Polls show Attorney General Charlie Crist ahead of Chief Financial Officer Tom Gallagher for the Republican nomination in the race for Florida's next governor.
Not such a surprise.
Crist has walked a well tread path on the backs of Florida families to get there.
A strong supporter of law enforcement, Crist insists, as Florida's governor, "No one will do more to protect Florida's children, seniors and families than Charlie Crist."
So Charlie, explain why fear and exploitation, targeted towards Florida families, have proven effective tactics of choice during your tenure as Attorney General?
Explain how, as the recipient of the 2004 Martin Davies Civil Rights Award, an award presented on your efforts on behalf of civil rights legislation, you have chosen to deny civil rights to over 30,000 Florida families?
Explain why 30,000 plus Florida families can no longer attend church together, play on a playground together,drive past a playground or place where children congregate, live in the neighborhood of their choice, use a public boat launch, ride a city bus, and on and on and on.
How come, Charlie?
Explain why, as the current Attorney General, you chose (and continue to choose) not to issue a formal legal opinion relating to the rash of hysteric unconstitutional residency restriction ordinances passed by cities across Florida, which serve to undermine the civil rights of Florida families? Ordinances of banishment and inclusion?
Explain why Florida children, innocent children of a parent convicted of a sex-related offense, are shunned by their classmates?
Explain why Florida families have been publicly "locked in the stocks", branded by the Scarlet Letter?
Explain why, you, sir, continue to perpetuate the urban myth that a child molester lurks on every Florida street corner?
Explain why Florida children are afraid to play in their front yards?
Because you, Charlie, have played the sexual predator card.
On your watch, Floridians statewide have been led to believe they reside in a state of predatorial fear.
You, Charlie, as Attorney General, had the power to educate the very public you hope to lead as Governor.
You, sir, as Attorney General could have explained to the Florida public that many citizens convicted of a sex-related offense are automatically forced to register as sex offenders, regardless of judicial discretion, even though many have had no physical contact with an actual person. (Online chatters, Romeo and Juliets, persons who downloaded one questionable picture, etc., etc., etc.).
You, sir, could have clarified the difference between offender and predator.
You did not. You didn't even make the effort.
Why? Tell us why, Charlie?
Because federal law enforcement funds would be reduced if Florida's executive and legislative branch had the ethical cojonos to restructure the Florida Sex Offender Registry through the addition of tier levels, allowing Floridians to determine their own risk assessment of their neighbors, effectively branded by the State?
Or possibly, because of what a well-placed city official recently shared with me? The term "sexual predator" is used as a sort of "literary shorthand" as the "average citizen generally does not differentiate between offenders and predators". That the average Florida citizen tends to view predators and offenders as "one in the same when in fact they are not."
Or,sir, is political suicide the real reason? Your aspirations to become Florida's next governor are more important than political truth? I imagine fear, loathing, distrust,and exploitation are far more psychologically politically efficient than honesty when dealing with constituents.
If this is so, sir, YOU are a predator of the worst kind, a predator of a parent's worst fear-the endangerment of their children.
Tom Gallagher,take heed. Jim Davis and Rod Smith, both experienced politicians vying for the Democratic nomination for Governor, pay attention.
It is the responsibility of the next Governor to restructure the Florida Sex Offender monster, a system run amuck and astray from the original intent of Megan's Law, in order to allow law enforcement the ability to quality supervise the truly dangerous that live among us.
It is the responsibility of the next Governor to rescind Scarlet Letter statutes which unfairly brand many Florida citizens currently ensnared in a lifetime nightmare.
Nonoffending Florida family members of those forced to register are politically organized and will vote en mass against candidates pulling the sexual predator card.
These families are sick and tired of being sick and tired.
Charlie, as Florida's head cop, you sat by and twiddled your numb thumbs.
You, Mr. Crist, are a political predator.