Power to the People

The week before Devin's concert, I opened my daily newspaper to find a front-page headline that read, Half-way home to house 13 cons. I continued to read the article with shock and anger. This proposed half-way house was not 600' from my kiddo's elementary school and park. The said house was being rented by a individual who wanted to place the convicts in a single-family neighborhood. (Murders, rapists, child molesters, drug dealers, etc. etc. except for arsonists, because that would make his insurance premium go up.) Word spread throughout the ward like wild fire.

I gathered my pitch fork and torch and took up a petition with informational flyer's and canvased our subdivision. I was amazed by the fact that nobody knew of it or if they did, had no clue it was so close to where their children walked to school or played at the park. Taking action was the only way I could handle my outrage that somebody would be so irresponsible in placing sex offenders near young families, a park, and an elementary school and that because of a loophole in the law, would be perfectly legal to do so.

The night of Devin's concert was the neighborhood meeting with city officials, the renter, and a representative from the IDoC. The newspaper and local t.v. news crews were covering the story to spread the word to other communities where this is and could happen in other neighborhoods as well. We attended Devin's concert, which was ultimately more important, and watched the coverage on the news. Over 250 people showed up and the debate was hot. Finally, the renter caved and said he would look elsewhere. The petitions were noterized and turned into the city with the hope of closing the loophole and keeping our children, our families safe.

Power to the People!