Community Chat

[Tinkrbl44]

Please be clear .... I am NOT discounting anyone's fears and concerns with the following comments:

Look on the bright side ..... at least you KNOW about this person and can be guided accordingly.

The real problem (well, one of them) is that you can do a search to check how many predators (child and adult) are within miles of your zipcode ,,,,, and a LOT of people don't even bother to check!     People ..... what's up with THAT?

While it's normal to feel threatened, please keep in mind that there may also be OTHER potential threats you are totally oblivious to because they haven't acted yet ... or been caught yet.    

OP, thanks for posting ....  based on the comments here, this is a very needed wake up call for others on this board.   JMO

[dooBdoo]

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Whatnow wrote:

@dooBdoo I meant my comment to be general.I am sorry to hear that your family has experienced so much violence.I admire your ability to forgive.I am just not as kind and generous as you.You are a special person.

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        Thanks, @dex, I really appreciate it.  I'm just the "average bear," really...  just had to find ways to find peace in a world that often makes no sense.  I know other posters have done so, too, with far more devastating challenges than I, and they've been an inspiration to me.

[dex]

I find it interesting how all of the bad things people do get so much attention but yet when people bring up the good things they have done...it's considered bragging or no longer a good deed if you mentioned it.I would like to hear more of the good stuff because the way it stands we hear so much bad that you get to feeling that's just normal.

[dooBdoo]

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Whatnow wrote:

I find it interesting how all of the bad things people do get so much attention but yet when people bring up the good things they have done...it's considered bragging or no longer a good deed if you mentioned it.I would like to hear more of the good stuff because the way it stands we hear so much bad that you get to feeling that's just normal.

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       It's true that bad news seems to be of more interest, in general, at least in the media.  Regarding bragging...  I think the problem arises when people share what they, themselves, have done.   Sharing the acts of kindness performed by others seems to be more well-received and not considered to be bragging, in my experience.  I really like shining a light on others who are charitable, beneficent, and generous.

[Deanie]

IMHO, many today are woefully not prepared to deal with the threats that currently exist.  One can blame it on conditioning, be it schools, churches, synagogues, home....it matters not.  Most have been fed a steady stream of false information about the environment in which we live.  We have been told that all people are "basically good"  and trust, and care etc etc.  Animals have a better sense of self preservation than humans do. We have never been taught to rely on our instincts, instead, in many cases, we have been told to ignore our instincts.  Perhaps, what follows then, is the trouble that good, honest, hardworking people experience.  Let me be clear, I am not advocating living ones life afraid, only proposing that perhaps it is time to revisit our frame of reference and use our better judgement along with gut instincts to evaluate situations and make the necessary adjustments in our own behavior.

[esmeraldagooch]

Frosted Cake.  I am glad your state makes them tell you about the offender.  My state did not.  I had to learn about it from a friend who saw one was in my neighborhood from the online site.  He actually moved in next door and was living in his parents basement.  Also, Idaho allows you to post your job as your address if you work a certain amount of hours a week disguising where the offender actually lives.  Another on was working across the street from my home.   Sad state of affairs.

[scotnovel]

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@Annabellethecat66 wrote:

@Frosted Cake  I am so sorry and totally understand what you are saying.....3 times?  Doesn't make sense, does it?

I like your idea about asking the police to educate everyone on keeping safe.

Recently I was on the internet trying to find the zip code of a friend.  As you all know up pops something that tells me the names addresses, how much they paid for their houses, and on and one.

It also said there are 7 (yes 7) predators that live within a few miles of her.

It is crazy these days.  I don't know but I guess it's only getting worse because obviously with 3 convictions, nothing happens to him.

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"These days"????  There have always been sexual predators in every neighborhood and statistically many were family members whose crimes were ignored and never reported and their victims were often not even believed if they did come forward. At least now they are more likely to be reported and convicted and registered so we know who they are.   Every state has a database that can be easily accessed online so you can locate those persons in your neighborhood who must register.  Those lists also include the crime they were convicted of, their age, how long ago, and other pertinent info.  I check the list for my area about once a month just to make sure I am aware of who lives near me.  

[RazorSharp]

The truly scary thing about this situation is that this person has 3 offenses and is not in prison.  I hear stories about people going to prison for 40 years for selling some pot, yet this person has 3 offenses, including kidnapping, and he's a free man. 

[Chrystaltree2]

      Trust me there's more than one predator like that within walking distance of your home.  Nofification is relatively new, divant behavior is not.  What I find scary is that you are only now thinking about safety because you received that nofication.  Wbat makes you tbink that any neighborhood is immune to such things?  No, I have never received notificiation like that.  It wouldn't really bother me much because all my life (I have 4 uncles who were police officers) I never assumed that living on a "nice" street in "nice" town offered any type of protection at all.  I know how to stay safe and when I had children, I assumed half the house on our street house deviants......and I lived accordingly....lol     I remember when they first started regulating where those who served time for assaults like that could live.  I remember going to a town hall once while the restrictions were something, they did not make me feel safe at all.  I remember asking the police chief if seckshual offenders could get driver's licenses and buy cars.  They can.....and they can go wherever they want.....and they do.   

[Plaid Pants2]

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@Deanie wrote:

IMHO, many today are woefully not prepared to deal with the threats that currently exist.  One can blame it on conditioning, be it schools, churches, synagogues, home....it matters not.  Most have been fed a steady stream of false information about the environment in which we live.  We have been told that all people are "basically good"  and trust, and care etc etc.  Animals have a better sense of self preservation than humans do. We have never been taught to rely on our instincts, instead, in many cases, we have been told to ignore our instincts.  Perhaps, what follows then, is the trouble that good, honest, hardworking people experience.  Let me be clear, I am not advocating living ones life afraid, only proposing that perhaps it is time to revisit our frame of reference and use our better judgement along with gut instincts to evaluate situations and make the necessary adjustments in our own behavior.

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Just because I don't own mace, pepper spray or a stun gun, doesn't mean that I'm some sort of Pollyanna.

Just because I don't have them, doesn't mean that I don't trust and rely on my instincts, or that I'm "too trusting".

I DO trust and rely on my instincts.

I just don't trust or rely on mace, pepper spray or a stun gun to protect me in an emergency.