No holiday spirt for Tennessee sex offenders

photo coutesy of Getty Images

Here are the "Tennessee Rules" for sex offenders on Halloween, issued by the State of Tennessee Board of Probation and Parole.
State law mandates the following for sex offenders:
-Do not answer the door to trick-or-treaters
-No passing out of candy to children
-No holiday decorations on homes
-No visits to haunted houses, corn mazes, hay rides or other seasonal activities
-Do not attend any party where children are gathered
-No costumes
-No trick-or-treating

Is this really effective law making, or our we just scaring the bejesus out of our children? How about prison sentences that are in keeping with Class A Crimes (that would mean a minimum of 25 years in jail)? Sounds a lot safer (and saner) than not allowing rapists to trick or treat.
Does anyone believe that our children are safer by ostracizing sex offenders within our own communities? Building communities, even islands, for sex offenders to live? And is anyone, please, at any point and time, going to make a distinction between rapists who prey on children and those who prey on others: serial rapists typically have a MO and those who rape young women may never assault a child. The difference is important for us all to be acutely aware of.

I don't want sex offenders locked down for Halloween; I'd prefer them to be locked up in prison. I'm sure there's a lot of trick or treating going on in there.

Did you think they're all ugly on the outside? "Bachelor" Serial Rapist

The more our government perpetuates the belief that rapists are scary looking boogie men (Halloween sex offender lock down??), the harder it is for us to identify the real characteristics of a serial rapist. They can be creatures of habit, oftentimes cunning, attractive, succesful and yes, charming. "Oh, he doesn't look like a rapist!" What exactly does a rapist look like? Here's a good look at one here who was a season one candidate for ABC reality TV show "The Bachelor". Charming, indeed.
The Boston Channel reports that Gary Zerola, who is charged with rape and attempted rape of two 19-year old women in 2004 and 2006 is also facing charges of drugging raping another 18 year old.
"..he took the woman back to his apartment and slammed her head against a door and knocked a phone from her hand as she tried to dial 911." To read the entire story, click here
We don't need the TV; that's reality right there.
Let's hope Mr. Zerola gets more than 12 months so that he is not released to repeat his charming behavior on multiple other women. I'm sure he already has.