The Scarlet Pumpkin: Part II
We previously discussed Maryland’s Halloween sex offender ordinance, which requires convicted sex offenders to turn off their lights and display the sign (shown to the right) warning children to stay away on Halloween.
Missouri has a similar law. They require sex offenders stay inside between 5 and 10:30 p.m., prohibits them from participating in Halloween related activities, and wants them to turn down the lights and post a “no candy here” sign.
According the WSJ Law blog, District Judge Carol Jackson struck down parts of the law yesterday. In particular, the judge was concerned with the vagueness of the law:
Apparently, Judge Jackson was concerned that in some cases, parents could be punished for Halloween activities with their own children, such as “carving a pumpkin in the privacy of your kitchen with your 5-year-old child.” She questioned whether such parents might have to send their kids away on Halloween to avoid prosecution. “It’s not too much to expect criminal laws to be clear,” she said.
The judge did not note what many of our commenters already have: telling sex offenders to turn down the lights is a terrible idea.
Seriously, the whole thought process behind trampling civil liberties requiring these extra regulations for convicted sex offenders is the fear about sex offender recidivism. If we are truly worried that sex offenders are ticking time bombs waiting to explode all over little children, shouldn’t their houses remain well-lit at all times?
Also, why should sex offenders be forced to stay home on Halloween? It seems like a great time for them to fulfill their Megan’s Law requirements, just like Will Forte suggested.
Halloween & the Law: Targeting Sexual Offenders [WSJ Law Blog]
Earlier: The Scarlet Pumpkin
(52) 
Comments
First... to say Elie is gay.
first. these sex offenders don't even deserve to breathe, let alone civil liberties. HTH
first
FIRST
to notice, "District Jude Carol Jackson"
Guys in my high school corrected blog grammar all the time. It was no big deal. They also had sex with the band teacher.
Something tells me Elie is sympathetic to sex offenders.
Here we go again. What was the point of this post - the topic has been beaten to death and we are all aware that Elie is sympathetic to child molesters. Next.
First... to say Elie is gay.
"Jude"? Did someone steal your "F7" key?
Guys in my high school used "F7" all the time. They also fellated their uncles.
"If we are truly worried that sex offenders are ticking time bombs waiting to explode all over little children"....is this an attempt at a pun...if it is...you have really bad taste in puns...
I compare Elie to Tim McCarver. Tim McCarver is somehow still the go-to man to announce the World Series on Fox. This occurs despite is complete lack of understanding of the basic rules of baseball. Despite this obvious handicap, McCarver and his cohorts will take the smallest thing that happens in a game and reshow, repeat and rehash it for three innings because they have nothing else to say.
Elie is the Tim McCarver of ATL. He remembers something from 3 weeks ago and keeps commenting on it with only the slightest change in the angle in hopes that nobody will find out he's a fraud.
Just like McCarver has fooled Fox, Elie may have fooled Lat, but he has not fooled me.
Aren't recidivism rates for sex offenders much lower than burglary and drug offenses? Can we nonetheless justify our sex offender laws based on our perception of the gravity of harm caused by repeated sex offenses?
Oh my god, no reference to Elie's fat ass, things that are TTT, guys in my high school or Skadden DC!!
Tim McCarver at least had a long and successful big league career prior to becoming an announcer...
13 - you missed 10.
*nervously steers clear from hiring partner who complains about the sex offender law during interview*
-nervous T-10 1L
All regulations like this do is help ensure that a child's first sexual experience is with someone who doesn't know what the hell they're doing.
16-
the real nervous T-10 1L would not steer clear of any hiring partners b/c he's so nervous about getting a job he'd do anything! You have exposed yourself as a horrible copycat.
"They require sex offenders stay inside between 5 and 10:30 p.m., prohibits them from participating in Halloween related activities, and wants them to turn down the lights and post a "no candy here" sign."
Seriously? "they... prohibits?" "they... wants?" Affirmative action?
it would be a great night to burn their houses down. civil liberties my ass.
"No, he's a sex offender. With a record. He served 6 months in Chino for exposing himself to an eight year old."
"Oh."
"When he moved to Hollywood he had to go door to door to tell everyone he was a pederast."
"What's a... pederast, Walter?"
"Shut the fuck up, Donny."
"If we are truly worried that sex offenders are ticking time bombs waiting to explode all over little children"
Worst. Analogy. Ever.
Why is Elie talking about exploding over little children?
-confused
Apparently, Judge Jackson was concerned that in some cases, parents could be punished for Halloween activities with their own children, such as "carving a pumpkin in the privacy of your kitchen with your 5-year-old child."
---
Why the **** are child molesters allowed to have children of their own?
I thought it was funny.
24: Not all sex offenders are child molesters.
So now giving away candy to children is a civil liberty?
26: Oh, good point, some of these people committed "just" a rape.
27 - I believe you will find the right of a sex offender to give away candy to children hidden within the penumbra of the 2nd amendment. The right to bear arms clearly was intended to incorporate the right to bear candy in your arms on the way to depositing it in the trick-or-treat bags and/or orifices of children.
11-
If it's a pun, it's hilarious.
11-
If it's a pun, it's hilarious.
Ellie is just the worst kind of person. I'm done w/ ATL. Do we have somewhere else to go, yet?
Indiana has a law that requires registered sex offenders to go to a class on Halloween: http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2008810250454
Hey Elly, don't make it bad
Take a good blog and make it awful,
Remember to spell check before you post,
Then you can start to make it better.
Indiana has a law that requires registered sex offenders to go to a class on Halloween: http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2008810250454
Indiana has a law that requires registered sex offenders to go to a class on Halloween: http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2008810250454
28, not completely true; you can be placed on the sex offenders list for such miniscule crimes as peeing in public, running in the naked mile, or merely exposing yourself to elementary students.
Elsie please go away.
38 - Elsie sounds like a cow's name. Based on his picture and writing ability, I'd say that is pretty accurate, but I've never heard of a cow that eats TTTurkey.
Ellie has a sign on his fat belly: Lots of candy in here!
Nervous T-10 1L is the LAMEST meme ever and should really just go away, for good.
28 - or went streaking as part of a senior prank and were arrested for L&L and branded sex offenders.
29--Yep, it's right there in the penumbra next to the personal right to own a gun. Y'know, strict constructionism and all.
Elie's mother was sexually assaulted by a pumpkin, hence his gord-like shape.
Hey, does anybody know what Indiana requires these people to do on Halloween, by any chance?
44 - Oh, that explains his affinity for TTThanksgiving TTTurkey.
21 = best post ever
I'm compiling a list of things over which ATL commenters feel a sense of moral outrage.
1) Trig Palin jokes.
2) Defense of child molesters' civil liberties.
I was considering adding 3) Bad grammar, but there is always a significant contingent of posters mocking the posters that are morally outraged over bad grammar, so I do not think that can go on the list.
Suggestions?
48 = trig pailin
48-- consider adding the T-shirt dispute. (v-neck, crew, or none)
Nice research.
**************
Tasks for the day:
Read the WSJ blog. Copy. Sit back and relax.
Elie: Those having no kids and no likelihood of having kids in the foreseeable future should best remain silent on this subject. Else you reveal your ignorance.