Posting #83- Dear Enough is Enough Organization, by Jackson and RSOL of Virginia

By:  Jackson and RSOL of Virginia
Date:  04/15/2009 and 05/20/09

04/15/09:

Mrs. Hughes of Enough is Enough,

I understand you misspoke during an interview today on national television.  As the leader of a nonprofit focused on education, you will want to correct your implication that minors convicted of "sexting" will not be placed on sex offender registries.  A review of law in your state alone should have already revealed that to you.

As your organization name states, enough is enough with the misinformation regarding sex offender registries and their ineffectiveness in actually protecting children.

Jackson

05/19/09:

Jackson,

Thank you for your email.  We work regularly with prosecutors within the DOJ and also on the state level and have been counseled that minors are not automatically added to the national sex offender registry—prosecutorial discretion is employed in all cases, and, although under current law, minors can be tried for creating, producing and distributing child pornography—all of which can possibly place them on the registry—in the majority of cases, minors are not tried under current child pornography law.  I hope this clarifies.

Very Best,
Cris
Communications
Enough Is Enough
Making the Internet Safer for Children and Families

Jackson forwarded Cris’s response to RSOL of Virginia and we responded to Cris at Enough is Enough

05/20/09:

Cris,

Good evening,

We sent a letter to Enough is Enough on April 15, but we have not received a response.

We recently learned that you have responded to a citizen of Virginia where you advised them that the "majority" of minors are not prosecuted under the child pornography laws for "sexting" (sending) naughty photos. We believe this statement is inaccurate at best. Would you please send the RSOL of Virginia the data supporting this statement?

Recently the Richmond Times Dispatch ran an article demonstrating that 2 out of 3 counties interviewed said they would prosecute a teen for sending and receiving such photos to make an example of them. Across the country hundreds if not thousands of teens have been charged and convicted as criminals and subsequently forced to register as Sex Offenders in the past 5 or more years.

Allow me to ask, does Enough is Enough believe that the 18, 19 and 20 year old boyfriends and girlfriend of the 14, 15, 16 and 17 years old that are willingly taking and sending the naughty photos deserve to be prosecuted and convicted for possessing the photos that by law are considered child pornography? 

If this is Enough is Enough's stand on the matter it is just plain WRONG. Lawmakers have been unable to keep up with the day to day changes that have occurred in our technology sector. What seemed a crime yesterday is now the immature games children seem to be playing. Does it need to stop? Yes, but to relate these actions to the most egregious of criminal behavior is simply ridiculous!

May we remind you that your spokesperson Donna Rice Hughes is the same Donna Rice that destroyed Senator Gary Hart's chances at a presidential nomination because of some "racy" or "sexy" photos of them together and her alone back in 1987. Now we understand she has "found the Lord" in the past few years which is a wonderful thing. But does the Lord want teens that make one stupid mistake to bear the label "sex offender" for eternity? Mrs. Hughes would harshly punish those who have done less than she had done many years ago, our lord would not. We believe he'd give them a second chance as should our Government.

If Enough is Enough would like to open a dialog on this subject please contact us.

RSOL of Virginia Organizer