eAdvocate's recent posting of proposed bills before Congress offers continued proof of the attempted exclusion of those designated as sex offenders from opportunities provided all American citizens and how such exclusion simply violates human rights.
Within each bill lies a caveat which denies persons "convicted of a sex offense against a minor" access to these benefits if passed.
--Unemployment Benefits: HR 5618: Restoration of Emergency Unemployment Compensation Act of 2010. Sponsor Rep. Jim McDermott (WA-7).
--Small Business Loans: HR 5297: Small Business Jobs and Credit Act of 2010. Sponsor Rep. Barney Frank (MA-4).
Read the specifics here.
Equally disturbing, is an amendment to proposed FHA legislation that utilizes the same verbiage to disallow the award of FHA mortgages to those convicted of the same offense. As explained by proponent Rep. Chet Edwards (TX) the addition of Amendment 12 (added to the FHA Reform Act of 2010 (HR 5072) inhibits "...any kind of federally financed reward or taxpayer-backed benefit to sex offenders reentering our communities."
I can deduce many reasons why Mr. Edwards might formulate such a hateful premise in his peanut of a closed mind, but my first thought is sex offenders bring down property values and make home sales difficult for homeowners and realtors. I'm aware of one particular incident within my community where a homeowner lost the sale of property located next door to because the adjacent neighbor was listed on the state registry. No way to tell if that person was a low-level offender or not as the Florida Sex Offender Registry doesn't bother to differentiate.
As I like to say. Too. Bad. So. Sad.
However, I'd also like to point out how such a FHA disclaimer could effect the housing and shelter of family members living with a person designated as an offender. Or not.
Because should this amendment somehow survive, someone in that same household could get the FHA mortgage on their own merits. Once the family moves into the neighborhood, I'd suggest a Guess Who's Coming to Dinner open house.
4 comments:
I find it troubling, but I do see this as a strengthening as well. With every law pushed against the RSO community, it brings the RSO closer to being able to claim class status, thus opening the government up to lawsuits. Just as native Americans are a class, and Asian, black, hispanic, etc, eventually the exclusion clauses will empower class rating for RSO's thus allowing civil recourse.
What does it do for us now? nothing besides breed hatred within the community. But give a few years, and you will see a strengthened group.
There are over 700K on the list currently. That means at minimum there are 1.4 million people affected by these laws. as the number exponentially grow, things will begin to happen. I remember 300K on the registry not so long ago, and there were few voices. @ 700K the whisper has become a conversation, at 1 million, it will become a scream.
700K and their families, not to mention their friends who know the truth. :)
anonymous said it for me and very well. Let them bury themselves in actionable laws. The more there are the more liable they become. I mean this is just petty, ridiculous. Next let's take icecream away. LORD they might lure a child with a cone !! Then popsicles. And anything that is marked ages 3 to 9 .....
I am wondering what the civil rights implications are for this? if you exclude one group of people due to past actions, what stops you from excluding another group? Spousal abusers, Arsonists, Cops?
What says next they don't cut us off from emergency medial care? From using 911? Both of those are also socially available services.
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