Despicable Creatures

Now, I know I spent some time just a couple of weeks ago defending life. And I still do. Really. However, there is a difference between ridding yourself of an unwanted baby, wife, pope, by murdering them and administering the proper punishment for a crime committed. At least I hope you see a difference.

See, a convicted sex offender is likely to offend again, child sex offenders even more so. Terri Schaivo was never likely to do anything other than draw breath in and then press it out of her lungs for who knows how long and not much more, perhaps not to your standard of living, but she would not be perpetrating any crimes. Your average baby will also not be committing crimes, at least not until it reached 12. Sex offenders, i.e. rapists, pederasts, pedophiles, molesters, are guilty of criminal activity. Criminal activity as defined by all religions and nearly all cultures. Usually they are also guilty of crimes of violence as well, certainly when perpetrating against children.

In case you missed it, the autopsy for Jessica Lunsford and a bit of the transcript of Mr. Couey's confession were released earlier this month. That poor little girl died a horrific death, she was raped and then bound, then buried alive within shouting distance of her grandparents and father as they searched for her. The villain who did so was committing several crimes at the time he committed that crime. He had not reregistered with the local police. That may or may not have made a difference whether little Jessica lived or died, but just maybe it might have. There is suspicion that she was alive when police first approached that house to canvas for the missing child, hopefully had they know of the prior proclivities of one resident of that house they would have searched it until they found her, BEFORE she died. One might be brought to wonder if Mr. Couey would have allowed himself to entertain the thoughts that led to the actions that led to Jessica's death. The point is that the consequenses for not registering weren't enough to make him register. Why do we expect that the law will be abided by a committed law breaker? (His other crime was that he was abusing an illicit substance when the rape and murder took place.)

In the weeks after Jessica's body was found there have been multiple stories of other children stolen, raped and murdered in other places. Before this happened there were too many stories of missing and dead children preyed upon by a twisted and peculiarly unredeemable group of criminals, the sex offender that perpetrates against children. It will happen again. And we allow it to happen again because we continue to try to stop the unstoppable with ineffective means. These criminals have to be contained and restrained by other methods. The only effective ones that come to mind are life in prison or death. I prefer life sentances for those offenders who don't kill and death for those that do. Period. First offense against a child under 12, you are in prison for life or you are dead. No appeals for parole, no second chances. They can reform all they like while in prison, but they can never again be confronted with access to the object of their twisted and evil desires.