Well, the ACLU has been all over the Michigan right-to-know law. They think we're trampling upon the rights of these poor child molesters ..... afterall, child molesters should have privacy too, right? :rolleyes:

I have worked with people who deal with these offenders, and can verify that there is no known treatment. Guys who like to commit sexual acts upion children, and kill them, are not going to be rehabilitated. So, in my view, releasing them out into society is not okay.

And maps of where they live are informative. They live nearer to you than you probably think.

Again, these people cannot be allowed to have access to children. Ever.

Then there is the perspective of the parents. People without kids can respect the love parents have, but until you have a child of your own, you cannot fathom it. All parents have shuddered at the thought of something terrible happening to their child. But this is so unthinkable that I find parents' minds cannot actually go there. When you think about something heinous like this happening, your mind gets about halfway there, you shudder, and then your mind runs away from it. It's too terrible to even think. Parents truly understand what love is about. It is a rare parent who would not quickly, immediately, gladly, perish to keep a child safe. I would instantly sacrifice my life to save one of my kids. There are bits of bravery we may or may not have....that we discover when the time comes. This is not one of them. Parents know what they would do.

Not sure why I rambled like this, except to underscore the virtual unsurvivability of something like this happening to a child. I would MUCH MUCH rather die than have something like this happen to a child of mine. Even after it has happened, my guess is parents don't really want to live on.

There was a time I had a HUGE scare when my daughter was around 5 years old, or so. We were living in military housing at the time, on a guarded installation.

Well, it was a Saturday, and she was outside playing with one of her friends. My wife comes running in the house screaming that she can't find our daughter. She wouldn't anser to being called for.

I take off out of the house, not quite in a panic mode yet, but really close. Right about that time, I see a service van for a major department store chain driving by....sides of the van all closed up, no windows.

Well, not knowing yet where my daughter was, I was not going to take a chance. I stood in front of the van, forcing him to stop and literally made the guy get out. I then had him open the doors so I could verify my daughter wasn't in there. I only let him go AFTER I was sure she wasn't. Given the circumstances, the guy was very cooperative and understanding.

To make a long story short, my daughter had gone into the house her friend lived in, two doors down. she had only been in there for 10 or 15 minutes, but it doesn't take even that long for something heinous to happen to them.

We all learned a lesson that day! :(

Randy

The worst 15min of your life for sure - I hope I never ever know what you felt.

Randy

I do not mean to make light, Im sure your fears were real.

Given the story you recount, wasnt this something of an over reaction? Your daughter had gone to her friends house.

Are we now so paranoid?

Not to be argumentative, Stu, but here's a copy'n'paste from the Kitsap County registered level 3 sex offenders list:

"In 1988, Haynen was convicted of First Degree Statutory Rape and Indecent Liberties in King County. The victim was a 3 ½ year old female who resided in the same apartment complex as Haynen. Haynen led the child into the woods near the apartment complex where she was sexually assaulted. In 1995, Haynen was arrested again for Probation Violations after being released from prison in 1994. Haynen was arrested on 01/12/04 for Failing to Register in Kitsap County as a sex offender after residing in this area for approximately a year. Haynen is an untreated sex offender who has refused deviancy treatment, therefore is considered a high risk to re-offend."

Sick sick stuff. We suspect the guy is highly likely to do it again, and we don't know where he is. ... Great.

Im not sure what your point is.

These people have always existed. They always will.

That is true. But a no tolerance policy with capital punishment would persuade some to keep themselves under control and eliminate reoffenders.

I would like to think so, but again, these so-called "people" are sick. Their behavior knows no boundaries - it drives them. I the only hope to eradicate them from society is that they have fear - that's when summary capital punishment could play a role. Unfortunately, sick individuals like these sometimes have no fear - death does not even scare them.

No, I believe the offense against these individuals has to be taken to task inside the home. For instance, my anger-tinged post about GPS devices inserted under the skin of these animals. Well, could it be we should start inserting GPS devices under the skin of our own children? We'd at least know where they are when a cellular phone (which I believe every child
should have), can't be used.

Hell, when you pick up a dog from a rescue or the pound, they provider inserts chips in their necks before you're given the animal. Why not kids too, provided how this terrible situation with child abductions is becoming more widespread.

Is that, in fact, the case?

An over reaction? sure, if you want to call it that, I won't argue that. I just wasn't about to take any chances. Delaying this guy for the few minutes I did, just for my own peace of mind was more a "natural" reaction, I guess.

I figured I would only have one chance to take the look that I did, so I took it. would I do it again, the same way? You betcha! ;)

Randy

I'm with you , Randy. I may have not been so nice to him in my angst, though. It , for whatever reason, just isn't the same when as when most of us were kids. It still happened but we went out and played all day long and into the night without too much worry back then. I remember sneaking out of the house and getting drunk with my buddies the first time in seventh grade. My parents had to have known I did it.(I wasn't that good at sneakin'.) I have those moments when I think about bad stuff happening and it freaks me out.

Must be a "Michigan" thing, Wayne. I grew up in Wayne county, doing the same things you described. Sneaking out to go partying. Staying out (WITH PERMISSION) after the streetlights came on and the sun went down. It was a different time then. Really sad that things aren't necessarily as safe today for kids. summer vacations were always great. leave the house first thing in the morning to catch up with my neighborhood buddies, and the only time we came home all day was for lunch or money! :D

Randy

Stuart - do have any kids? I have a feeling that you would not be making that statement if you did - but I might be mistaken.

Let me put it this way, the temp starts to climb beyond 150C on your p-car, you start thinking it will be OK, then you see it goes to 200+C, what do you do? Keep drivining and think that it will come down, down-shift to get more oil pressure or pull over?
Your IP tells you there is a problem but the car seems to be fine. Take action?

Best to error on the side of caution and save your self to cost of an engine re-build (or a life time of regrete over not being cautious with your kid).

i dont think you over reacted. better to be alert and anticipate the worst than to assume everything is alright and let precious minutes go by. 1 in a thousand your daughter was in that van and you would have saved her life. would any of you have taken that chance?
when you have kids, that's your job as a parent, to worry worry worry.
it's a ****ed up world.

I don't understand your question? Or maybe you don't understand the topic.

I think ol Stu is pickin a fight - not sure why...politics and religion are fair game, but when it comes to the kids...well, you guys know what I mean.

Not picking a fight all. Yes I have kids. Once again Lube, you leap to a confusion.

Making an assumption here about our collective approximate ages, but was it like this when we were kids? What has actually changed? Ae instances of random abductions higher?

AKAIK, random abductions of kids (or adults for that matter) are statistically rare. Children are many, many times more likely to meet harm from someone they know. The general awareness, and reporting, of this in our society now, as opposed to 30, or 50 or 100 years is much higher. Does this make it appear to us that instances are increasing?

I simply wonder -is it good when, as rcecale recounts, a kid going next door to check out little Mary Sue's new Barbie, causes parental hysteria such that "oh my god, she's been abducted" and bailing up the poor bastard delivering a new fridge to Mrs Smith in number 12.

So in short, are these fears rational or irrational?

I shall state it more clearly for you then.

Is it a fact that child abductions are increasing, all things considered?

When I was 6, I would spend hours at the shore or in the woods with kids ranging in ages of 6 to 16. My parents didn't wig. The only problems we ever had was scronging enough pocket change to buy ice cream from the Good Humor man.

Did stuff happen, I'm sure, we just didn't hear about it. Now, the media has us all very protective of or kids. I have the image of the animal in Cal a few years ago who aducted a 12 year old girl, raped her to death and then had the nerve to tawnt her father while he was on the stand recounting what he did and how she cryed. I still feel my blood boil when I picture that in my head.

Maybe the Megans Law and Amber Alert has contributed to some sort of mass over protectionism with many of us. Our age of innocence is over. Really sad becuase if I allowed my son the freedom I had I am sure he would have all if not more the adventures we had growing up. But I guess most of his memories will be with me by his side or at recess or on the ball field. I am sure much will be lost but hope something will be gained. I am sure it will be safer.

Jumping to confusion? Prehaps, but I deal with my gut more than my head - works quicker and has been far more accurate.