I’m so fired up…

I’m so angry…

And to be honest, I don’t get all that angry very often.

But I am.  I am angry.  I am livid.  I am disappointed in the people who we elect to make our laws and keep us safe.

Why you ask?  BECAUSE THESE TWO BEAUTIFUL GIRLS ARE DEAD!

They didn’t have to be.  They should be alive today.  Chelsea King should be deciding where she was going to attend college after receiving 11 acceptances just weeks after her death.  Amber Dubois should be planning an upcoming weekend with her friends.  But instead, they’ll never get to do that.  They’ll never get to fall in love, their families will never be able to rejoice with them as they graduate, or get their first job, get married or start a family.  Because this  jerk individual  

took it upon himself to prey on young women, MULTIPLE young women I might add, and end their life to satisfy some sickness embedded deep within him.  And what is this sickness?  Where did it come from?  Well many psychologists would say it comes from some trauma in his own life.  Possibly some sexual trauma that he experienced himself, perhaps he was molested as well?  Does anyone see the problem here?  Does anyone see the cycle?  The problem is that sex offenders, people who commit crimes against our children are allowed out of jail to commit these crimes over and over again.  In fact, this idiot was let out after his own psychiatrist, Dr. Matthew Carroll, told a parole board that Gardner was a “continued danger to underage girls in the community” and an “extremely poor candidate” for treatment. Gardner was released after serving 5 years of a 6 year sentence, though he was eligible for an 11 year sentence, for attacking a 13 year old neighbor in 2000.

What could have saved these young girls?  What could save our own children?  What I believe we need is a One Strike Law.  A federal One Strike Law.  One that says that any sexual crime committed against a child and you go to jail for life, no chance for parole.  The fact that John Gardner was not put away for life long ago is beyond me.  Now many will argue that this type of crime is not common, statistically.  There are only a handful of cases, Polly Klaas, Elizabeth Smart, Jacee Dugard, and that up to 90 percent of sex offenders are related to or know their victims. I agree, and that is why I’m saying that ANYONE who hurts a child should go away.

Let’s think about it.  How can you hurt a child?  What would have to be wrong with you to hurt a defenseless child?  Now I’m not talking about a 17 or 18 year old that hooks up with his 15 or 16 year old girlfriend.  I’m talking about an adult, and adult who the child trusts, an adult who is supposed to know better, hurting, touching and scarring a child for life.  Because that is what continues this cycle.  That is what creates the next generation of sex offenders and chemical dependence.  I’m talking about the middle school teacher, the JV basketball coach, the priest, the baby sitter, the uncle, the day care teacher.  I don’t care who you are or what you think you can get away with.  If you harm a child you should go to jail, there is no excuse and there should be no exception.

So what can we do?  What can I do?  Well first, write to your representatives in Congress.  How do you find your representatives?  Click here Find your Rep. What can I do next?  Find out more about the One Strike Law and help the Live Secure team rally our government at One Strike Law.  What else should we do?  Leave me a comment with your name and email address here and I’m going to try and contact Oprah.  Oh yeah, I said it, OPRAH, because she can help us keep our children and young women safe.  Finally, protect yourself, protect your family.  This is the best site I have found so far on how to find sexual predators and offenders in your area Family Watch Dog.

Now as a disclaimer, I have not been the victim of one of these horrible crimes.  I can’t imagine the pain that it sets off for the rest of your life.  This is just something that keeps me up at night.  All I can do is imagine someone harming my children, one of my sons, my neices, my nephews, my friends’ children.  I would do anything to keep them safe, shelter them from pain, stop the cycle, before it can continue.

I am doing my first link up to Shell at Things I can’t Say’s Pour Your Heart Out.  This is the most I’ve ever spewed on you dear readers so thanks for letting me vent.  And you thought you were getting some BBQ recipes didn’t you???