FL - Somer Thompson, 7, Orange Park, 19 Oct 2009 #3

[gitana1]

I think it would be great if sweet, little Somer was the final straw in our country. The one case that finally pushed us to make a difference. We have some very dedicated, intelligent people on this site. Some of us have more time than others but we all care deeply for the rights of women, children and all crime victims. Can we get a thread going to create some real activism to change legislation?
We can all start by investigating whether there are any groups in our respective states already set up to try and change laws. if there aren't any, or the groups existing are ineffectual, we start our own, in our states. We investigate to see if there has been any effort to change laws and if so, why they haven't changed. We out any representatives that vote down effective laws, like one strike. We come up with ways to pay for the new laws. Because that is pivotal:
http://onestrikelaw.blogspot.com/
http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2009/feb/15/sex-offender-act-might-not-be-worth-its-cost/
I was trying to find another link to something I read a few months ago about a couple states, I think Wahington and hawaii?, rejecting lifetime committment of sex offenders due to the cost.
Let's get the ball rolling!

 

[crocus]

I have been following this case from the beginning, and I know from reports that a live in "family friend" or boyfriend (?) of the mother was living in the home. I have not heard, however, that he is a person who was usually at the home all day, or available on a daily basis to meet and walk these children home from school. Maybe it was usual that he arrived back at the home from work shortly before the children got home from school?

I don't want to jump to any conclusions before we get facts from LE.

 

[Angel Who Cares]

Sdavidson11,
You're One Strong Woman!!

:angel:​

 

[gitana1]

Is it maybe time for those of us that would like to start fixing this problem go start our own thread?
Does WS even have a petitions and politician info thread? Are we allowed to have one?
I'll go start it, somebody just tell me where to put it.

I don't want to completely hijack Somer's thread. She deserves her sleuth space and I think we need a space to go be righteously indignant and figure out how to fix this.

Agreed. Someone was talking about getting such a thread started earlier. I don't know where or how. Thoughts?

 

[eyes4crime]

Yes Federal.. sorry I am rewatching the video of Somers mother at vigil ... rips my heart out to see a mother in that deep of pain cause of some evil monster..

Mom's emotion is heartbreaking...I tear up everytime I watch her. The devastation to all the loved ones is terrible.

 

[gitana1]

I'm going for now. I hope we hear of an arrest soon. Rest in peace little Somer. Your darling face will haunt me always.

 

[MommaD]

How can it be a stroke of genius and a standard operating procedure at the same time? :waitasec:
Me thinks the law enforcement doth protest too much. I am starting to doubt that it was a random search.

BTW: For this thread, which mod is our mod? I never know who to contact.

there are 4 mods for this section. hoppyfrog , tricia, christine, animal but if you go out to missing page and scroll down you can see all the mods to the right in a list.

 

[crocus]

Mom's emotion is heartbreaking...I tear up everytime I watch her. The devastation to all the loved ones is terrible.

Her grief is very hard to watch........just makes me want to curl up and cry!

 

[not_my_kids]

there are 4 mods for this section. hoppyfrog , tricia, christine, animal but if you go out to missing page and scroll down you can see all the mods to the right in a list.

Thank you, I didn't know where to look. I don't usually end up that far down the page.

 

[MommaD]

Thank you, I didn't know where to look. I don't usually end up that far down the page.

LOL .. I will scroll cause I am nosy like that buttttt... I won't hardly click.. cause I am chicken like that.... :dance::dance::dance:

 

[Shutterfly]

http://www.news4jax.com/news/21363638/detail.html

"Tuesday morning, one of my detectives, Bruce Owens, came forward and said, 'You know, I think it'd be a good idea to follow those garbage trucks and let's look at the garbage on the front end rather than waiting and maybe later on trying to go and uncover something,' which was a stroke of genius," Beseler said. "It was a precautionary thing. We didn't have any idea at that time that this would come about. But it was just a really good move."

BBM....there's that name I was begging for earlier.....THANKS Beseler!!

Mr. Bruce Owens........somebody give that man a promotion.....this is a take charge, go get 'em guy here! It's obvious just from this statement that Det. Owens was looking at this case inside out and backwards in an effort to find little Somer and bring her home.

We cannot change what happened to little Somer, but thanks largely in part to you Det. Owens, and your dedication to this child from the onset, she may very well get the justice she deserves. She's lucky to have had you in her corner. I'd say Clay County is pretty lucky too.

Thank You Bruce Owens.

 

[MommaD]

Hip Hip Hooray !!!!!! For Mr Bruce Owens...

 

[Paulette]

Somer would still be here if her school had provided bus service.
What about those adults who are disabled and can no longer walk ?
What about those adults that have cancer and the chemo has left them too weak to walk ? What about those adults who are recovering from heart attacks and are temporarily unable to walk their child to school ?
What about those who don't have any help or support from anybody ?
I can't judge someone who's circumstances aren't remotely similar to mine.
Especially while they're in so much pain.

CHICANA, my mission is to inspire people to be more involved with their children. I want to point out their weakness, stick my finger-in-your-face and accuse you of being lazy and apathetic. Obviously this doesn't apply to your examples. It would be cruel to accuse someone that can do nothing about their situation, to improve it!

 

[HOPE4CAYLEE]

Please Dear Jesus,Keep Somer and her family close to your heart and please help me know why....Iam sorry Somer that these sick wacko's hurt you baby girl and I hope that the perp gets caught SOON,and gets 100 times more pain induced on him/her or both.
May God Bless you and the Family and all the little children of the world.
This stuff has to stop!!!!!!

 

[not_my_kids]

I went ahead and asked if we could have our thread, and asked where we could put it.
If we get it bring your chill pills and leave your pitchforks at the door. We have the motivation to so something here, let's not mess it up.

The Somer's and Haleigh's and Jacob's need to have their tribute through change. We can give them that.

 

[4Kat]

For those that are concerned about the time line. Our dear Amber Hagerman in Arlington, Texas was gone within 8 minutes. For those that do not know, she is the namesake for the Amber Alert. The link provided is very long, but it tells her story. To this day, her killer has not been found. My point is 8 short minutes! When it comes down to it, really, it only takes a second. God rest her soul and all our darling angels.

http://www.trutv.com/library/crime/notorious_murders/famous/amber_hagerman/1_index.html

"That was it," she said. "Eight minutes—eight minutes from the time she rode away on her bicycle until that man called 911. People have to know that this is how fast these things can happen."

 

[Zuckerschnecke]

CHICANA, my mission is to inspire people to be more involved with their children. I want to point out their weakness, stick my finger-in-your-face and accuse you of being lazy and apathetic. Obviously this doesn't apply to your examples. It would be cruel to accuse someone that can do nothing about their situation, to improve it!

We used to walk to school as kids, I'm talking younger than Somer. This was in the 70's. I think about that now and if I'd let my daughter walk to school when she's that age. No way.

(I'm kind of spilling out thoughts here because I'm trying to stay away from this stuff, it's all so disgusting and sick to me but at the same time, I want to do something about it.) What the F*CK is wrong with our society? That a kid can't walk home from school. I saw the mom on the news this morning and I said out loud, "take the camera away from this poor woman."

We shouldn't blame that there is no bus service either. Kids are abducted when there IS bus service (or walking to the bus stop like Jaycee Dugard.) The person to blame is the perp.

RIP baby girl. You will always be loved.

 

[not_my_kids]

Talk to Tricia before posting petitions here.

To be honest, online petitions are really a waste of time and effort as nobody in a position of authority will ever take them seriously. There's no way to verify any signatures and they are generally written is such a way that the petition can be translated as "We're all pissed off!" and the signatures are a series of "Me, too!". Politicians write laws and they have no reason to take an anonymous online petition seriously - and I have yet to see one of them do so.

I didn't mean the online kind. They don't change much. I mean the real kind. Ink on paper, validity verified.
People should be able to find out what the issues are in their areas. There is usually no news coverage of the attempt to get things onto the ballot for voting, we only hear about the ones that make it, and they are sorely lacking.
I'm willing to start making people see me. I'm willing to be a real voice, not easily deleted.

 

[Kimster]

Talk to Tricia before posting petitions here.

To be honest, online petitions are really a waste of time and effort as nobody in a position of authority will ever take them seriously. There's no way to verify any signatures and they are generally written is such a way that the petition can be translated as "We're all pissed off!" and the signatures are a series of "Me, too!". Politicians write laws and they have no reason to take an anonymous online petition seriously - and I have yet to see one of them do so.

is entirely correct. Petitions must have the signatures verified to be registered voters at the county level. Online petitions do not change laws, nor do they stir politicians.

 

[Kimster]

I didn't mean the online kind. They don't change much. I mean the real kind. Ink on paper, validity verified.
People should be able to find out what the issues are in their areas. There is usually no news coverage of the attempt to get things onto the ballot for voting, we only hear about the ones that make it, and they are sorely lacking.
I'm willing to start making people see me. I'm willing to be a real voice, not easily deleted.

I think having an area on WS for this effort is a good idea. Perhaps some of our members just need to learn how to begin to change laws in their communities. Brainstorming the process together could get some things done! Be sure to PM me if you get a forum started. I'm an elected official and would love to help out with training.