Getting All Political

So I am watching the news last night after American Idol and House, and up comes a news report that states Medicaid has been paying for Viagra for sex offenders. This was coupled with the news that the city of Clinton passed an ordinance banning all persons convicted of a sexual offense from being within 100 feet of a public park.

I am thinking to myself, where do the rights of those who have served their time cross over the rights of the public to be protected?

First of all, I feel Medicaid is just that - an AID - and is not a replacement for those who do not work. I feel Medicaid should only pay for medical treatments needed to sustain life. Chances are, if you are diabled, you have both Medicare AND Medicaid, so Viagra would be covered by Medicare, as it should be.

Medicaid is meant to be a temporary situation for those people who need it. I don't want my tax dollars going to anyone for Viagra just as much as a pro-lifer doesn't want their tax money going to fund elective abortions. It's the same thing. Except you won't die from having sex, but you could die in child birth. (that's another post)

Medicaid is for the sick and needy, not for those who want to get their groove on using taxpayers dollars - REGARDLESS OF THEIR PREVIOUS CONVICTIONS.

Second, the whole public park thing is ridiculous. I abhor sexual preditors, please do not misunderstand me, but banning them from public parks, which their taxmoney paid for as well, is discriminatory. I believe that once you've served your sentence and paid your debt, it is your job to become an active member of society. Some of these ex-cons have been rehabilitated and now have families, and they can't even take their kids to the park?

C'mon, people. If you're so damned concerned about chronic pedophilia, then crack down on parole violators, or even better, make harsher parole laws by extending them... or tougher sentences... or more money in the police budget to catch the criminals.

The reason this gets me is that anyone charged with a sexual offense is affected. You can't tell me that a consensual statutory rape situation is the same as a repeat aggrevated underage-child rapist. We all know that. But for purposes of this law, they are one in the same.

Plus, it doesn't "send a message" to anyone except those who are trying to rebuild their lives after serving their debt to society. Someone isn't going to think "I'd better not rape this child or I can't go to a public park again." That's ludicrous. The offender who wants to offend will break this law to get to a child. The only one's it really hurts are those are are turning their lives around and obeying it.

I am not sympathetic to rapist or child molesters. But the court system often tells us how they can rehabilitate a sexual offender. Apparently, they can't well enough for Clinton's liking. In that case, let's stop trying, take the money out of the rehabilitation programs in prison and put it toward a concentration camp for them. That way, they won't have any effect on anyone but themselves.