I got a flyer in the mail yesterday from the Akron Police department letting me know that a sex offender was moving into the area.  The flyer included a picture, a description, the nature of his crime, as well as his exact address.

Two streets down from my house.

When I looked at the detail, though, it showed that the crime took place nearly 20 years ago.

And I’m not quite sure how I feel about that.

On the one hand, yeah, it was a pretty serious crime.  On the other, he got caught and paid his debt to society – whatever that means anymore.   And so if he’s out of jail – do we keep punishing him? Does that make our society safer that we continue to vilify him?  

If I was a parent I’m pretty sure I’d be singing a different song – but if he was a thief or a murderer, I wouldn’t have gotten a notice.  Which seems like an odd standard.  

And if he’s really still dangerous, then what good did prison do?

So, now I know that a sex offender has moved into my neighborhood.  I don’t feel any safer knowing.

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As a public institution, the University of Akron is required to allow people to come onto campus and speak in public spaces – provided they don’t disrupt our normal operations or pose a threat to campus safety.

Recently, a notice went out to the faculty, staff, and students about someone coming onto campus and that any counter-discussions should be done peacefully.  But no details on what it was about.

I was busy through that day and didn’t get anywhere near the venue – and it was just as well.  Based on the complaints we got, it was a preacher who was basically against anyone that didn’t fit his narrow view of how humanity should be.

And he was loud and vile about it – and pretty crazy.

It’s the kind of thing that would have made me sick to my stomach to have witnessed, but when I went through that area the next day I saw something extraordinary.  

All along the walkway leading up to that area, students had grabbed some chalk and written messages of hope and love on the ground.  It was amazing – such an outpouring of support and kindness for everyone he had been attacking.  

As I walked along that walkway, I felt loved.

The chalk washed away at the next rainstorm, but those messages – written by kind students who supported each other – lasted far longer than his hate.

So, thank you, UA students, for standing up to hate and caring about each other.  You did good.