind you of some verses of the Gospels that are very relevant.In Luke 15:2 we see the following charge laid against Our Blessed Lord. “but the Pharisees and scribes began to complain, saying, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.” and then again in Mark 2:17 we see our Lord tell the religious leaders of his time, “17 Jesus heard this and said to them [that], “Those who are well do not need a physician, but the sick do. I did not come to call the righteous but sinners.”
Therefore as one member of the Mystical Body of Christ to others I urge you to listen to and obey the Lord and change this grossly unjust policy, setting a good example for the world around us and making a strong faith witness to sinners such as I.Very sincerely,Please withhold my name and information for privacy reasons.
For the want of politics these people would risk public health.
Read John 8: 7 better yet read all of John 8 it’s short .What is wrong with the world ? Sex offenders are still human they pay the price that the JUDGE gives them . When they finish there time they should be able to start a new life like all others. People needs to remember that they will have to answer to GOD one day.I’m sure he will ask them who made you the Judge to all those sex offenders. A crime is a crime doesn’t matter .I sure would like to know if i had a murderer, or drug dealer living close to me .
REGISTERED citizens are not subhuman.
I’m not a Catholic but I wonder what Mother Teresa would have thought of this situation.
In India where Mother Teresa served people who are in a caste system from the rich and the famous down to the poorest of the poor and yet Mother Teresa elected by the call of almighty God to move into a place of living with the poorest of the poor the outcasts of the outcasts.
If you find registered citizens to be of subhuman standard caste well then that is between you and God.
I would say to you that you should take a portion of that money $120,000 and set up a second tent in another location if need be and give these people that are homeless that are registered citizens a place of shelter and some food. Oh and how about that glass of water that Jesus said to give in his name.
But my greatest suggestion to you sit down with them get to know them talk to them about Jesus who is the great equalizer and help them turn to him and some already are believers equal not one over the other.
I wonder if Jesus would wash the feet of a registered citizen?
Maranatha even so come quickly Lord Jesus
All I can say is this is disgusting. I’m emailing everyone I can. I assume this is a Catholic Charity rule, but the State does the same thing in a hurricane and somehow someway this MUST stop. Damn, there must be some way to file an emergency order with a judge or something. I’m just seething over this. It is the new low which fuels the cause…….
This is a violation of civil rights for all of us. Further, registrants who are on Disability can definitely not be discriminated against when government is in involved in providing shelter during a national event like this. Please forward anything you write to the Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties at the Department of Homeland Security. They have a form to fill out, but just send comments to CRCLCompliance@hq.dhs.gov
Also, send to FEMA office of Equal Rights. FEMA-civilrightsoffice@fema.dhs.gov.
civil rights is: color, age, sex. etc… being barred from something do to a criminal conviction is not a civil rights violation!
I realize that and no this has NOTHING to do with a criminal conviction. Sex offender laws are under the civil code nationwide therefore we are under Civil Regulations (a contentious point in most every court case) so we gotta start sounding the bell that this also is unacceptable. Don’t be so quick to make excuses, this is yet another disgusting violation of human rights – regardless of what the current does or does not say. And who knows the issue which will finally break the camels back of this living hell with which we all live with on a daily basis. I suggest this issue is a good one due to how low it goes in the degradation of human life and dignity.
Also emailed the charity, asking for an explanation if not reconsideration. Doubt they’ll respond, but will post it here if they do.
Don’t forget this area could be in a sex offender free zone due to residency restrictions or they just don’t want registered persons there or both
FDLE 2:11-13 And so sayeth the state authority, the sex offender shall be damned to hell.
Rayo,
Is that from the Gospel of Satan? Because that is what those who think they own us are preaching from.
I know in the good book it says “All have sinned and come short of the Glory of God.” Romans 3:23
Man has levels of wrong doing. They also rarely forgive and forget or let you move on from it.
To God, stealing a piece of candy is as bad as murdering 10,000 people.
But God readily forgives us when we are sincere and when we bring it up to Him again, He says He doesn’t know what we are talking about since He already wiped it out of His thoughts.
Oddly enough, time does make people forget, that is why the courts keep records on us forever so they can keep throwing our past in our faces.
Why are we expecting them to do the right thing when they have continually proved otherwise. During the hurricane last time, they opened shelters for every———-single——-person—-on-Earth. Oh wait, except for anyone on the registry.
We could be attacked by aliens from another planet and have everyone go into bomb shelters, except for those on the registry. We get left behind to get our brains eaten by zombies. I will take my chance with the aliens, maybe they will treat us better than the human race treats us.
Good Day
I will be speaking directly to Bishop Gregory Parkes on this matter early tomorrow morning…..I won’t be able to post comments until tomorrow night as I am still employed (Blessed!)…..
somewhat related but i just found out that if you are a registered person that owns a small business
most likely you will not receive an SBA Loan small business jobs act of 2010 section 4107(d)(2) requires business receiving and to certify that you are not on the SOR
SECTION 3011 SMALL BUSINESS CREDIT INITIATIVE AND SECTION 4107 OF SMALL BUSINESS LENDING FUND
This all just proves again that THE REGISTERY IS PUNISHMENT !! And this type of punishment is DEATH !! HOPEFULLY we can use this to once and for all, That the “Registery” should be Oblished because it IS punishment !!
Tired of being,
We call it punishment.
The other side calls it A.E.R – “Acceptable Exceptions to the Rules”.
Yes ! Not right at all Discrimination hand down ! It are job to help them out if only want to be help The problem is the category all one bucket I feel pre-statutory rape should be looked at differently. Especially the age difference not far Off . These men and women should be given second chance back in society to rebuild itself to be . That being said you should not have Homeless Sex offenders. These laws settled them up to fell.
With people losing their jobs and people getting out of jail desperate times Guys and girls becareful out there,,,,, right now be a good time for these people who conduct survey to watch crime rates go up My predication more homicide and robbery than sex offence
Sounds like medical practrice lawsuit deny medical treatment I hope fac uses this in the lawsuit to show punishment no other person deny entry
I haven’t purchased a new Bible in a number of years, so I may have missed some changes to the translation. How does Matthew 25:40 read these days in the officially sanctioned version of the Catholic Bible? I would ask a similar question in relation to this pastor of The River megachurch in Tampa who was arrested for conducting a live service. Does the verse now read “when two or three Skype in my name, there I am With them online?”
Of course, the cynic in me cannot help but see the irony in the fact that the Roman Catholic Church had no problem in the past “sheltering” sex offenders…
JoeM,
I was raised in the church. My Parents are both pastors and I actually have a 2 year degree in Seminary. Although not pointing fingers at that pastor, I do not believe God would want people to be put in danger of getting sick. The Word of God also tells us to obey the authorities unless they ask us to do something against God.
Many churches have adapted to online services in the mean time so not sure why he had to be so defiant. The officials were not trying to shut the churches down forever or treat them any different than any other place of gathering.
Now if it was the end of the World and we were told you would be arrested if you attended church, because church membership was deemed illegal, then yeah, I would go anyway.
Having said all of that, the church can be the most hypocritical of anyone. I see posts on here all the time about churches turning away people on the registry from attending services.
I found a little bit more information in the local media. This is the city of Tampa footing the bill and the tent city will be on land that is owned by Catholic charities. The city and the diocese have declined to specify the location in the media for “safety reasons.” What safety reasons? I thought that we were the only threat to public safety……..well us and illegal aliens.
Good Night
‘THEY’ agreed to a teleconference with Him and including a Cardinal (not from baseball-ha), my former Priest from Boarding school as the Referee and Me, Tomorrow,,,will keep you posted…
The City of Tampa, in partnership with Catholic Charities has built a camp for homeless people. The concern is that the homeless people may not have access to a facility where they can wash their hands frequently and have access to hand sanitizer.
The camp will hold 100 homeless people, providing mobile shower, mobile Laundromat, and portable toilets. They will get fed three meals a day and get any needed medical treatment.
Sex offenders need not apply.
“The Catholic Charities’ mission is to serve those most vulnerable with dignity and compassion during their most vulnerable time,” said Margaret Rogers, Catholic Charities’ Executive Director. “While everyone is ordered to stay at home and be safe, we realize that there’s a population that don’t have a home to go to.”
“For I was hungry and you gave me food… you gave me drink… you welcomed me… you clothed me…and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.”
I’m saddened that Catholic charities can exclude any group of people. What moral or Church teaching allows you to exclude even the least of these people.
‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’”
I pray that this week, the Holiest week for Christians, I pray that Christians will do as Jesus would do. FORGIVE After all, isn’t forgiveness the reason Jesus died on the Cross?